We weren’t even that hungry, but by 8 pm we figured we’d better go out for something or face the prospect of having the hotel bar’s dessert for the third time during our stay. Dona and I started out touring the same streets we’d traveled on previous nights, but soon detoured to get away from the endless parade of fish and chip pubs, empty Indian restaurants, and grimy-looking Italian places.
We were starting to get on each others’ nerves after twenty minutes of searching (this is nothing new). The only interesting place we found was a French bistro, but it looked like an hour wait to get inside.
And then, down an unfamiliar side street, Dona saw a place called Monmouth Kitchen. She wanted to check out the menu. I saw that it was a hotel restaurant, and balked, since hotel restaurants are usually overpriced and less than inspiring. But a glance at the menu (most London places post them by the door) turned us both on. Peruvian and Italian small bites for sharing. Let us in!
The food was even better than expected. Tiny salmon and jalapeño tacos. Avocado and corn salad with blackberry sauce. Chicken and mushroom risotto. Chocolate caliente sticks with coconut sauce for dessert. Had we found this place on our first night here we probably would have come back. But not to be. We leave for Paris in the morning.
Joe Ponepinto 