Margan Wine Dinner Lake Club July 6th 2011

Had reasonable expectations here which didn't quite get met.

Not that anything was really wrong with anything. The food was most palatable, especially the almost perfectly braised beef ribs - tasted like they had been slow braised for hours in rich gravy. Potato was excellent and the soup not salty. The new chef shows great promise. The wines were fair but not really standouts - crisp Semillon with Salmon starter, reasonable Chardonnay to follow with the soup, very light bodied Merlot with main and (I think) crisply sweet Semillon Dessert to finish. It's just that previous wine dinners were quite generous with the pourings. This evening they were decidely stingy. Except for the starter, barely a full glass with each course. Everything ended at 10pm. We left surprisingly and disappointingly sober. Didn't manage to get around to say hello to too many, but saw old friend the Bone Corrector at a distance and wine kaki Tuck Onn, who shared my disdain at the parsimony of the Club. Wine Chairman Derrick held court getting photos taken at all the tables. We run into each other about once a year and each time he keeps threatening to call me to come to his place to taste wine. Well, maybe this will be year. I said a quick hello to the winemaker Andrew but got quickly crowded out by He Who Would Be King who seemed keen to cement an impression. I am still developing one of him. Dick seems the closest at this time.

Pleasant company at the table with Vijay and Freya and son Rajiv. Apparent regulars at the Lake Club wine dinners, eye doctor and Anglophile Vijay regaled us with tales of his wine travels and knowledge and purchases. Rajiv spent most of the night on his Blackberry, but we swapped some restaurant tales in between sessions. I gave them a tip about discount cruises, they seemed happy with the idea. An early night, and quite proud that I remembered to call my sister in the UK and wish her a Happy Birthday. Decent sleep too, so the wines weren't that alcoholic.