River Views

If you google “expensive fish restaurant Barnes” up comes Rick Stein.  By its own admission, Rick Stein, Barnes,  has limited tables with views of the river but maybe you are lucky enough to secure one.

As you embark on a starter of hot shellfish with parsley, chilli, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice (£25.95) you may take in the river view at the same time as some white wine. Rick suggests Soave (£39) or Vouvray (£41). Continue with a Dover Sole (£37.95) and take another dekko at Old Father Thames. It may have changed a tiny bit as the tide ebbs and flows. If you want to impress a guest this is the moment to throw in a spot of (Alexander) Pope:

Old Father Thames advanced his reverend head;
His tresses dropp’d with dews, and o’er the stream
His shining horns diffused a golden gleam:
Grav’d on his arm appear’d the moon that guides
His swelling waters and alternate tides:
The figur’d streams in waves of silver roll’d,
And on her banks Augusta rose in gold.

Who’s Augusta he/she may ask suspiciously? It’s as well to be prepared for this and to have an answer at your fingertips, still smelling of lemon after the hot shellfish, namely that Augusta is a Roman name for London.

Now all good things must come to an end, especially as the lunch service finishes at 3 pm. If you have had a glass of champagne (£11) and a digestif – I recommend a three year old Calvados, comparatively well priced at £4.95 – you are probably the wrong side of £100 a head. But you have had a super view at your coveted table overlooking the river.

May I propose an alternative? Twice this month I have walked up the Thames to Richmond on the south bank. It takes a good 2 1/2 hours from Barons Court without breaking the speed limit. The views are constantly changing and there is much to see. So far I have always come home on the District Line from Richmond but one day I am tempted to treat myself at Gaucho, on the towpath at Richmond.

Now, can we have a chat? I am often mighty tempted to re-post something from a few years back and hope you won’t notice. My reasoning is that a lot of the old stuff, like wine, is better than the new stuff but so far I have resisted. What I cannot resist is re-playing music that I have shown before. Especially when it’s good and the video is relevant.