A further visit to Bill's

Last we paid what I thought was our third visit to the Epsom branch of Bill's, but with search only revealing the one at reference 1. For the company itself see reference 2.

The evening started with the offer of a large, red, three seater leather sofa parked outside a house under refurbishment. A bit dusty and shabby but would probably clean up OK; sadly no use to us. Instead, we amused ourselves with pompous conversation about how wasteful it was that this particular house was undergoing major refurbishment for the second time in what might be as long as ten years. But at least the need for home improvement is keeping all those good people from eastern Europe in gainful employment. Maybe their families back home get to see some of the dosh.

The Maserati

The next road included a Maserati, probably a commuter rather than a resident, so it does not really count. But I suppose it might have been the same chap spotted just over a year ago in the margins of trolley 131 and noticed at reference 3.

Scruffy faux

The restaurant is in an old building at the western end of the market square, a place which has had a number of tenants over the years, with the only one we can remember being one that did Nepalese; one that we never visited despite best intentions. Now done up in what one might call scruffy faux, so we have a building which really is quite old but which is made to look old by mainly new decorations.

Not very full, but good ambience all the same. Cheerful waitresses. We wondered whether they were students of creation studies moonlighting to make up their grants. The young men present worked the bar.

I started with a couple of hot breads, served plain with some oil in one of those blue and white enamel bowls which are getting everywhere these days. Plus a board, plus a waxed paper cover. Rather better than average. While BH was pleased with her soup.

I took beef-burger to follow, also rather better than average, with rather less goo. I used some of the hot bread to make lumps of burger up into mouth sized sandwiches. Chips satisfactory. BH's fish not so clever.

The wine

The desserts did not attract but the new-to-us wine was entirely satisfactory, as was the cognac which chased it down. No idea whether the 'tuffo' in the name has anything to do with the 'tufo' of the Greco di Tufo which we make a point of taking when available.

All in all, an entirely satisfactory visit. Will it be another four years before we are back again?

Reference 1: https://psmv2.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-visit-to-bills.html.

Reference 2: http://bills-website.co.uk/.

Reference 3: http://psmv3.blogspot.com/2018/03/trolley-131.html.

Reference 4: http://www.morgassisuperiore.it/. 'Bouquet very delicate while intense, elegant flower notes, white and citrus fruit aromas. On the palate long almost bitter finish, with a decisive imprint of freshness, witness of the wine's potential for ageing'. Almost a limited edition as they only do 90,000 bottles or so a year.