Chewing & Chatting

We have a tradition. We meet our mate Tom for what we call our Chew & Chat nights. The usual interval is six weeks or so, but tonight was our first time this year because of the pandemic. We chose the Courtyard Restaurant in Donnybrook (officially cumbersomely Marco Pierre White's Courtyard Restaurant). It's a terrific place. Its main room is large, so social distancing between tables is no problem at all, and the eponymous courtyard is a glorious space.

I phoned ahead to check Covid restrictions. There was no time limit for our booking, and they were happy for us to come half an hour early to fit in aperitifs in the courtyard before going to our table. I'd have to say that their Covid set-up was less impressive than Matt the Thresher (masks rather than visors, a rather slip-shod meet-and-greet setup and rather inconspicuous hand-sanitising arrangement) but, as expected, table distancing was fine.

The staff were efficient and friendly and the food was okay, even if very over-priced. The main takeaway from the evening, though, was the dining room and being able to renew our chew-and-chat arrangement.