Snails for lunch

Since opening its doors a few weeks ago, the new La Perle restaurant in Milford on Sea village High Street has proved a real hit.  Getting a table takes a bit of planning, and I had heard that the ‘Daily French Specials’ were well worth a try.  So, having no ability to plan, I decided to pop in at lunchtime.

Along with a number of other tasty ‘French’ choices I spotted ‘escargot’ on the special blackboard.  Being almost fluent in French, I immediately knew an opportunity had again arisen to try snails.  Just as I was planning to order them, I had the traumatic experience of watching as a waiter approached the blackboard and wrote ‘sold out’ across my chosen dish.  As he passed our table I asked if he had ‘frogs legs’, but he insisted he always walks like that. He did however tell me he had ‘bouillabaisse’.  I suggested a trip to the doctors might sort that out, but with immense patience he explained that he was referring to a traditional Provencal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille.  As I felt my wife’s eye’s burning holes in my face, I decided that would suit me fine… and it did.  I wonder what other French delights are going to appear next!

www.laperlemilford.co.uk