Change of plans

I was going to make a post about the frankly epic tortilla I made for lunch yesterday but then, halfway through my last lecture of the day, as I was planning the post instead of paying attention, I got a text from my friend saying that she was currently in A&E with another friend who was waiting to be taken in for a scan. Much as I wanted to rush straight there and help, I knew that there was little I could do because they were both waiting for news from the doctor, so I (guiltily) continued my plans for the rest of the afternoon - finished the lecture, went to a café to work for an hour or so and then called into the supermarket to pick up some neccessities.

Once I got back, I found out that they were in the hospital just opposite my halls so no sooner had I got in and unpacked my stuff than I was out the door again to see how he was doing. The answer? Very, very hungry. Once he was released, the three of us headed back into town to get a nice meal - a reward for the two of them for hanging about in a hospital for the best part of seven hours.

After much deliberating and wandering about the Old Town, we ended up back at the first restaurant we'd looked at, and one we'd been to back in October when a friend came to visit.

Called the "Tire-Bouchon" (that's "corkscrew" for my non-Francophone readers), they do a couple of really fantastic value "formules". Ellen and I went for their "Formule brasserie" which gives you a starter, main and a pudding for €18.90. You don't have much to choose from, but what is on offer is fabulous. Last time, I was brave and had "saumon tartare" as my starter, followed by the classic confit du canard. This time, I opted for their selection of cold meats (pâté, salami and prosciutto ham); followed by cassoulet and then a crême brûlée. Some things never change.

The starter was faultless, it's hard to really mess up three types of meat arranged artfully on a slate after all; but the main was incredible. Really rich and filling with beautiful duck that just fell off the bone. If I'd had room, I definitely would have mopped up the sauce with the bread that was freely coming to us - but I was getting full and needed to have space for my pudding!

It perhaps wasn't the situation I'd imagined when I thought about going out for a meal with friends (you can't plan for everything, after all), but the reasons behind the meal didn't stop it from being a very enjoyable evening with good food, cheap wine and hilarious (if somewhat inappropriate) conversation.