Michael Deane as pictured in the Ormeau Baths Gallery

It didn’t start well, our hostess was roundly berated by a Rosa Kleb style waitress for sitting before being sat, despite her sitting on the only table set for eight in the room, (the number she had ordered, and confirmed that afternoon) .
Having stood and then been resat (at the same table) we were permitted to proceed.

It got better after that.

I had a starter of New Seasons Asparagus, crushed new potato, poached egg and lemon hollandaise.
This was all perfectly judged and timed, the egg, set white, soft yolk, the asparagus, just the right amount of bite, a deliciously mild buttery lemony sauce. Perfection.

My next course was a fillet of Hake, with a Crab cake, tomatoes and capers.

Again the timing of the cooking of the Hake was perfect, it was just at that moment of creamy flaky perfection which only an experienced chef can judge.
The crab cake had rather too much potato and too little crab but the Hake was so good this was easily forgiven.

I finished with a perfectly pleasant selection of cheese, and drank a perfectly acceptable Pino Grigio through the meal.

Then my wife spotted the man himself, Michael Deane, at the bar so I went to talk to him and then buttonholed him for about ten minutes while I told him about my French plans.
In fairness to him he feigned envy well at my description of serving food in the evening to just eight people (and this is every chef’s dream) with NO choices.

The meal took rather too long to serve for some of the party, 45 minutes between some of the courses seemed excessive, but the food when it came, was so accurately cooked that I, for one, thought it well worth the wait.

We drank lots of wine, it was a pre-wedding party, but still the bill came in at under £50 a head.
A good price for that quality.
I’d go there again