Food at Clarke's Restaurant. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Copyright.
The restaurant named after the woman who started it, Sally Clarke has been attracting gourmets including my family for many years. I was hoping to go there again. But now that a lockdown is in place on restaurants, until it is lifted (with a possible resuing of the old normal on December 2nd by no means certain, I have no opportunity, as a permanent pessimist I believe I have no prospect to visit Clarke's. A member of my family had a business meeting there. The restaurant is near the Sampler, a wine shop with an Enomatic machine. I think the Enomatics are also in lockdown. But you can still buy the bottles of wine.
Clarke's was offering a set lunch at a far lower price than their a la carte menu. On my last visit I was impressed by the fresh fruit flavours in the cocktail. We ordered two different cocktails to get two experiences and in case one was better than the other. We ended up swapping.
Ambiance
The entrance from the busy main shopping street outside. The ambience is Classic: White walls, sash windows, small red lampshades on wall lights either side of windows, framed paintings, white fabric table cloths.
P.S.
Sharing Drinks
Even before Covid-19 there was a risk of transferring illness from one person to another by sharing glasses. I remember when a friend's daughter had glandular fever, the mother warned me not to touch the glass placed in front of her daughter and to be careful not to mix up or mistake the glasses. (The father is a doctor - and an ear nose and throat specialist.)
If you are bothered about transferring germs, even between husband and wife, you can take a teaspoon of the liquid before anybody drinks from it. Or both carry your own straws. I think it is safer to ask for an extra pair of drinking glasses, or hang onto spare glasses before the waiter takes them away. Or simply ask the server to divide your drinks between four glasses so that you can both do a comparison.
Many restaurants have installed glass partitions at tables. Mostly between one table and the next. Some places may have glass in the middle of the table, like at a bank or cashier in a garage.
I saw these partitions when we were in a shop selling phones and phone services in Harrow.
As for the food at Clarke's, my husband says, "Every dish is delicious."
In Hatch End we had eaten in Social Dhaba (what an up to date name), which had transparents barriers between tables.
I went along Hatch End high street, The Broadway (which is a wide road) looking to see which restaurants had installed barriers. I saw them in B & K.
Now the negative news is that restaurants will be closed. But the good news is that many of them will be offering a delivery service. this protects you from the danger of catching anything when travelling there. And no need to book a babysitter.
Having a live-in maid or a dishwasher becomes a more inviting prospect when you are faced with having the whole family home for meals all day every day. And in some cases children at home instead of school. Instead of travelling to eat food. The food is increasingly travelling to you.
I noticed at one restaurant a sign instructing food collection drivers from named companies, 'please wait outside'.
I expect that restaurants will be asking some customers to do the same.
What preparations can you take when collecting?
With cold weather in England and arts of Europe and north America, and hot weather in Singapore, Asia, and Australia, make sure
1 You are dressed for standing outside
2 Your mobile is fully charged,
3 Your mobile is turned from silent to high for good reception,
4 Make sure you have the restaurant phone number and the name or order number.
5 If at home waiting for delivery, keep a lookout. Normally they put down the package, ring the bell and then run off.
6 You no longer have to sign for packages. Deliverers are now required to keep a safe distance so instead they take a photo of the package on the doorstep. You may or may not be in the photo if you open the door quickly. But they don't wait to see who has taken in the package.
7 Expect deliveries of food as well as mail order items to be dumped on the doorstep by a driver who runs off as if he or she is not just in a hurry but scared of catching the plague.
8 Many restaurants due to Covid-19 are taking credit cards and not allowing staff to handle money. As you can see from the notices the windows outside restaurants, they are following government guidelines and specific instructions.
9 If you cannot tip the driver with cash because they won't handle cash, or run off, instead consider tipping with a credit card or some other system.
Enjoy the opportunity to get home delivery of food from more restaurants, sometimes paying a premium, other times getting a reduction in prices.
Useful Websites
https://www.opentable.co.uk/clarkes-restaurant
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/reopening-and-adapting-your-food-business-during-covid-19
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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