Two brothers who used to work at the well known large Apollo restaurant in Stanmore now co-operate to run this restaurant in a part of Rickmansworth called Chorleywood and a part of Chorleywood charmingly called Heronsgate. The restaurant is named The Heron. It doesn't have a picture of a heron, but it does have the letter H on the base of the bar.
As we drove along winding, dark roads, I peered at the trees and commented, "There aren't many houses, and I can hardly see what they look like."
My friend, a former travel agent who used to work in Rickmansworth, explained. "This is a well-to-do area, attracting people in finance in the city. There's a fast connection by train to London."
We passed an old-fashioned, one level railway station. "Look at that! A step back in time," I said.
I asked, "Why would the wealthy people choose to live here, in this remote place, far from the shops, theatre, culture, of central London, if they could afford to live in the centre?"
She told me, "Some people like to escape from the pollution and crowded centre of the city where they work all week. They want to spend their weekends and free time where they have space and fresh air."
I puzzled over this, "But what is there to do out here?"
She replied, "Some people like the countryside activities, dogs and horses, that sort of thing. But they like a good restaurant."
We were able to park right outside.
I started with a Prosecco. Give me a glass of white sparkling wine at a price the others think reasonable and I am happy.
The Food
The food is a mixture of British and European. My husband chose tricolor salad as a starter. The three colours of the Italian flag. We shared.
Red tomatoes, green avocado, and white mozzarella cheese. A pleasant starter including vegetables, which we like.
I think I have previously seen an Italian restaurant serve it in stripes recalling the flag.
Poultry
My main course was chicken. As usual. No complaints.
My husband had magret de canard. Duck. To be precise, duck breast. A large, solid piece of meat. Canard is French for duck.
Our dessert, which we shared, was also French.
Tarte Tatin
Our dessert was tarte Tatin. We were able to entertain our dining companions with the story of Tarte Tatin being invented to one of two Tatin sisters, who cooked in the Hotel Tatin in the Loir-on-Cher region.
The Tarte Tatin Story
One sister, being not as bright as her sister, or the rest of her family, or most people in France, or anywhere, cooked her apple tart upside down by mistake. This theory has been disproved as similar recipes have been found in France and other countries at the same time as or earlier than any Tatin sisters. However, as the saying goes, why let the truth get in the way of a good story.
My husband chose a sweet dessert wine to match the tarte Tatin, from those on the menu. He also told us that in most cases, the wine from the region of a regional food is the perfect match. Of the four sweet wines offered by the glass to go with dessert, two were strong spirits, port, not suited to a driver, and one was unobtainable. Easy choice.
One of the people behind the bar seemed to be in charge.
I asked the owner where he was from, originally.
He said, "I'm from Albania. This is my brother, also from Albania!"
They grinned, delighted to tell me.
What can we find out quickly about Albania? It is on the sea, facing Italia. To the south is Greece. The capital is Tirana.
Albania
Note to Myself - Don't Sit By The Door
My friend, anxious about Covid-19, had asked to sit by the door and a window. She hoped to be near fresh air.
However, I felt this had not proved a successful position. We were by the front door, and arrived early, so numerous people arrived after us, and passed our table. We should have moved tables early on, but I didn't realize until later how much traffic there would be. First people kept arriving. Later a constant procession of people leaving.
Before we left, I went to the toilet, which was conveniently nearby on the ground floor.
I came back to see as another couple, standing by my chair. They had stopped to speak to my friend. They were just leaving. For a moment, I felt left out.
Then I realized I had avoided being breathed over by yet another pair of people. It made me realize that Singapore had done the right thing, reducing numbers mixing by closing restaurants. Singapore had limited tables to five, down to two, none, back up again, as the numbers of cases in the community go up and down. They also prevented people from booking two adjacent tables, and mingling and talking to people at other tables.
To finish on a bright note, we liked the wines. I liked the cute coffee cups which were by Villeroy & Boch.
The Heron Restaurant, Heronsgate, 52 Heronsgate Road, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth.
Useful Websites
https://heronsrestaurant.co.uk/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarte_Tatin
https://wikitravel.org/en/Albania
Tripadvisor
About the Author
I am Angela Lansbury, not related to the actress, nor the other people of the same name on LinkedIn. I am British born. I have lived in Spain (winter home) and the USA. My family has lived in or often visited the multi-racial USA where Spanish is an increasingly prevalent language, in multi-language Singapore which has signs in the four official languages which include English and Chinese, in Spain, and multi-language Switzerland where you see French, German, and Italian.. My interest in languages was helped by having long-term au pair girls from France, Germany, Spain and Italy. I have written travel articles for numerous magazines and newspapers and spoken on radio and TV in the UK, USA and Australia.
You can link up with me on Facebook and LinkedIn. See my books on Lulu.com and Amazon. Or speak to me at meetings of speakers' clubs which are part of Toastmasters International. I belong to Harrovians in the UK, and in Singapore to BHA and TCA as well as Singapore Online.
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Where next? If we must have more insalata tricolore, you will find it listed under either starters or under salads in online menus for Italian restaurants, for example Casa Mia. So if you cannot get to The Heron, start in your local high street (Americans say main street).
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