Lakeside Hash House Harriers The drinking club with a running problem
Run 1019, 7 January 2004 Hare: Rolf Haris Venue: Rolf’s Gourmet Café, 1 Mitchell St, Burnley
An expectant crowd of food lovers gathered at “Rolf’s”, Burnley’s haute cuisine café, for their first feast of the New Year. The usual foodie regulars were accompanied by a smattering of visitors, notably 3 from Pomgolia. Your humble restaurant critic would have noted their names but surreally his pencil had turned into a knife, odd. Before the degustation the crowd were sent on a appetite-stimulating trot around the avenues and laneways of Burnley and Richmond. Udder (looking forward to some quality repast rather than the usual fish, chips, mushy peas, and HP sauce that he usually endures) commented that he hadn’t been up as many back alleys since the last St Kilda Mardi Gras festival. Chef Rolf obviously had been given a few packs of on-backs for Xmas since the trail was liberally sprinkled with the bloody things, if nothing else it kept the pack together but pissed off the front runners. Round and round we went, managing to avoid the rain, but not the alleys or church pathways, a suitable religious theme to the run at this time of year. Appetites whetted, we all arrived back at the restaurant and the gourmand experience began. Entrees were superb bruschetta and veggy fritters accompanied by crisps and all washed down with Chateau VB 1999. Culinary experiences simply do not get better than this and the casual air of the restaurant with some diners eating inside and some on the delightful terrace complete with herb garden only added to the ambiance. If anything the main course outdid the starter with exquisite lamb, dill, and chives being served on a bed of dancing sodabread to tickle the tastebuds. A sublime dining experience and one which the 30 or so diners relished. The Chateau VB continued to flow and a tirimasu completed the degustation. By then diners were champing at the bit for the promised raffle and this was perhaps the only letdown of the evening with prizes being of a low quality in comparison to the feast that had preceded them. Following such exquisite food and service, diners were expecting charges to be relatively high and this certainly eventuated – the GM charged Chef Rolf, visitors, and other diners charged other diners. Some of the (mainly male) diners could not pay their charges and were forced to wash and wipe up dishes to recompense the restaurant. Overall a wonderful dining experience and certainly the best this critic has enjoyed this year (although unkindly one diner commented that they thought this was the worst dining experience of the year). I would certainly not hesitate to recommend Rolf’s for a return visit. Following the meal the GM led a select band of diners to a local tavern for a nightcap but they had jugs of ale instead. Heathen !
Scribe: IBM