WE'VE been blessed with good weather of late, for usually rain-soaked Ireland the climate is practically Mediterranean and I'm loving it.
I've blocked everyone on Facebook who has moaned about it being too hot and liked all the jokes about 'micks' parading about town in Nike airmax, Umbro shorts and no tops on.
Nothing says summer in Belfast quite like the offie having a sign in the window saying they've run out of cider.
I don't like cider but if I did I would be raging that it was all sold out by the time I finished work. The daytime drinkers really come into their own in this weather.
While a carry-out in the park seemed a fairly attractive idea given the tropical temperatures, on a beautiful Monday night I opted for something a little more high brow and befitting a woman of my lofty position in life.
You may remember a while back I tried to visit Graze in Ballyhackamore but hadn't booked so dined out in the excellent Neill's Hill instead.
Well I wasn't taking any chances this time so booked a table for two online, which was an easy and effective way to secure a table without having to bother a waitress in the middle of lunch service.
We arrived early for our 7.30pm booking, which isn't like me but it was fine – we were seen to the table straight away and were reminded that booking is essential: even on a Monday the place was buzzing.
We were having a wee celebration and so a bottle of Prosecco was ordered while we perused a cracking menu, full of new and unusual pairings and tasty favourites.
You may not be aware of this but it is inaugural eat eels week, with local restaurants asked to put Lough Neagh eels back on the menu. We once exported most of these slippery suckers but they are becoming popular once again and my daughter wasted no time in ordering the eel with textures of beetroot.
It was a chefy looking dish beautifully presented with little smoked fillets of eel along with a sharp pickle-salad-type garnish. Total plate envy – it was delicious.
I won't say I ordered badly but my salt and chilli monkfish was drab in comparison; there was a generous portion but I would have liked it hotter. It had a great little dipping sauce with it and I loved the texture, but the eels stole the show.
For mains we kept to the 'from the sea' (or lough) theme of the night. I had sea bass with a potato cake and all manner of loveliness. There was a tasty cauliflower puree and charred baby leeks – so charred they were almost burnt but the taste was sensational, along with little tempura-battered cauliflower florettes and baby-stemmed broccoli that had only danced in the pan and was crisp to the bite.
Perfectly cooked fish, buttery and soft, every mouthful a delight to eat, pretty as a picture on the plate.
My daughter ordered the scallop risotto. Again her plate was stunning; the risotto, reflecting the glorious evening, was full of sunny spice, a slight Asian flavour to it, large plump scallops, charred on the outside, just done and soft on the inside.
A little sharp apple salad garnish gave what could have been a stodgy dish freshness. We fought with each other over the last mouthful. And reasonably priced; it was £16 which, I can assure, you if you'd gone a few miles down the road into the city centre you'd have to slap at least another £5 on to.
We could have stayed for dessert – there was a lemon meringue and a glorious-sounding rhubarb pannacotta. We could have and I'm sure it would have been delightful, but the night was young, the sun had yet to set and a few drinks were waiting for us in the Harp Bar, so we drained the Prosecco and hit the town, two very happy diners.
THE BILL
Eel £6
Monkfish £6
Sea bass £15
Scallop risotto £16
Prosecco £24
Total £67
