More than a number

There’s a couple who are famous in these parts for dining at the Midland Hotel every night for the past 30 years – I suppose people have secured celebrity status for more pointless reasons.

And although they have been mocked with comments such as “how predictable”, “they must have shares in the place”: I for one am beginning to warm to the ol’folks’ Groundhog Day approach.

Bistro 156 is so much more than a number. It documents the story of my lovelife.

Locating a good restaurant is like finding the perfect bloke. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your handsome prince and once you’ve pinned him to the floor, branded him yours, and got your feet firmly wedged under his table, you’ll be damned if you’re going to go through the rigmarole of shopping elsewhere.

The menu is as varied as it’s creative, with an interesting mix of wholesome and hearty goodness and Eastern influenced dishes.

Bistro 156 do feature an alternative menu Mon-Wed. Although, being available till 10pm and costing £15.75, it’s more ‘Meal Deal’ than ‘Early Bird.’

However, this particular evening my husband and I chose from the main menu and gulped it down with a bottle of Arpeggio Bianco de Sicillia 2005 £11.95, a very grown up sort of wine.

King prawn crostini (peeled prawn tails pan fried in garlic, ginger and chilli on toasted ciabatta and baby leaf salad, £5.50) is not a first date dish. Your potential beau is likely to pass out from your fiery garlic breath before you’ve even seductively whispered, “pass the salt” but it sure is a cheeky dish. Prawns that look like they’ve been pumping iron in the gym are given that extra zing factor by the sharpness of ginger and chilli. Lush.

The Devilled crab cake with sour cream, herb dressing and baby leaf salad (£4.75) has that Oriental edge to it. There’s no faffing around with dinky portions here. It’s a man sized crab cake - rich flavoursome with a powerful kick of something spicy. The only let down was that the batter could have been slightly crispier to contrast with the smoothness of the devilled crab.

Duck is always a winner at 156. True to form the honey roast duck breast with cabbage, bacon, new potatoes and greens (£13.95) sliced through with as much ease as soft cheese. One of the things I love about 156 is the respect it has for vegetables. It gives them as much plate time as the meat, always devising new forms of presentation. The creamy cabbage and bacon, pepped up with whole grain mustard could be a dish in its own right.

Even I was amazed by this point that I could stuff any more into an already overcrowded belly but bring it on as they say. And 156 did in the form of raspberry shortcake biscuits stacked with vanilla cream and fresh raspberries. One word – sublime. When asked by my husband whether it was cream or ice cream, I, in a state of raspberry heaven replied: “Mmmm, it’s sooo creamy but frozen like ice.” Hmmm ice cream, perhaps? The words “Remind me why I married you” took shape in his mind.

Even I am not so blinded by love to recognise Bistro 156 is not without its flaws – on a busy night you can be waiting quite some time between courses which is the problem of having a small kitchen. The portions are overly generous too. How’s this a negative? You may ask, but it is hard finding clothes with an elasticated waist band.

There is something totally charming about this bistro. Is it the intimacy, chatty waiting on staff, comfort food or the fact I’m a hopeless romantic that leads my nose through their door time after time? I couldn’t tell you but I’ll let you know if I find out.

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