503944 Sat Mar 29 07:43:25 -0700 2008 1 42 U.K./Ireland 0 3540080 Soft, coarse shreds of skate are dotted with capers, interspersed between the layers of chicory in a reasonable pile on the plate. The richness of creamy/mayonaissey coat on the skate (I would have preferred mine a bit firmer) is cut somewhat by the heavy tang of capers and the crisp bitter chicory. OK on the whole. A dry sherry (a Manzanilla La Gitana, Bodegas Hidalgo) tasted of pears and walnuts; would have been nice with a blue cheese, but had enough acidity to handle the skate's creamy complexion. Roe deer was perfectly cooked, great meaty earthy flavour, thick slices draped over a a smooth and very slightly sticky dark sauce (demi-glace and red wine?). Classic accompaniments: salsify, aromatic cubes of celeriac, sweet carrots. An '03 Rhone - Beaumes-de-Venise, Château Redortier - barnyard and robust fruit and earth behind that. Went well with the venison. The warm ginger cake was fine, a well made toffee sauce and whipped cream. Basic and comforting, if a tad small. Overall, a very pleasant experience, but not among the best meals I've had. Sat Mar 29 07:43:25 -0700 2008 10076 limster 1 3545145 I enjoyed my meal at Magdalen too - especially as I wasn't paying! Mon Mar 31 07:31:12 -0700 2008 3540080 110146 greedygirl