658200 Fri Oct 09 02:50:34 -0700 2009 4 42 U.K./Ireland 0 5090352 So, FINALLY got a table last night, last person in London to visit, only after a bit of foot stomping with the front of house... Bloomin' loved it. Great wine choices, red (for once) served coolish, rillettes were velvety (could have had more of a kick?), ventreche very generous, smoked eel and remoulade was just how I'd been imagining all day (though remoulade maybe a teensy tinsy bit too mustardy), caponata with goat curd not something I'd normally order but a revelation, efficiently in and out in an hour for the ballet.. The only thing was the duck scratchings. EVERYONE has mentioned these, I've been fantastising for yonks. Now, I know a duck is slightly smaller than a pig, and you're unlikely therefore to get big strips. But these were just little pellets and kinda tricky to eat, especially when you're sharing them with someone. They tasted delicious...but I just wanted to know whether this is how they normally serve them, or whether I'd been unlucky and got the debris from the bottom of the bowl. In which case, I can try again. This is obviously a question of HUGE importance ;) Helen Fri Oct 09 02:50:34 -0700 2009 1088742 helen b 1 5090382 I went after a few cocktails at Rules and can barely remember the pork scratchings or anything else - ha! I did love everything we had though - I thought the ham in particular was divine, and loved the clams with aioli. Fri Oct 09 04:03:24 -0700 2009 5090352 110146 greedygirl 2 5091594 GG, clearly a good night at Rules as the famed scratchings are duck not pork. Helen, it isn't just you, we felt just the same, almost as though we had been served the dregs. We were in the Languedoc recently and came across the same duck scratchings in a very up-market food shop: the chance to try the real thing. The good news is Terroirs ones are the genuine article, the bad news is the ones in France are as disappointing. Apart from that Terroirs is very good - in-fact the wine list is so good we ended up like GG Fri Oct 09 12:18:23 -0700 2009 5090382 64584 PhilD 3 5092880 Oh dear. We're having duck tomorrow so I might experiment and see if I can beat 'em... On the bright side, not having to have the scratchings opens up another dish choice next time! Sat Oct 10 00:50:07 -0700 2009 5091594 1088742 helen b 4 5147474 I am luckily enough to work just around the corner to this gem. I made good use of their half price opening offer and have been back numerous times since. I recommend the smoked eel with remoulade, duck rillets and clams with vermouth and aioli. I wasn't that impressed with the duck scratchings. The wine can be quite hit and miss (mostly hit) but it's refreshing to see tiny appellations you've never heard of and they champion some very fine Vin de Pays. Go! Sun Nov 01 14:50:48 -0800 2009 5092880 1117215 funthyme