Sole and Liberty
'The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it...'
[Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray]
TWO FRIENDS and I presented half a dozen rather smart Scotch whiskies at Liberty's yesterday. I have a soft spot for this eccentric department store. When taken en-masse, the cedar scented, wood carved atrium resembles the interior of The Globe. Not that I could afford much within, including these beautiful, distressed brogues with witty soles.The drams ranged from pert sherry cask free Speyside, Macallan 17, which was slightly hazy with a rice kernel nose and feint orange on the supple palate, to the utterly civilised Glenfarclas 25. Also from the distillery concentrated area North West of Aberdeen, this single malt was by contrast filled with Oloroso cask influences. Deep orange Baltic amber, finely peated, with nuances of honey, coffee and liqueur chocolates. Delicate and enduring.
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Gordon Ramsay's 'La Noisette' has closed after just 18months. This represents his second unsuccessful venture on the site. Mathew Norman points blame at the 'Findusy blandness' of the food whilst the zealous Jay Rayner casts aspertions on the jinxed location:
'First it failed under Alain Ducasse. Then it failed under Jamie Oliver. Next it failed under Ian Pengelley. Now it's failed under Bjorn van der Horst. It seems to carry about it the stench of death.'
Its former chef, Michelin starred Bjorn van der Horst moves to set up his own restaurant. No doubt Ramsay will tell all in the next volume of his autobiography...
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