It’s been a few months since the Polish Ex-Serviceman’s club at Ecclesall Road saw some action on the Jazz scene from Sheffield Jazz but last night we saw a welcome return to an old stomping ground when Dylan Howe and his quintet gave us their own version of what they can do with a few well used instruments. The first number was lively and by the time that the second half took place Dylan and his band were turning out some raging Jazz which pleased the crowd who roared and hooted with delight. Strangely, the quintet became a quartet due to some sort of sudden domestic incident but in spite of that a great night out was had by all.
September 22, 2007
August 1, 2007
[munch][munch][munch] …… picks up small red book from the 1960’s. Waves it around in a Chinese sort of way and begins to chant….. “Comme Chez Soi ! Comme Chez Soi ! Comme Chez Soi !” (Deep frowns from the European Union chambers at the other end of Brussels).
…. puts down one set of ten different types of silver service knives and forks…. looks at the one hundred page wine menu once again…. picks up glass … sluuurrppp….
You know, they said to me when I was over in the Ban Sen Juku dojo why was I sitting in front of them ? I said that it was because there was a restaurant owner over in London who had used so many nasty four letter words in my direction that I had first of all wandered along the road to l’Gavroche to avoid him and then I had jumped on Eurostar to Brussels to avoid London and all of the rude people that live there. Seiji Tomita and Mieke couldn’t understand why a Tomiki Aikido person would want to go to such a brilliant dojo like Ban Sen Juku to practice traditional Aikido. I had to explain that it wasn’t just the Aikido but the restaurants as well. After much use of a jo and a sword whilst doing some aiki-iai we got back to the sake once again. More talk of Aikido. Back to the next seminar.
Comme Chez Soi. A place where you can have a really great night out. The wine waiter has impeccable taste. His English is just brilliant. As for the wine ? Well, what can you say ? An endless choice. The menu gives you either a do it yourself option or a set menu with all the trimmings. Not quite like eating fish and chips in Sheffield but easily more enjoyable. I’ve probably had more enjoyable nights out round the corner at Bocconi with Mark Shuttleworth of Ubuntu fame or round the corner from there at a well known Belgian pub or brasserie again with Mark Shuttleworth. But, there’s nothing quite like Comme Chez Soi for the quality and breadth of the menu. Eating the cheese course with something like a desert spoon is also something that you don’t quite get somewhere else.
The only other thing that I’ve seen in Brussels that really matches the excellence of Comme Chez Soi is La Monnaie which houses the National Opera of Belgium. This easily rivals anything in Germany or Italy. Although, whether it can outclass the New York Metropolitan I am not sure. I think you have to forget about the Met and New York culture when you are in Europe ? After you have understood the Brussels tram system and you get to know the Metro you can then settle down to some Belgian hospitality which is only really rivalled by the Irish.
On top of that the first class trip there and back from London on Eurostar is probably better than anything that you can get on the Shinkansen in Japan. It’s not really first class travel but if you’ve had to put up with a slow and broken public transport system in England which was created by Mrs Thatcher’s wish to “improve” England then you will love Eurostar.
Next stop is Bouillon 
Monsieur weel be ‘aving a leedle more ….
