A LONG LOOK BACK

 

GAZE RESTAURANT, ORMEAU ROAD

Northern Ireland, as we are informed by Discover Northern Ireland is the location of “inspirational locations, stunning landscapes and the friendliest of welcomes”; and of course, the Giant’s Causeway.   Everyone remembers learning about the myth of Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway in primary school - a myth is so far-reaching that when I was a teaching assistant in Spain, I was gratified to find whole chapter in my pupils’ textbook dedicated to it.

                     

So when I had a friend visiting from London last weekend, a trip to the Giant’s Causeway was top of the “tour-guide to-do” list.  

Perhaps I am a little provincial.   

The beginning of the day was inauspicious – gale force winds and sheets of rain bouncing off the pavement are inhospitable even by our Northern Irish standards.  Nevertheless I donned a mac, the picnic went into the boot of the car and the AA route-planner was on stand-by.  Then, as we were driving down the Ormeau Road – “What is the Giant’s Causeway anyway?” asked my friend.  Emmmm... UNESCO World Heritage site, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, one of the most breath-taking sights in the world, a rock formation...?  

My friend decided that she wasn’t massively keen on a two-hour car journey to see a rock formation in the driving rain but would love to see where Rhi-Rhi filmed her video for “We Found Love”.   And she didn’t mean the pretty field with the angry farmer.

So it was I found myself spending Sunday driving up and down the Falls Road and the Shankill, past the New Lodge, through Lower Ormeau and up the Black Mountain (where I nearly drove the car into a ditch during a distinctly hairy moment – I thought that we were never coming down).    

After a day spent talking myself hoarse about the politics and history of Northern Ireland, I was exhausted, both mentally and physically.  There is nothing more intellectually draining than desperately casting the mind back to GCSE history lessons in order to flesh out my vague explanations of the Troubles.  When thoughts turned to dinner,  I realised that the hearty home-crafted meal I had envisaged presenting had dissipated into the air somewhere around Divis Flats.

To Gaze it was.  To the uninitiated, Gaze is a Chinese restaurant on the Ormeau Road that allows for both takeaway/delivery and eating in, with several outposts throughout Northern Ireland (check the website).  In the restaurant itself, the atmosphere is relaxed and the service is attentive.   It’s also unlicensed and so is a popular spot to hit before an evening on the razz.  Whether eating in or ordering a takeaway/delivery; the turnaround is incredibly fast and the order is unfailingly ready in minutes.  The only shortcoming of the restaurant is the astonishingly intimidating lady who takes delivery orders over the telephone.  My friend and I actually keep a tally as to whose turn it is to phone her next – and phone calls are always preceded by a deep breath.  

                       

My guest and I decided to sample the Honey Chilli Crispy Chicken, Crispy Salt and Chilli Squid, a portion of fried rice, a portion of chips, a pot of satay sauce, a tub of edamame beans and some prawn crackers.  No I haven’t seen those adverts about obesity, thanks.  The lady at the end of the phone was typically terrifying, our food was ready as promptly as ever and the service in the restaurant itself was as warm as ever when we picked up our food (our mountains and mountains of food).  AND twenty quid for the whole lot – my London friend was completely gobsmacked.  Welcome to life off-shore.

    

                            

The Honey Chilli Crispy Chicken was cooked so as still to retain its juiciness and there was just enough sauce to keep the chicken moist without overwhelming it.  I may be slightly biased as this is one of my favourite dishes but the sauce is light enough that it’s almost possible to pretend that it’s not ridiculously unhealthy.   It was delicious when paired with the fried rice (or thrown on top of the fried rice and then devoured, to be brutally honest).   The squid was also extremely tasty and right up my street.  I absolutely love seafood; and the red and green chillies garnishing the dish give it a real kick and cut through the richness of the batter covering the squid.  For me, the squid was slightly overdone and edging towards chewiness; but given that I will eat all food in as raw a form as possible (disgusting, I know), others may disagree.

A decimated carton of Honey Chilli Crispy Chicken

                           

                            

 

I am a huge fan of edamame beans and Gaze does these particularly well.  They were not overcooked in the slightest – always a danger with beans - and were covered with rock salt.  To be perfectly frank, they were the token green in this show – bravely staring down the barrel of a meal consisting of sugar and carbs and working to assuage our girl-guilt.  They duly fulfilled their purpose.   

Edamame beans - nutritious

 

As for the prawn crackers... we ate on Sunday and I was still wolfing those beauties down by Wednesday.

Gaze – scrumptious, speedy and cracking value.  Just beware the lady on the telephone.  You have been warned.