Looking back, many months after eating this breakfast with John, I see now that it has come to represent everything that has passed since. We were at the Verano Lounge on Western Road. During our walk there and while we were waiting for our food, much talk was on the matter of the referendum on the EU. Would Brexit come to pass?
I know John through one of my oldest friends, Steve, as the two of them lived together while at university. I had first met John many years ago when I had gone to visit Steve, and I have since met up with him most times he has visited Steve now that he lives in Brighton. I think he has forgiven me for the time I wore his suit jacket to and from a game of squash, although I am not entirely certain.
John comes from the town of Devizes in Wiltshire. It is a Conservative-leaning town whose MP was previously the Rail Minister (and once said that she “often ashamed” to hold that position).
John has his finger on the pulse and is ardent follower of what is going on in the area - particularly the matters that divide the local community. He keeps his ear to the ground with the help of “The Devizes Issue,” a Facebook group where people air their views on the town.
Here, it would seem that tensions around immigrants and Muslims in particular were high. He described how in one discussion where fears around a mosque were compared to people’s acceptance of various restaurants and eateries run by Muslims. A striking reply from one individual to this was that “a chicken korma won’t cut my hand off.”
Although he follows such talk, he is not that kind of gent himself. This contrast is paralleled in a strange way by the fact that he has long been vegetarian but still loves pike fishing, using salmon as bait no less. His record pike was 20 lbs. At least, it was at the time. Many things have changed since we last spoke.
His experience of public sentiment surrounding the referendum was the polar opposite of my own. I didn’t think it would ever come pass while John was far less certain. I maintained this believe right up until I headed to bed, maybe around 1am, with news that Farage had conceded defeat filtering through. Everything was going to be fine when I got up for breakfast…
And so, the breakfast:
Verano veggie breakfast
Courgette and sweetcorn fritter, fried egg, toast, hash browns, tomato, wood-roasted pepper, mushrooms, and beans
 |
| Verano Veggie Breakfast - £6.95 |
It’s kind of funny that this blog has gotten stuck with this event. Perhaps it is significant that the Verano Lounge has since closed down. Its windows are boarded, the door well-locked. There’s nothing left to suggest that this was once a large, airy place where you could always get a seat at a table and a cooked breakfast. Nothing but memories, anyway.
I remember having a decent breakfast here. I was mostly curious about how closely the breakfast would mirror that served at another venue in the same chain, the Al Campo lounge. The courgette and sweetcorn fritter was certainly different, offering a complete textural change in the form of something akin to a pancake.
Overall, the food was well-prepared. Both the tomato and the hash had great textures; the former was warm and strong while the latter had a wonderful oniony crispiness. These paled in comparison to the pepper, however. This wood-roasted charmer had a real spiciness to it and a strong essence that was enriched with a vinegary tang.
 |
| If John was in Germany, he wouldn't be able to throw it back. |
Other rich flavours were provided by the beans and the mushrooms. The dish was not as vivid across the board, unfortunately. The toast was ordinary. The egg could have been runnier, offering a stewed, subsided yolk when put upon.
As the venue has now closed down, my review of the meal is inconsequential. A visit to the Al Campo lounge or the Modelo lounge in Hove will probably provide a very similar experience to the one I had with John, likely minus the trepidation of a huge, impending political event.
I don’t pretend to be an expert on political matters. I do know that racist attacks have increased since the referendum. It’s been especially crazy to hear of them down here in Brighton - a place that voted solidly for the Remain camp and a place that never allowed me to imagine that Brexit would occur. Just weeks after the decision, I was chatting to a guy in a pub who described first-hand how he had been the victim of such racism. I wonder how the chicken korma fan in The Devizes Issue has been carrying themselves.
I also know a bundle of people who voted for Brexit and some who considered doing so for a long time. I would describe all of these people as lovely individuals who wouldn’t hesitate to denounce any ignorant act of hatred.
It’s a complex matter. Breakfast is usually a simple matter. We had a nice time chatting about Game of Thrones. John did make one political prediction, and that was that the Wall would tumble at the end of the last series. Thankfully, this did not come to pass.
At least the people of Westeros don’t have to worry about White Walkers marauding around the world just yet…
Overall: The past is a foreign country that we are no longer in a union with.
No comments:
Post a Comment