Location, location, location

I have been reflecting on our disappointing anniversary dinner and why it was memorable for all the wrong reasons really. This came to mind because I was talking to a friend who is also shortly to celebrate her fiftieth wedding anniversary. And I have come to the conclusion that location and ambience are really at least 80% of what is required on these occasions. I know that the toffee nosed food critics pooh pooh restaurants that are in prime locations saying they are tourist traps and indeed they are, but nevertheless it's important.

I declined the coffee and/or drink in St. Mark's Square in Venice because I knew it would be extortionately expensive, which would bug my husband, but he did offer. I shouldn't have declined, because I'm sure it would have been memorable. How often is one in such a special place after all - I doubt I shall go there again. Indeed the most memorable meals of my life, have more often than not been memorable because of the place and the moment, rather than of the food. And the place makes the moment. I cannot really remember what we ate at Paul Bocuse - other than the snails which were a revelation, but I remember the minutiae of the setting and the experience of being there. Mind you if you have paid a fortune for the location you do expect at least a certain quality. And I'm sure the coffee in St. Mark's Square would have been excellent. The food at Paul Bocuse certainly was.

The picture at the top of the page is of a modest restaurant in one of the most beautiful villages I have ever visited - Apricale, which is just over the French/Italian border twenty minutes or so north of Ventimiglia on the Mediterranean coast. The restaurant is in the square at the top of the village and has a view of another impossible village on the crest of the hills opposite. I do remember the food was very good, but I have no idea what we had. But I remember the place and the occasion, what was going on around us - the whole beauty of it all. I was in heaven. The fact that it was also inexpensive was a bonus. And the picture that heads the Home page is also Italian - another small and modest restaurant but with the most amazing view over the Piedmont countryside - and the food was delicious too - but again I can only remember one dish. Then there is the one below - in France in L'Isle sur la Sorgue. It is a picture of our hotel - where the restaurant tables continued over the little bridge over the river - and we were lucky enough to score a table here for our evening meal. I don't remember the meal being that fantastic - but the setting was and more than made up for the less than divine food. It wasn't bad - just not outstanding and it wasn't expensive either. I suppose it was a prime example of the food critics snobby attitude to location. But the ambience put us in a good mood - no - more than a good mood - it was idyllic - and so I remember it. I could go on - our holidays in Italy and France are littered with such places.

But you don't have to go to Italy or France to find them, although being on holiday helps I suppose. But life now is a permanent holiday and the Yarra Valley is full of them, and Melbourne too - from the quirky little cafés in the laneways - crowded and buzzy but very atmospheric to the expensive touristy places along the river - or the very expensive Vue de Monde on top of the Rialto tower - fifty floors up. Then there's the beach and the special places - old houses, gardens and galleries as well as local suburban haunts, which all try in their way to make the experience memorable - well the best of them do.

And even at home, if the weather is good enough, if you have your dinner in the garden with a nice glass of wine it's like being on holiday. It's somehow special.

So next time I have to organise a 'special occasion' dinner out I shall be looking at location first, food second, price last. And we maybe have a fiftieth wedding anniversary dinner to share in France this coming year. So as well as the houses to rent I need to check out the restaurants too. I'm already looking forward to it.