The Truffler: The Tate Britain Restaurant

Friday 08 June 2001 00:00 BST
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We know you are a cultured lot, and if you love wine and art this offer from The Independent should be just the ticket. For the next three weeks, The Tate Britain Restaurant is giving a free glass of wine, plus a ticket to the Stanley Spencer or James Gillray exhibitions, sponsored by us, to readers and their guests who lunch there. The offer allows you to taste six specially selected wines from the award-winning list and choose one as your complementary glass. The three whites are the fragrant 1988 Pierre Clement Menetou-Salon, Shaw and Smith's richly flavoured 2000 Unwooded Adelaide Hills Chardonnay and a 1999 Macon from celebrated burgundian producer Comtes Lafon. An aromatic 1999 Château Grande Cassagne Les Rameux (Syrah) from Costières de Nîmes in Provence, a full-bodied 1999 Vadero Tempranillo from Spain's Toro region and an unusual Cape red made from the barolo grape, the 1999 Steenberg Nebbiolo, complete the six. Famously decorated with Rex Whistler's mural, the Tate Restaurant recently won the Carlton London Restaurant Award for its exceptional wine list. It has a mouth-watering range and the top wines are offered at barely more than retail prices. Set lunch is £19.50 for three courses, à la carte is around £25 a head (plus wine and service). The Tate Restaurant (020-7887 8877) is open daily for lunch. This offer is valid until Sunday 1 July and cannot be used with any other discount or offer. Don't tell them I sent you when you book, but do quote The Independent offer. If you want to take in the exhibition before lunch, pick up a voucher from the restaurant first.

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THERE'S NEVER been more interest in Spanish food, but it was the wines, and sherry especially, that wowed visitors to a recent showcase of produce held at the Four Seasons Hotel. Sherry discovery of the night, according to Rob Eyre, half of Iberian-influenced sandwich supremos Eyre Bros, was La Sacristía de Romate, made from the Pedro Ximénez grape and available from Selfridges. The other Eyre brother, David, was also looking for produce for their forthcoming restaurant and catching up with former colleagues from London gastro-pub The Eagle, who were cooking for the evening's guests. Jake Hodges of Cígala offered chunky esqueixada and salt cod fritters, Moro's low-effort menu included gaspacho and fried green chillies, while Anton Escalera, of the now defunct El Rincon, attracted an adoring audience for his turron ice cream. Of the competing chorizos and hams, David Eyre enthused about the Iberico Pata Negra from Sayell foods, which is served at Cígala and available by mail order from Wendy Sayell (020-8723 0676). Truffler also recommends ready-roast piquillo peppers as a delicious instant tapa likely to be all the rage this summer.

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EDIBLE EXMOOR is under way. The event was only organised in April, when businesses were crippled by the effects of foot-and-mouth. Until 24 June, restaurants, hotels, B&Bs and food shops are pulling out the stops to show what Exmoor has to offer the food lover. Order a brochure from 01643 831328; look up events on www.whatsonexmoor.com and you'll find everything from Indian banquets to champagne breakfasts.

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SAD NEWS, especially for gourmet lawyers. High Holborn restaurant, which opened less than a year ago and was awarded a Michelin star four months ago, has closed ­ despite lip-smacking cooking, but perhaps partly because of prices that only corporate fat cats would pay. Meanwhile, Guellers in Leeds, which opened eight months ago with Simon Gueller at the stove, appears to be going great guns, although it is in liquidation. Customers might be leaving happy ­ Truffler had a jolly good nosh there recently ­ but not all creditors feel quite the same.

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