U3A Gentlemen’s Luncheon at Ca’ Pepe, Moraira

The U3A Gentlemen’s Luncheon at Ca’ Pepe, Moraira

Wednesday had started off with a shower, but by midday it was brilliant sunshine with a cloudless azure blue sky. Fifteen chaps arrived at Ca’ Pepe, more or less promptly at the crack of half past one. All were smartly turned out and put on their name tags (it turned out that this was so Lynn could identify any trouble makers later).

For those of you who have not been to Ca’ Pepe before, I will describe it.

It is a lovely, spacious and sophisticated restaurant with trees shading the flagstone terrace. The tables are fine for 6 or 8 people, the chairs are comfortable, and there is plenty of room. Owner Alan Jenkins is also the extremely accomplished chef. The ‘menu del dia’ is only €18.00 with wine.

We started in the bar for pre luncheon drinks, and the house red, a Principe de Viana tempranillo 2012 and the crisp medium dry white from the same chateau, were very drinkable. So much so that the guests had plenty to drink before lunch. Sonia and Alice, the very pretty barmaids were efficient and rushed off their feet. They also were asked when they started their pole dancing routine!

Our host Lynn was clever and had organised a lucky dip with coloured straws to find out where we sat. Blue, red, yellow and green. Caruthers had arrived in his convertible Jaguar, and proceeded to do his best to sample as much free booze before lunch as possible, so the management were obliged to start charging. Michael told an extremely funny story about the sheik, the flying carpet and the priest, that one cannot repeat here.

After half an hour of introductions and promptly fifteen minutes late we sat down at our allocated tables. The set menu offered a good choice, with most of the gentlemen opting for the goujons of hake with a tartar sauce (excellent) and a beef and mushroom fricassée with spiced mashed potatoes, that was superb. The conversation flowed easily with talks of cruises, politics, mistresses, ex wives and the Ebola outbreak. Except for the blue table who had ordered 4 more bottles of wine and, in their shaded corner were living up to the colour of their table with smutty school boy humour and much laughter. Snippets of conversation drifted over, like “and then the vicar said…” and “eventually he put on his wife’s clothes…”

Dessert for me was the chocolate pot and another option was the Carpaccio of Pineapple with mint, chilli and lime syrup, which was outstanding. We looked on enviously as decorum was maintained at our table. By this time the Blue table had consumed several more bottles of wine and were going on to the port.

By 5 pm the 2 ladies had retired out of earshot and the blue table had grown in size. The very sporting waitresses who had put up with bottom tickling et al, had to ask the gentleman to move to the terrace so that they could set up for the evening meal. We were poured out shortly afterwards.

Summary: A scintillating afternoon of wit and repartee, with great wine and food, and I would unhesitatingly recommend the Ca’ Pepe if you want to take your lady out for a good value lunch or an evening meal. Any gentlemen who would like to join in the next lively U3A male luncheon should contact lynnclark0403@gmail.com,

Sincerely, timm.jetsleeper@btinternet.com.