Banoffee pie and green tea

Location: The Vintner, Sheep Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
Website: www.the-vintner.co.uk/
Date: 15 July 2009
Details: Green tea with a slice of banoffee pie and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream

Notes: I didn't think I could afford to eat indulgently at The Vintner - a well-known Stratford restaurant which usually caters for well-off couples on dates and upper-class middle-aged types. However, for the price of one meaty main course, one can enjoy a starter (or light veggie dish) and a pud - much better value than a lump of dead animal! Good to see a traditional place like The Vintner offering green tea too.

This gloriously-presented item in the image above is their banoffee pie. Please note the attention to detail: chocolate sauce drizzle, chocolate shavings with just a couple straying onto the rim. Very neat. And what a huge slice, certainly enough for two if you're on a date. Luckily I'm not so I managed the whole lot without any help (and then galantly stepped in to assist Vaneeta finish her pud too). The pie lived up to its presentation - just the right ratio of pastry:toffee:creamy topping. It should however include more banana - I counted two small circular slices. Two?! There's no need to be stingy on the banana. It did take me over half an hour to eat but every mouthful was enjoyed - and worth the painful £5 charge.

Disappointingly, the pie just comes on its own - no option to have cream or ice-cream so I ordered one scoop, which bizarrely came separately in a ramekin. The ice-cream comes from Bennett's Farm, the huge farm-shop on the road from Birmingham to Stratford so one can believe it came from happy Brummie cows - marvellous. And maybe the steaks on the neighbours' tables came from the happy dairy cows' friends? Hmm. On that note, may I recommend you try the chickpea and spinach gratin..?