L'Anniversaire de Theo

Gâteau d'Anniversaire
with a sparkler candle!

Le Pantagruel - Grill Restaurant

This week it was Theo's (one of the language assistants) birthday.

Theo invited me and the language assistants in the area out to dinner to celebrate. There were 8 of us altogether (7 girls and Theo), including a Chilean, two Americans (one of whom was Allison), a German, a Jamaican, a Costa-Rican and an Irish girl. Oh, and English me.

Pommeau Aperitif
(Apple juice
mixed with Calvados)

It was very multicultural gathering. It's a shame this didn't happen before my assessment for my 'Languages and Cultures' module - "discuss a recent Intercultural Encounter".

We all went to Le Pantegruel Restaurant - a grill restaurant near the centre of Cherbourg on Rue Tour Caree. It was a really nice little place with very friendly owners who all tried to speak English to the English speakers among us.

French Menu (left)
vs. English Menu (right)

Butcher's Choice Steak with Jacket Potato

They had an English Menu, but it just showed a very small selection of the main courses, rather than the whole menu in English so we needed the French menu anyway.

I had 'Onglet' - the butchers choice steak with jacket potato (I was having a potato craving as Fran is actually allergic to potato so we very rarely have it). It was really nice steak - possibly one of the best steaks I've ever had!

Giant bowl of chips!

Most people ordered chips and rather than coming on the individual's plates, they brought a huge bowl of them instead.

In between dinner and dessert, we all tried to inconspicuously sign a birthday card for Theo. It was working quite well behind the dessert menu, but then they took it away so we had to disappear surreptitiously to the bathroom!

The Dessert Menu - lots of choice!

L'Assiette du Pantagruel (Selection of 5 French desserts)

For dessert, I had planned on sharing the 'L'assiette du Pantagruel' (selection plate) with someone, but then ended up having it to myself. Oops. It had a selection of five desserts. When I asked what they were they said 'Ahh, surprise!' so I just risked it and ordered it anyway.



It was very nice. It came with a slice of brownie, apple tart (tarte tatin), pistachio ice cream in raspberry coulis, a creamy mouse and Iles Flottante ('floating island' - little meringues floating in creme anglais). It was really tasty!

Allison had Crème brûlée
I tried some, it was tasty!

The owners were very nice and had a chat with us (in a mix of English and French) about what schools the language assistants were at and what we all want to do 'when we grow up'/after studying etc.

French Border Collie puppy

We had to leave at 9:45pm as one of the other language assistants - Sara, the Irish girl - had to catch a bus as they don't live or work in the centre of Cherbourg like most of the others do.

While we were stood waiting, a man came up to us and asked if we were English (he'd heard us talking) and then showed us his gorgeous border collie puppy! Can't remember what its name was - something French...

The Napoleon Statue at Night

Afore mentioned frenchman came up to us again 10 mins later (we were still waiting for a non-existant bus to turn up for Sara) and asked "J'ai partager une l'eglise avec vous'. Now, my french isn't excellent but I understand 'I have to share a church with you'. I looked at him blankly thinking I'd misheard, when he said 'oh, yes sorry, I forgot. English'. He then preceded to tell us about some Christian retreat him and his wife run in the summer for 18-25 yr olds. Theo interjected with 'Oh, that sounds wonderful but we actually have to leave in April so we won't be here. I'm so sorry.' And then he left. Very odd.

Sara's bus never actually did turn up but she managed to call her supervisor at the school who came to get her instead.