You are being very expensive, Mem-Saab

A constant stream of weekends stretches behind me during which decorating looms large as the primary activity. So it was with great joy that we kicked the lounge project into the long grass this weekend and headed off to Nottingham for a night out with friends.

The festivities started early, with champagne and strawberries on the terrace at Ian & Gill's. My, aren't we posh? Yes, we are. Well, when you've got married after being together for 25 years (or thereabouts) and you've just returned from your honeymoon, you can be forgiven for pushing the boat out a bit. And they did. Top stuff. Champagne supplies appeared to be virtually limitless, so we sat and quaffed from around 5pm to when the taxis arrived shortly after 7. And quaffed, and quaffed, qand offed, nand squiffed, ajklfc,...

Not feeling (much) the worse for wear, we poured ourselves into two taxis and headed into town, to the Mem-Saab. Situated on Maid Marian Way, not far from the pub where we spent almost every summer evening 30 years ago (the Trip to Jerusalem), this oasis of fine Indian cuisine presents an impressive appearance both from the outside, and on first entering. A cool, dimly-lit interior with lots of marble, linen, and polished wood, we were shown expertly to our table and ordered drinks and poppadums in the traditional manner.

From then on, the evening comes back to me as a series of significant events. The arrival of the food courses, the bill, the walk to the canalside bar, me adopting a rather brash American accent whenever I spoke to any of the wait staff or bar people (don't ask me why - although I heard recently of something called Foreign Accent Syndrome and started to wonder if I am a closet sufferer), the sudden decision to leave, catching a taxi. I can't remember much about what we discussed over dinner, although I know there was a lot of laughing and joking (as always).

I remember the meal being good, but not spectacular. The menu was quite disappointingly sparse, with a lot of lamb and fish dishes (not keen on either), but I did manage to find something I liked. The reshmi kebabs were excellent - very spicy and nicely textured - but the chicken jalfrezi main course was fairly mediocre. Luckily it was tempered with a very nice peshwari nan, and of course the highpoint of the night and an unexpected bonus was the excellent rasmalai we enjoyed for dessert. Probably the nicest example of this traditional dish I've had, and I've been eating it for - guess what? - about 30 years.

Not a place I could eat at frequently - there's not enough variety on the menu - but thankfully that won't be a problem as this was probably a one-off visit. Nevertheless it was definitely worth going for the experience. My initial reaction to the bill was that it was very expensive, although afterwards when I remembered we'd polished off 6 bottles of wine between the 8 of us, I revised my opinion slightly.

All that aside the highlight of the whole day, as usual, was the company. No matter how frequently or infrequently we spend time with friends, it's always a joy. We're already planning our next get-together, sometime in October. Well, you need something to look forward to, eh? And maybe the decorating will be finished by then.