Eating Out in Dieppe

I imagine all the regular arrivals at Dieppe head for a familiar eatery on Quai Henri IV. Napkins flourished beside a sea of bobbing masts. For years I favoured the Restaurant du Port, menu set in stone, solid Norman clientele and the novelty of being served by Edith Piafs’ little sister. Until that is, the ‘Le Pollet’ district underwent something of a gastronomic renaissance. ‘Café Jehan Ango’ is filled to the gunnels with unusual memorabilia. A washing tub in the corner, with mangle and giant tongs, ancient pressure cookers on the window sills and Mohammed Ali posters on the walls. Old dappled rum bottles on the bar infusing ginger, kiwi and passion fruit. The telephone rings with a bygone chime, the operator arching an eyebrow at a sultry, whispered conversation. On the 14 euro formule there is prawn and mussel salad with loads of parsley and homemade mayonnaise; a succulent wing of skate slipping easily off the bone; and a sharp creamy Roquefort to accompany the local cheese. Two nimble waitresses maintain a relay of plates above the crowd, the chef emerging at intervals to replenish a litre carafe of red wine. Barrel belly bound in a solid mauve apron, hefty jowls and an emphatic walrus moustache.