 It began in a surreal manner when I telephoned to book a table. Even now, thinking about it, I wonder if I had in fact managed to 'phone a completely different Boat Inn - perhaps one in a parallel universe and not the one I wanted in Erbistock, Over-ton-on-Dee, at all. All I said was: 'Do you serve meals on a Sunday evening?' There was a long pause: 'Erm... now what date is that?' 'Well, I'm only interested in today, so it doesn't really matter what the date is, does it?' 'Hold on a minute.' She came back and told me that they did indeed serve on a Sunday. 'So can I book a table for four at 5.30pm please?' To which she replied: 'We finish serving our light bites at 5pm.' 'But I'd like the full menu, and a - table - for - four, at - 5.30pm.' 'Oh, have you already booked a table?' And so it went on. I was exhausted by the time I hung up. The words 'basic training' and 'first impressions' sprung to mind. I wasn't surprised to find that there was no booking for us when we got there. And we weren't the only ones. One poor unfortunate was told that there wasn't a spare table until 8.30pm. I'm sure the two hour wait sharpened his temper as well as his appetite. Who was the young girl taking the calls? Looking at the number of glasses stacked up at the bar, perhaps it was a helpful guest at the christening party the Boat Inn had just hosted? Someone who felt sorry for the busy staff ? The Boat at Erbistock, younger sibling to Pastarazzi in Chester, has the same dining chairs and huge wine glasses as its trendier stable mate, but the setting is arguably prettier and the atmosphere less formal. Instead of a main road, there is The Dee right outside the door, with picnic tables laid out on the 'pavement' of grass. We wanted to eat inside, but by all accounts you couldn't choose to eat outside anyway, after the magic 5pm. But the staff had helpfully left the doors open, giving tantalising glimpses of the almost black water flowing out-side, and a slight breeze, teasing us with a breath of cool air every now and again. Tonight was the first time we'd managed to enter The Boat Inn - a place we'd passed and looked at longingly many times. Admittedly, this is not the sort of place you 'just pass by', as it's at the end of a long, single track road which leads to a dead end. I only know of its existence thanks to my love of long walks on Sunday afternoons. | 
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