Cambridge has in the last few weeks gained a spanking new Wagamama, hiding above All Bar One. At midday on Monday, it being a wet’n’windy Bank Holiday in the traditional fashion, we were banging on the front door begging to be fed (AKA waiting patiently for a youth to tell us we could come in, and tutting about lack of respect when an old man jumped the queue).
We were on a tight timescale – just an hour to eat and escape for the 1pm showing of Pirates of the Etc #3. A nice young man with a biro and a memory took our order promptly, scribbled it on our placemats and in his head, and wandered off. I ordered number 72 – aubergine/potato lumps in breadcrumbs, with a light curry sauce and some Japanese rice – and expected to receive something else entirely.
Meanwhile Chris told us of his exploits cycling around Ireland (well, Connemara). And Andy explained why he spent quite so much time in lifts while in Rome for work (the closest thing to a Faraday cage, apparently). And we drank a bottle of wine between us (except for Melanie, keeper of the car keys).
Happily, all numbers were correctly delivered to the appropriate placemats. My breaded lumps in curry sauce was acceptably tasty.
Avaragado’s rating: number 73
A short skip and a hop through the rain to the Picturehouse and it was time for the Johnny Depp three-hour, hereinafter called POTCAWE, presented in super-crisp digital HD. I miss cue marks already.
There’s no plot to speak of, just a sequence of set-pieces tied together with an unnervingly accurate CGI version of old rope. Much like POTCDMC in all respects. I was glad to see that Keith Richards had more than a one-line throwaway role, but it wasn’t much more. On balance a good thing; the film is long enough as it is.
I had a suspicion there’d be a post-credits scene, and there is, but we didn’t stay for it – I heard about it afterwards. Ah, I’ll google it.
Overall, my enjoyable-toshometer glows a healthy orange-yellow (contrast with POTCTCOTBP’s brilliant white). The sequeliser, however, remains firmly anchored at 2.
Avaragado’s rating: arrrrrrrrrtichokes
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