Did you know that, like human beings' fingerprints, each giraffe's coat is unique?
Yeah, I didn't know that either. But I did know that their tongues are black -- but so did everyone else at the table, so no points there.
Poor old Portsmouth is having a hard time of it, so we decided to visit my stepson, who attends Uni down there, and take him out for lunch.
We walked along Gunwharf Quays, which is cute and a nice centre, but really full of only chain restaurants. Giraffe was the only one we'd never heard of, so we decided to give it a go.
The decor inside is really light, clean and interesting. We tried to figure out the vibe of the place, but to be honest, I think it can best be described as "international". There were pictures and drawings of people from across the globe, and the menu was very straightforward, but with twists from several different types of world cuisine.
On a Sunday afternoon, it was very busy, but not slammed, and filled with families. We stood by the entrance for a full five minutes before anyone acknowledged us, which was strange, especially with waitstaff walking past us at the rate of 2 per second. Finally we grabbed one, and he sat us down.
The service was very friendly, even though I was apparently a bit grumpy to the poor waiter (I was a hungy, hungry hippo), a young man who was prompt and polite when serving us.
The food was very straightforward -- brunch until 4pm, burgers and sandwiches, and meat main dishes. This was very much low-key, cafe food (but well cooked and healthy, not greasy).
The prices were reasonable, and we really enjoyed the food. We all got burgers, except for the littlest, who got chicken nuggets, so I can't comment on much. The burger was non-greasy and really large, and the fixings were all fresh. The skin-on chips were very tasty.
If you're in Portsmouth and don't want to see football, Giraffe should do well to console you in your time of need. read more