"Tonight's special is braised lamb with spinach, there's also fresh gurnard."
Things were looking up. The bread and dips starter on the menu turned out to be delicious: home-made white dough that had been rolled around a red filling which was probably paprika, then baked and sliced thin. Chef served it hot beside hummus, herb butter and a dark red chutney. The only problem was there wasn't enough. We wolfed it down and asked for more.
Meanwhile, our wine arrived from the exceptionally narrow range. No one bothered to tell us that Verona is more of a beer joint and stocks a huge cellar of craft beers from The Sawmill Cafe in Leigh.
As for the food, the braised lamb arrived first, sitting lonely in its white bowls, liberally coated in fragrant gravy and, in deference to Dr Einstein, perhaps, topped with a sprinkling of raw spinach. There were no other accompaniments: no rice, no couscous, no mashed potatoes, but the lamb itself was excellent and the serving generous.
Our other two meals offered carbohydrate to burn. My delicate and perfectly cooked fresh gurnard was jammed in a huge Subway-style bread roll, overflowing with matchstick carrots and chopped lettuce. The roll itself was dull beyond belief, and the whole thing was only just rescued by a delicious aioli: hardly my idea of dinner.
Brian got an identical roll but his contained pork belly, which he insisted was burned and tough and so small in quantity I only managed to get a tiny taste of pure fat to try. "That was the best bit," he grumbled.
Then our second helping of bread and dips arrived and we romped through that.
By then things were hotting up at Verona. While we sneaked to the bar for a piece of beetroot and carrot cake and an almond croissant, a couple of men started stacking away the tables opposite us. Then a keyboard appeared and a set of classy-looking drums. Next thing Michael Martyniuk started on the synthesiser bass and all was forgiven.
The music, even his unaccompanied warm-up, was cool, sexy and mesmerising. Soon Michael was joined by Nick Williams on drums, and people drifted in from the bar and by 9pm it was all on.
After a welcome to "Tuesday live music nights, open mic," the MC moved over for a youngish, ponytailed guy in jeans who sang one of the most haunting, original blues numbers I've ever heard.
"Bring it back, baby," he crooned, and the crowd replied, "Bring it right back, baby."
Then, after another equally soulful, off-the-cuff composition, punctuated with high screams, he just got up and left.
Next up was a younger guy, then another. The crowd was in ecstasy, eyes closed, heads nodding, fingers moving to the air guitars... and so it went.
We left at 11.30 having had one of the best nights in years, a night that went right to the heart of what K Rd is all about. A night we won't forget.
Our meal: $157 for two bread and dip starters, four main courses, two desserts, five glasses of wine and a beer.
Wine list: Short and unexciting, though the beer selection, modelled on and supplied by Leigh's Sawmill Cafe and craft brewery, is excellent.
Verdict: Verona assures us it's about to offer a new menu but, in the meantime, be sure to ask about the specials, order the bread and dips, drink beer and stay on for the musicians.
- Canvas
