Through the Window, through hundreds of hanging tea cups, I could see her. She was darker skinned with a non-English or Irish look. She was dressed in practical clothes, pants and a white shirt under a faded blue sweatshirt. She looked out of place amidst the finery in the English tea shop. But she was hungry.
She sat there wolfing down the refined sausages and English cakes with the fervor of someone who had something to do, and this was just the entrée. Seated next to her was a skeleton in a top hat. Incongruous, but given the advent of Holloween, not just a silly trife. It was a serious attempt by Cupán Tae to fit into the spirit of the season. At least that is my interpretation. It could have been her partner or a prior client who wasn’t allowed to leave because she couldn’t pay the bill. I am guessing there are not a lot of dishes to be washed at Cupán Tae.
But, there we were, wanting to experience English tea in Galway. It had a fine reputation and after one failed attempt at finding the restaurant, we focused in on the shop, a few steps away from the river and at the edge of the historic quarter of Galway.
Cupán Tae in Galway was a restaurant for the more refined. The hostess had stereotypical red curly hair and a demure smile. A fine, polished, youthful face and a quiet manner. I have often wondered where this look came from.
The breakfast was excellent. One quick note. Pudding is not pudding. I ordered a breakfast with white and black pudding. And, what I received was two sections of sausages . . one more white and the other more black. They tasted great, but I wanted pudding!
When I looked up, the ravenous woman was gone. The skeleton was still there so it wasn’t her dead partner. So, it was either another famished breakfaster or a dead non-payer. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to find out.
However, I did look for the munching madam as I left the restaurant. No luck. I guess she went on to her main course.