Mother Mash

Every major conurbation needs a Mother Mash. Whilst mashed potato may be their principle dish, there a number of variations and in practice anything traditional and British is within their sights. The reality of this is that pies and gourmet sausages feature largely, with such mouth-watering thoughts as Angus steak, or haddock and hard boiled egg in those hot brown beauties.

I recall the Walls sausage and pie bar in its white tiled premises just round the corner in Jermyn Street off Regent Street. Almost every lunch time you had to fight for a seat, the menu could not have been simpler, and the sausages gave me an addiction for life.

Of such an ilk is Mother Mash, and yes, he has to be Scottish with a name like Euan Ferguson, founder and potato expert, whose mother provided the inspiration for the wonderful mash which is accompanied by a choice of sauces that plumb the depths of imagination. The man must lie awake of nights thinking "what can we sock them with next week?"

Euan's idea of success is when his customers decide that a bowl of his mash-and-something is the equivalent of a great big hug. Well, whatever turns you on Euan, but I can see what he means.

And the prices compare very favourably let me say with those we were paying way back in the swinging sixties, all allowances made.

I doubt if they'll get a Michelin, though stranger things have happened. But I'm darned sure they will collect a whole lot of very happy come-back-again customers