Black and white portraits peer from the walls of Mad Dogs and Englishmen, the “quintessentially British” restaurant on South MacDill.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon join the likes of Michael Cain as ambassadors from the United Kingdom in this realm of British nostalgia.
Jonathan Lunsford is another familiar face to any regulars of Mad Dogs. He is there nearly every day, serving in some capacity, whether it is behind the bar slinging beverages or waiting the dozen or so tables in the dining room.
Tomorrow, he said, he plans to repair one of the outdoor propane heaters for the patio area, a task he has never before attempted, in order to save the restaurant money.
When asked if being a handyman is part of his duties, he cheerfully replied, “No, I’m not on the clock. But you know, if I fix that heater, and I take a table that’s able to sit outside because of it, and that happens two or three times, I’ve made my money back.”
Lunsford has been in the hospitality business for years, and knows a good place to dine when he sees one.
“This is by far the best restaurant I’ve ever worked in,” he said. “It’s not necessarily the fanciest, but it’s the most common sense. There’s not a bad item on the menu.”
Judging by the plates sampled, he was not lying. The pecan crusted brie served with toasted naan and granny smith apples is out of this world. Sweet and savory all together, the crunch of the pecans was the perfect compliment to the warm, softened brie.
The evening’s special, pan-seared wild salmon with goat-cheese polenta and sautéed spinach, was equally palate-pleasing.
The salmon was cooked just past medium, and the polenta was an excellent vehicle for the dish. The spinach was obviously fresh and not over-cooked.
For dessert, Lunsford suggested the beer-battered brownie drizzled in chocolate sauce, served with what the bartender sarcastically called “a side of shame” for all the gratification.
When he mentioned they also made their own ice cream, it simply had to be ordered with a scoop of maple pecan on the side.
The shame was indeed palpable after sampling what must have been 100 percent of the daily value for saturated fat. The taste of supreme indulgence, however, was entirely worth the calories.
Lunsford’s easy chatter continued throughout the meal, and his British accent made it all that much more authentic.
A native of Camberley, a town 35 miles west of London, he was drawn to Mad Dogs.
A regular customer for nine years before beginning employment about 18 months ago, he dreams now of establishing roots.
“I would love to buy into this place,” he said, “become a junior partner of sorts.”
Such dedication could only add to the already impeccable establishment.
Moriah Parrish can be reached at mparrish@spartans.ut.edu.