Lunch and shopping for food in Calais

Of course there are hundreds of reasons to explain it but it's still experientally baffling that things can be so different just across the Channel in France where we went for lunch yesterday. For instance, at the Early Arrivals depot near Hythe there is a depressing row of burger-bars and no-one there, and in the Folkestone terminal we wasted money and hope on disgusting, burnt, expensive 'coffee' out of plastic 'cups'.
But once through the tunnel we were in a different universe. Looking back at England, the light clear and bright. Dover's cliffs were sparkling at us, as if we could reach out a hand to link up. So near, so far.
We had lunch - the three course menu for €28 - at Au Cote d'Argent, right by the sea. Service was impeccable. The table immaculate. I ordered fruits de mer and this was the equipment they brought me. Serious stuff and I used all of it.

It was a very pretty starter too...

I went on to have a roasted saddle of cod, which was cooked in salt and came with a marvellous delicate hollandaise sauce.

I had cheese rather than pudding though they had a choice of about ten freshly made local and pretty dishes. My companions had chosen Preserved Duck, and Waterzoi of Salmon and Cod, all with lovely sauces. All perfectly cooked. Incidentally, we had two little 'bon bouches' courses added to our meal, bringing a sense of luxury and occasion. Around us we could hear English people on every side, including families, business groups, young and old. Fantastic value and the Menetou wine was worth every cent of the extra €34...
We went to do some ffoodie shopping at Carrefour in Cité Europe - it's got even bigger and was practically empty.

We came home with a fresh crab, lots of organic farm butter, cheeses, a preserved duck breast sous vide (vacuum packed to last for several weeks), a string of fat garlic, a net of shallots, a bag of huge red peppers to roast, and some tinned lentils with sausage for an instant meal in the store-cupboard.