All language subtitles for 12 - Specialty Of The House

Good evening,
ladies and gentlemen.

A dear friend invited me to this picnic,

but he doesn't
seem to be around.

I seldom go on safaris of this kind.

They can be simulated
perfectly in your own home,

thanks to these
two shakers.

You just sprinkle these
on your sandwiches.

This one
contains sand,

and this one,
ants.

Ah, the reason for my
invitation is now obvious.

Rattlesnake steaks.

In the original
package.

While I attempt to unravel this mystery,

we have one for you to puzzle over.

Here it is.

Shouldn't we go slower, Mr. Laffler?

Oh, come on,
come on.

But you're out of breath. Now,
wait here, I'll try and find a taxi.

Oh, don't make that
disgusting noise!

There are no taxis here, come on.

And I'm not out of breath. It's
the excitement. It always happens.

It's hard to imagine the
office is only five blocks away.

When I enter this street, the
whole city ceases to exist.

Look,
there it is!

You mean, this is the restaurant
you've been telling me about?

You mustn't judge by appearances.

It isn't only a restaurant. It's a club.

The only club of its kind in the world.

Come along.

Beyond this door, we leave behind
us the vulgarity of our times.

Two qualities are missing
from this day and age,

mystery
and dignity.

Especially mystery. Inside,
they are both restored to us.

Do I sound
pompous?

Of course, you'll say no,
since I'm your employer.

Good evening,
sir.

Mr. Laffler
and guest.

Let me take
your coat.

You make me feel as if
we're going into a temple,

not a restaurant.
In a sense we are.

I hope you're not
being facetious.

You do realize what a privilege
it is to be invited to eat here.

Oh, I do. I'm so sorry if I
gave you the wrong impression.

Good evening, sir.
Good evening.

Ah, Henline. Eating alone tonight?

Where's Jackson?

Resigned.

Resigned!

But he's just been elected a life member.

Good evening, sir. Oh, Costain, come here.

I want you to meet Mr. Lum Fong
Ho, one of our vice presidents.

Mr. Costain, a business associate of mine.

How do you do,
sir?

Mr. Lum Fong Ho
is from Singapore.

I make three visits a year
from Singapore just to eat here.

Bon appetit.

Well, what do you think of our little club?

Plenty of atmosphere, anyway.
Are there many members?

Exactly 40.
No,

only 39, now that Jackson's resigned.

Can't understand it.
Suppose it must be true.

Yes, there's his picture, on the wall.

Jackson's the puffy one, at the end.

Excuse me, sir. Do you wish to dine now?

Is the specialty of the
house being served tonight?

I am so sorry, sir.
Not tonight.

I've waited so long now.
So has everyone else, sir.

Soon, I imagine, we shall
have our patience rewarded.

Oh, I hope so.
Hope so.

Very well. You can start serving. Yes, sir.

Don't you have
menus?

My dear boy, when you have
studied the art of fine eating

as long and as vigorously as I have,

you won't trouble
with menus.

Some printer prints or some
headwaiter writes words on a card,

what do they
mean?

Sauce Mornay,
the menu tells us.

Who can say with what love and care

the Bechamel was prepared, from
which the Mornay is derived?

Who can say with what
tenderness the cheese was grated?

Who can say whether the
result will be a delight,

or a disappointment?

Here, at Spirro's,
we have no doubts,

we ask no questions. We
only know that there is

a genius
in the kitchen.

I know good food when
I taste it, Mr. Laffler.

I know you do,
my boy.

That's why it's such fun to
introduce you to Spirro's.

What are we going
to have?

I can't tell you that. Spirro offers
no choice. We all eat the same meal.

All I can tell you is that
it will be extraordinary.

Is it different
every night?

Always different,
always superb.

What happens if a member
of the club doesn't like

a particular dish being
served on a certain evening?

As my mother used to say
"We eat what's set before us,

and we like it."
Ah.

I'm sorry I can't
offer you a cocktail.

We only drink wine here,
you know. No spirits.

It's not what I'd hoped, I
wanted so much to introduce you

to Spirro's
masterpiece.

I don't want to presume
Mr. Laffler, but perhaps

when the specialty of the house is
being served, you'll invite me again.

One never knows when, that's
the trouble. One never knows.

Eat your soup.

Very good. You don't find it good at all.

You find it flat.
I know, because

when I was first permitted to
join the club a few months ago,

I felt exactly the same about it.

I just think it could
use a little salt.

No salt. No salt. Keep the palate pure.

We don't allow any condiments
here. Not even salt.

At Spirro's the taste buds are
refined to the ultimate degree.

Spirro says that...

Here comes,
the main course.

Didn't you enjoy
your soup?

I must admit, it did
have an unusual flavor.

Very good.

Can't possibly compare to
the specialty of the house.

And what would
that specialty be?

Nightingales tongues
on brochette?

Filet of Unicorn?
Lamb Amirstan.

I've never heard of it.
Of course, you haven't.

Very fine, but not Lamb Amirstan.

However, perhaps you
are free tomorrow night?

Yes, sir.

Oh, Miss Hinkle, I shan't be able
to make it for dinner tonight.

I'm terribly
sorry.

Something unexpected came up, I suppose.

Yes, Mr. Laffler wants to go
over some new accounts with me.

Oh, yes. I understand.
It's quite all right.

Business before
pleasure.

Miss Hinkle, you will get out the invoice

for the Brussels shipment
before you leave, won't you?

I'm just finishing it now, Mr. Laffler.

Good, good. And leave it on my desk.

And you can
lock up.

Are you ready, Costain?
Waiting for you, sir.

We don't want to be late, you know.

Tonight could be
the night.

But I'm not at all
disappointed, Mr. Laffler.

This is the most extraordinary
meal I've ever eaten.

It was not
Lamb Amirstan.

What is this lamb
you're so keen on?

Keen on! We crave it! All of us here.

Well, where does
it come from?

According
to Spirro,

Amirstan is a desolate plateau

on the borders of Uganda, in Africa.

Here, a small but superb flock of sheep

graze on the delicate grasses
which are only to be found there,

and which give the lamb
its incredible flavor.

I can't say I've ever heard of it.

Of course
you can't.

This is the only restaurant in
the world where you can get it.

The only one
in the world.

And do all these men feel
the same way about it?

Yes. We all feel the
same about Lamb Amirstan.

Sort of an
obsession.

I have two
other obsessions.

One of them is to become
a life member of the club.

The other, to see the kitchens in
which these miracles are performed.

Oh, why don't
you ask Spirro?

I have. Many times.
I've always been refused.

Doesn't like anybody poking about
in his pots and pans, I suppose.

What sort of fellow is he?
Where does he come from?

Good evening. Spirro! Good evening.

I think we shall be having
the specialty of the house

very soon,
my friend.

Spirro,
I have a request.

Oh, I couldn't possibly...
No, no. It's about the club.

Our little club
pleases you?

That's putting it mildly! I suppose,

there's no chance of my becoming a member?

Who can say?

But we have here a very long period of...

Probation?

Testing.

Sometimes months.

I'd be glad
to wait.

He has nice manners,
your friend.

Yes, I'm going to put him
in charge of my office.

I must have someone to look
after it, while I'm away.

Mr. Laffler... He is modest, too.

From the high priestess of our
kitchen, that is praise indeed.

He flatters me.
I merely supervise.

The only dish I prepare
personally is the Lamb Amirstan.

I've been preparing it now for three days.

Oh.

There is a marinating
process, you understand.

Ah. I've heard a great deal about it.

And it lives up to its
reputation, doesn't it?

It does
indeed.

I'd really like to see how you make it.

Costain! You must forgive my friend,

he doesn't understand.
Don't be angry with him.

I am not
too angry.

Will you return
tomorrow night?

If I may.

The specialty
should be ready.

You invite him? But he isn't a member!

Your friend is always welcome.

Mr. Laffler.

Go away!

But Spirro said they're serving
the specialty of the house tonight.

I don't want you here! Go away.

Why? Why not? Why should
I share it with you!

There'll be less for me!
Less for the other members.

Then I shall go in by myself.

They won't
let you in.

Spirro
will let me in.

Costain, I order you to go away. Go back!

Sir?
Mr. Laffler.

Let me in! Spirro!
Let me in.

Ah, Mr. Costain.
Mr. Laffler's friend.

Let him in.

First come,
first served.

Follow me.

No, no, me first.

No, more,
more.

I'm sorry, sir. You know the rules.

Well, now you know where we
keep the Amsterdam accounts.

Now, in this file, you have
the Far Eastern contracts.

You better ask Miss Hinkle to
give you the address of the firms

in Mexico and Canada
we do business with.

I've already checked on those, Mr. Laffler.

Oh.

I'll only be away a month, and
perhaps I'll be back sooner.

I hope you will, sir.

But meanwhile,
I'm sure I can leave

everything safely
in your hands.

Oh, you may,
sir.

I trust you
completely.

These last few weeks
eating together at Spirro's

seem to have brought us very close.

Yes, sir. These are the keys.

This is the combination of the safe.

And how can I get in touch with you, sir?

You'll find my itinerary on the desk.

Now then, shall I take
the bags with me now?

No, we'll leave them here and
we'll pick them up after dinner.

Come on, I want to have time to
enjoy my last meal at Spirro's.

Well, my last meal
for a few weeks.

I must get off a memorandum to that
London office about that shipment

of boxide we're getting,
and it must go tonight.

I'll join you
as quickly as I can.

By the way, I haven't told you,

my application for life
membership at Spirro's

has been favorably received.

Oh, congratulations, sir. I've
got another surprise for you.

I've persuaded Spirro,
to make you a member.

I'm really
very grateful, sir.

Well, I thought you'd be
pleased. Oh, yes, very.

Good.

Well, don't
be long.

Goodbye, Miss Hinkle. Goodbye, sir.

Oh, Miss Hinkle. There's one more thing

I'd like you to do for me tonight,

a memorandum
to London.

I'll dictate it now and you
can type it in the morning.

Very well,
Mr. Costain.

Oh, by the way Miss Hinkle,
I'll be using this office.

Hello,
Costain speaking.

Oh yes,
Spirro.

No, I haven't
forgotten.

Help!

He hit his head
on the pavement.

We'd better call the police. No! No.

No, not the police,
Spirro would not like it.

Spiro wouldn't? Why not? What happened?

Oh, sir,
I don't know. I...

I was hurrying so as
not to be late for work.

This man, he jumped on
me. He wanted my money.

I don't
know why.

So, you have saved my life. Nonsense.

Now, you'd better wash
up and get ready for work.

Oh, good evening, Henline. Good evening.

I hear you're off
on a trip tonight?

Yes, I was going to
inspect our branches abroad.

Oh, we will
miss you.

Oh, how kind of you
to say so.

Mr. Laffler
and Mr. Henline.

My friend, the young man
Costain, will arrive later.

Personally, I'm not
looking forward to the trip,

I always hate eating
in strange restaurants.

Our food here surpasses
anything in the world.

I quite agree. Will you excuse me?

It's my last evening before I go,

and I'm sure that Spirro will
have a special treat for me.

Oh, Paul, how you feeling now, eh?

Oh, I am so grateful to you, sir.

I will never
forget it.

No, nonsense. Don't
give it another thought.

The specialty of the house is being
served again tonight, isn't it?

I am terribly sorry, sir. Not tonight.

That's monstrous! Send
Spirro to me at once.

Yes, sir.

Good evening, Spirro. Oh, Mr. Costain.

Good evening.

Oh, you brought it. Good.

Excuse me. Mr. Laffler
wishes to see you at once.

He is
very upset.

Excuse me.

What is it,
Mr. Laffler?

Spirro, you knew
I was going away.

But you will
be back.

That's not the point. You knew I was
going away on this tiresome journey,

you might at least have had the
lamb for me on my last evening.

Oh, it must be an oversight
on the part of the chef.

Come with me
into the kitchen.

Let us see what we can do about it.

I beg you sir, do not go into the kitchen.

Out of my way, you idiot. I've been
waiting for this chance for months!

Oh.

Where's the chef?

In there.
Oh, it's superb.

Just as I imagined it.
May I... May I look around?

Ah.

May I?

The chef is waiting for you.

Wouldn't you like
to meet him?

Yes, indeed.

I want to offer him my
heartfelt congratulations.

How do
you do?

Ah!

How well he looks there among
our other absent friends.

I shall be expecting you to dine with us
more often now that Mr. Laffler is away.

And perhaps we shall have the
specialty of the house again soon?

Next week,
maybe?

It takes time to prepare, but I think...

I think I can
promise you.

I trust
you understand,

that having Mrs. Spirro on our program

does not necessarily
constitute an endorsement of her

or her
restaurant.

You know, I'm wondering if picnics
may not be as bad as I imagined.

I haven't even seen any ants.

Until next time, when I shall
return with another story.

Goodnight.