Richard Bagnold

The readiness of the numerous staff at this Michelin starred restaurant outside of St Andrews was clear to see on entrance. I was fortunate enough to be able to get one of the first tables as I happened to be passing just before 6pm. Any days later in the Christmas break period and I wouldn’t have stood a chance such is its popularity however, it was my good luck on this impromptu occasion. The food was clearly well crafted and worthy of its Michelin star visually but sadly it was a mixed show on this visit in terms of flavour return with some highs and lows. It is however, quite incredible how many of these feelings disappear with sublime service which was certainly the case here. A lovely looking place and I can easily see why it is so popular.

Snacks at the bar is always nice to have but I found the minced seafood toppings on the dense side. Breads arrived at the table warm and thankfully without too much flour (the cranberry and pumpkin bread being pleasant enough but the plain white proving better) and the amuse bouche of haddock and sliced potatoes with quail egg and cream was pitched well. My langoustines were among the best I have ever had in juicy plumpness and thankfully with the critical aspect of not allowing these to be decimated in a vat of jus. These were glazed with a well-judged amount of satay sauce with supporting texture from the peanuts and I have to say that this was utterly knock out in every way. Satay sauce is wonderful in any environment I think, but when it is smooth, light and refined at the same time I honestly don’t know how this dish could have been bettered and it was the nicest langoustine dish I think I have ever had.

Snacks at the bar is always nice to have but I found the minced seafood toppings on the dense side. Breads arrived at the table warm and thankfully without too much flour (the cranberry and pumpkin bread being pleasant enough but the plain white proving better) and the amuse bouche of haddock and sliced potatoes with quail egg and cream was pitched well. My langoustines were among the best I have ever had in juicy plumpness and thankfully with the critical aspect of not allowing these to be decimated in a vat of jus. These were glazed with a well-judged amount of satay sauce with supporting texture from the peanuts and I have to say that this was utterly knock out in every way. Satay sauce is wonderful in any environment I think, but when it is smooth, light and refined at the same time I honestly don’t know how this dish could have been bettered and it was the nicest langoustine dish I think I have ever had.

As I needed to keep half an eye on the stomach levels on this grand tour of Scotland I opted for another starter instead of a main and was excited to go for the beef tartare. Sadly this was not the best version I have had and was not on account of having no egg yolk (although this does help make it more luxurious I find in any case) but was a little uneventful apart from its design on the plate. It wasn’t bad but at the same time was not entirely punchy in flavour and was certainly not as interesting as those in other venues I have seen it done such as the recently closed Brasserie Chavot, Bonhams, Chiltern Firehouse and Berners Tavern to name a few. I also found the ‘fingers’ of braised oxtail croquettes actually quite dry and the tiny blob of horseradish sauce could not salvage this and so this was a little bit of a disappointment I’m sorry to say.

The menu of the day dessert of chocolate cremeux was interesting with its frozen shards of coconut and lime mousse cubes and the little box to take away petit fours, done for all guests that can’t finish them or do not opt for coffee which was a particularly pleasant touch. Overall it finished off what I thought was a first class establishment and although I did not gel with all the food, something about its style simply tells me this has an abundance of things to offer.

The set menu at £50 for 3 courses seemingly is good value for dinner but as it was seemingly the same for lunch, I think you would get more return from having this at night if they are the same and the starters on the a la carte are not cheap averaging at £17. However, this was a fine drop in and one I would love to try again.

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(Editor’s note: review written at the time of establishment holding 1 Michelin star. There are various articles and reports of Boath House ‘handing back’ their star as at 2018 but Michelin confirm time and time again that this is not within any restaurants’ remit and is Michelin’s decision alone).

This is the second most northerly Michelin starred restaurant in Scotland placed in the town of Nairn and on approaching via its own driveway, it appears more like a Lord’s manor than a restaurant. Inside, although the rooms have high ceilings and the entrance felt a little museum-esque the welcome was warm and immediate. The restaurant is placed at the rear overlooking the lake that the building resides next to which is very pleasant but I could not put this on the same level of Kinloch Lodge or Isle of Eriska for unadulterated charm. Food wise the menu was very good value at £30 for the lunch with pleasant snacks in the open and bright lounge but I had issues with some textures and flavours. The quality was not in question and this is a very good place to go for upping the stakes for a meal, but the final impact was subdued.

A rather lovely squid ink crisp with chili jam and a croquette of yoghurt curd and lamb kicked off things in the sitting room whilst selecting the courses and these took the sting out of being in quite a huge waiting room. The restaurant itself is modern and stylish in design. I’m not sure why restaurants decide to place tables so close together when there are only two tables occupied, especially if one of those tables only have one person at them (me) as this can make the other table feel uncomfortable as if they are being eavesdropped on – something I have utterly no interest in doing and is the height of loser-ville-ness to do, but can’t blame people of being wary about. Giving both tables a view of the lake was probably in the equation (although the other table was further away from the window) – however, it is a minor point that I must remember to put my foot down on a bit more in future to avoid.

The bread was flavoured with molasses – a type of syrup – which has a spicy and almost festive taste but was frankly a bit strong, sour and unpleasant for me as was almost like having to eat a rich and dark-sugared cake before my meal. The salmon starter was as fresh as they come appearing as it was literally pulled from the river moments before and sliced on to the plate, but I simply didn’t like this dish. The flesh was clearly tender but too sludgy in texture for me to enjoy particularly when the skin was likewise raw and impossible to cut in its slimy, rubbery-ness. Eating it was like chewing on thin gristle and I should have obeyed my instincts on this and left it off – but that would not be doing what chef intended so I plodded on, but this certainly was not my cup of roe.

However, thankfully the main course of a different kind of Roe in the form of deer was superb. The lapsing sushing tea and liquorice jus was a stroke of genius with glorious flavours of the supporting artichoke puree and confit salsify which all, with the equally interesting Japanese artichoke (crone) made a concert of textures with flavours as well. The rice pudding was a well-executed dessert in its creaminess with supporting balance of cinnamon and clever mango gel made to look like an slice of mango. This was basically comforting as a finish.

The £30 price tag without wine for this lunch was exceedingly good value and that was perhaps where the real return was for this visit. It was simply a shame that I was minor in a state of revulsion at the starter. This has knocked my overall grade a fair bit but the overall presentation and care gone in to the design was obvious to see.

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Aside from the beautiful location, what made this even better was that the food had a pleasing ability based on how simple the flavours were. Hard to fault as an experience and the service was utterly natural. The dining room itself is quite formal in its look but doesn’t lose comfort value thankfully. This is the sort of place I could happily stay for several days doing nothing but taking long walks in the glorious, peaked surroundings, reading by the fire and good dining at supper time. Particularly pleasing was being reminded of the horizontal rain and windswept location that it was outside, whilst being cooped up inside by their log fire having pre-lunch drinks and coffees afterwards. The four courses for £39 per person at lunch represented overall good value for money in comparison with all other notable options in the Skye area which appears to be generally at quite a high premium, reportedly for a higher rate of overheads for basic heating and essentials than one might first think.

This was a delightful afternoon. This wasn’t just because I was with old friends of the highest calibre, but being tucked away in the log-fired and charmingly homely living room of Kinloch Lodge which we had all to ourselves, warm as toast looking out at the dismal, rain swept Loch on holiday with glasses of fizz and no time pressure was frankly one of the nicest scenes of my whole year.

This was a delightful afternoon. This wasn’t just because I was with old friends of the highest calibre, but being tucked away in the log-fired and charmingly homely living room of Kinloch Lodge which we had all to ourselves, warm as toast looking out at the dismal, rain swept Loch on holiday with glasses of fizz and no time pressure was frankly one of the nicest scenes of my whole year.

Canapés came in the form of seafood bon bons which were a little dry but had were made from freshly caught produce. I thought the slightly spicy pea and cheese amuse bouche was lovely and the fact there was another pleasant amuse bouche prior of creamy soupçon (miniature soup of creamed sweetcorn) to the starters was another reason to enjoy the proceedings. My roast pork cheeks had a wonderfully caramelised glaze as a coating and the meat was utterly tender. The seabass fillet was cooked well and served with a lovely vanilla cream sauce which had the all-important texture provided from the ‘nest’ of crispy julienne vegetables. Mainly steered by the sauce, this created much pleasure however, visually the food was basic and although dessert was not as memorable as the preceding courses, it was still very smooth and pleasant.

Aside from the presentation of the food being basic in comparison to its 162 Michelin starred peers, there was a pleasing effect from the sauces, but I am aware that my love of rich and sweet sauces can make me possibly more excited than is necessary. It is firmly lodged as a lovely experience in my head with good value and humble offerings.

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Quick fire summary of here is that the food was beautifully done with near impeccable service. There was a wonderful selection of wines to be paired by the small glass courtesy of the trusty Coravin and this meal really was good food, utterly deserving of its, prestigious accolade. I’ve given details of the meal in the expandable review below however, main point is that even though you will not be able to get here without a car and a fair hike, this was also a very difficult place to leave based on the entire package and was a pleasure speaking with all the staff afterwards and their clearly talented chef.

“Hello I’m Richard, I’m a little early for my table at 7pm seeing as though it’s 4 O’clock but I wondered if I could sit and chill in the drawing room for a bit?”. Not only was the answer to this a resounding “Yes indeed” but tea and afternoon cakes / scone were also available as this is the norm to all guests between 1600-1715 every day provided (which I didn’t realise was the case). Having this by one of the many log fires on sofas that you could fall asleep on was a rather lovely way to spend the afternoon and this is the beauty of Relais Chateaux hotels. Time simply sailed by too quickly – in fact, it was so nice I was actually late for my table!

“Hello I’m Richard, I’m a little early for my table at 7pm seeing as though it’s 4 O’clock but I wondered if I could sit and chill in the drawing room for a bit?”. Not only was the answer to this a resounding “Yes indeed” but tea and afternoon cakes / scone were also available as this is the norm to all guests between 1600-1715 every day provided (which I didn’t realise was the case). Having this by one of the many log fires on sofas that you could fall asleep on was a rather lovely way to spend the afternoon and this is the beauty of Relais Chateaux hotels. Time simply sailed by too quickly – in fact, it was so nice I was actually late for my table!

The canapés of linseed cracker with cream cheese and Ox tongue shavings was an original start and although the roe and haddock tartare was quite salty, it was good having the much needed sweet chutney with the haggis bon bon. This sweetness softened the offal ‘hit’ in the bon bons which was dinky and pleasing. The white from Austria was similar in style to a Pinot Blanc and Riesling in its quite sharp quality but this was superb to provide enough zing for the oil and protein rich Salmon which, with the sweet egg was a sheer delight to eat.

The beef tartare was an instant punch the air moment(!) and with its pine powder and butter mushrooms it was both delicate and rich at the same time – a superb tartare. Its supporting blood-like Tinto de Toro glass of red probably wouldn’t have been my choice for the wine on its own but thankfully the meat was there to soften the tannins accordingly. The venison that followed was frankly superb with an outstanding jus but the roasted pears were a little unpredictable – some were sour, some were sweet and this seemed a little inconsistent to fully enjoy.

However, this was a meal of refined quality without question and the skill was clear as a bell to see. I loved the overall impact and could not have been more well looked after (again, without airing that I would be writing about it until after the meal so full marks to them). The only shame of this visit was having to come in the dark but the pictures of the surroundings do make this venue look like an absolute keeper to enjoy in day and then night. It is not the most atmospheric of dining rooms but this adds to its strength of a lovely get away for quite celebrations or romantic breaks.

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(Editor’s note: establishment is currently closed following a fire within the residence. Billed to re-open at some point in 2019)

This was my first Michelin starred venue to try in Scotland on a holiday tour in Dec 16 and what a start this was. Details of the food can be seen at the expansion button below, but the bottom line is that this was a very refined menu and was frankly on par with several 2 Michelin starred eateries in the UK that I have been to. Dishes were light yet packed with flavour and the service was attentive and considered. Of the 6 Michelin starred restaurants in Scotland that I tried in Dec 16, this took the crown for overall best food without hesitation. I still have four starred venues in Edinburgh (including Martin Wishart’s branch there) and two other starred restaurants to go in the rest of Scotland, but Loch Lomund currently sits in pole position and was excellence on 6 plates.

Snacks here were hoovered in seconds – the potted shrimp going down very well in its zestiness and the paprika and comte cheese ball with bacon powder was utterly divine. The amuse bouche of artichoke made me want to attack more and the salted butter to go with the simple selection of breads was particuarly good. The cep velouté was wonderfully smooth and nicely judged to have uncooked mushroom slices for their flavour and providing a quality texture without being intrusive.

However, if this was smooth then the foie gras mousse was sheer silk. This was perhaps the most buttery and melt in the mouth cold foie gras I have ever had and I can see why this dish has gained acclaim. I have to say though in the spirit of being true to my taste buds, that in spite of its trump card of texture, it was more bitter than I was expecting and were it not for the sweet gels (which I thought I could have done slightly more of) it would have come down from the pedastool a little. However, although I would have preferred a touch more sweetnesss, this really was first rate craftsmanship and presentation and utterly decadent to have. The taste of the dessert wine had was a very good shout from the sommelier as this was not too over-sweet like sauternes can often be (too much like liquid honey sometimes). This dessert wine from Jurancon (SW France) was dryer and far more refreshing as a result.

The lemon sole was a total triumph with its gorgeous succulent flakes, perfectly cooked and wonderful crisps on top providing a lovely texture combination as well as the apple matchsticks that gave the kick of acid it needed. I thought this dish was nothing short of perfection. It was also lovely to hear that this restaurant has the courage to get its beef from the USA as opposed to thinking it has to stick to Scottish beef out of loyalty if the cuts they gain from afar are better. This certainly seemed to be a wise call as the beef had on this occasion was more ‘cowy’ in flavour than any other I think I have had in the past years. The juiciness of the meat was superb along with the wonderful combination of the fried shallot rings and celeriac puree. Although I found it hard to trace the marrow, this was another sensational dish.

The chestnut parfait and apple mousse with caramel & cinnamon ice cream was overall veering to the bitter rather than sweet but highly enjoyable with beautiful presentation. Finally, the chocolate delice was seductive in its deep indulgent chocolate flavour and with gentle balancing of the cherry which I thought supported this dish brilliantly. Petit fours were stylishly presented and rounded off a high food experience of the year. The £112 tag for the 6 course dinner menu with tasters of wine was a fair price I would say when the results are at this level.

The restaurant is not actually a part of Cameron House hotel for info as they are two separate businesses however, the restaurant has found itself not a bad place to nest up. Service throughout this meal was clearly passionate and it was grand as always to say hello to the man at the helm of Martin Wishart’s kitchen (Graeme Cheevers) as well as engaging chats with the floor management throughout. My thanks to Chris Donnachie and the whole team for a great experience – it made staying in my £22.50 overnight B & B later that night nicely in perspective.

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This is not the first time I have been to the Giplin as I have had the pleasure of afternoon tea here which, is just about as pleasant a place for high tea as you can get with its wonderful blend of luxury comfort and homliness at the same time. In passing on the way to Scotland, lunch clearly had to be done and was a very good option for £35 (snacks and 3 courses). I thought an amuse bouche wouldn’t have gone a miss for a place of this calibre, but as the food was entirely gorgeous, this was still good value and moreover, really pleasing stuff. I would thoroughly recommend here in any capacity: a stay over, lunch, high tea or dinner, they all work well here and it is lovely to see the place being adorned with a Michelin star which I thought was definitely worthy based on this glipmse of the food. In the full review I have added notes on the other exciting aspect they now have as an option at the Gilpin.

Sunday roasts are not actually my favourite as I think they can be pretty boring. After all, there are only so many ways that one can present roasted meat and veg. However, what made this notable was that the Gilpin’s version of the roast made it genuinely enjoyable. I thought the main event of beef was just the right moistness with full flavour with enough tender redness but not bleeding all over the plate at the same time. The potatoes had a sublime crusty outside with fluffy interior (in my opinion exatcly the right shape to keep the ratio perfect) with quality buttered carrots (again, not too heavy to eat), great Yorkshire pudding and marvellous jus to go with everything which I thought was much superior to generic gravy and more of a pleasure).

Sunday roasts are not actually my favourite as I think they can be pretty boring. After all, there are only so many ways that one can present roasted meat and veg. However, what made this notable was that the Gilpin’s version of the roast made it genuinely enjoyable. I thought the main event of beef was just the right moistness with full flavour with enough tender redness but not bleeding all over the plate at the same time. The potatoes had a sublime crusty outside with fluffy interior (in my opinion exatcly the right shape to keep the ratio perfect) with quality buttered carrots (again, not too heavy to eat), great Yorkshire pudding and marvellous jus to go with everything which I thought was much superior to generic gravy and more of a pleasure).

This was all following a light and original parsnip veloute with honey to go with the gnocchi which I thought was a cracker. The lemon tart at the end had the perfect wobbliness and judged texture of the cooked custard with beautifully fresh lemon. Service throughout was entertaining and charismatic but thankfully experienced enough to know when to give a bit of space.

What was also interesting to see was that the newly built Annex to the hotel is now the proud interior of three different Oriental cuisine dining rooms. They all looked nicely done with the character of the country they represented but the main one with counter bar dining looked especially spacious and pleasant and frankly trumped numerous Asian venues of repute in London. The food from these has been designed by the same Michelin starred chef who is at the helm of the Gilpin’s main dining room (Hrishikesh Desai) so I am looking forward to whenever the next chance there is to trial some things from here. My only observation on this is that time will simply tell this year how much of the chef’s time and influence during service of both restaurants can be focussed on the Oriental side but it certainly bodes very well for a cuisine that is not very easy to come by in Cumbria at this exciting level.

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Set within the heart of the Lake District and Cumbria is this newly designed hotel and Michelin starred restaurant. The dining room has wooden floorboards, wooden table tops and appears more like a brasserie in its design than the usual, formal hotel design and this was refreshing to see. This did also have an impact on the acoustics making me wonder how cosy the restaurant would be in the evenings but this is speculation. In terms of the food it was unquestionably well constructed, designed and balanced giving some definite punch the air moments and it was a very pleasing menu to have, especially for the £35 per person for lunch. The additional snacks and nibbles within the meal were enjoyable and made for an overall quality meal that is recommended.

Food Grade: 82%

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Tucked in the Grosvenor Hotel in Chester sits this Michelin starred restaurant serving carefully constructed food. The highlights of this venue were the wonderful selection of breads on offer (9 in total to choose from), the welcoming manner in which the staff greeted myself and others that I saw arrive as well as a seriously good dessert. Sadly, I found the other dishes a little lacking in punch, although they were very good on the eyes and this is the sort of venue which is great to up the stakes on a date or special occasion context and you are in the area.

I opted for the cheese bread which proved to be a quality find in its squidgy, softness with subtle, yet obvious cheese additions. I couldn’t detect very much garlic in the black garlic bread at all and seemed to be more for show as a result as this was too subtle in flavour. The canapes were a welcome start with various treats on seafood skins and the pumpkin amuse bouche with its eggnog had an interesting blend of sweet and saltiness and the nutmeg pumpkin on brioche was also a pleasant start.

I opted for the cheese bread which proved to be a quality find in its squidgy, softness with subtle, yet obvious cheese additions. I couldn’t detect very much garlic in the black garlic bread at all and seemed to be more for show as a result as this was too subtle in flavour. The canapes were a welcome start with various treats on seafood skins and the pumpkin amuse bouche with its eggnog had an interesting blend of sweet and saltiness and the nutmeg pumpkin on brioche was also a pleasant start.

For the actual dishes, these generated mixed emotions in me. The sweetbread starter was a little bit too earthy in its flavour for me; it’s a tough one because the whole point of offal is that it is this flavour (coming mainly from the pancreas), however keeping the glorious texture of soft and gooey on the inside and a crispy outside AND having the mustiness disguised as was the case at Midsummer House would elevate this dish I thought). The langoustine was also pretty undetectable in flavour within the rest of the dish that had pleasant surrounding parts.

The chicken was one of the most succulent pieces of chicken I have ever tasted but was overshadowed by the inherent bitterness of the watercress foam. The terrine was very nice and was essentially transformed and salvaged by the chicken skin as the only other obvious aspect to note. Regrettably I simply didn’t like the sour flavour of the bergamot that came with the honey panna cotta (the latter being pleasant but subtle) however, all was made right with the honey crips on top and thank God this was there.

Having said this, I thought the Pina colada dessert was an absolute triumph. It was so utterly delicate in its design of soft yet crispy meringue-like crisp which kept the textures in check with a wonderful blanc mange beneath this layer and all, cleverly, gluten free / without the use of any dairy. This really was a stroke of genius as a dish and I loved every mouthful.

Service wise, this was a little mixed ranging from senior floor staff who really knew their business and were welcoming throughout to more junior members who were still learning the value of quality hospitality (one asking how everything was whilst I was in mid-mouthful of my first bite and another, straight faced waitress who appeared annoyed at being that particular evening – the latter having a greater impact I found). However, for those that wish a pleasant and more formal occasion and are happy pushing the boat out more, this restaurant will definitely help that mission succeed with some areas to fine tune for the more interested eyes and palate.

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This was my first visit to Lords of the Manor Hotel which seemingly serves as an elegant weekend escape location quite well with a miniature front drive for cars as my first surprise. Once again, and annoyingly, commitments prevented me from coming to a new venue during the day and seeing in full daylight however, the food was what I was coming for obviously. The headline for this visit is that it was minimalist but skilled in design with some very nice moments but lacking in explosions for me.

The canapés at the bar were definitely on the plus side with a delightful duck liver parfait snack coated with melted and hardened sugar and a shot of warm goat’s cheese foam. Jerusalem artichoke veloute with hazelnut oil on top was moderate in flavour but the pomme soufflé with powdered onion salt was a superbly delicate little thing to have with the opening. However, it was the smoked salt butter for the onion bread that actually stole the show causing a need for reinforcements of this rather quickly.

The canapés at the bar were definitely on the plus side with a delightful duck liver parfait snack coated with melted and hardened sugar and a shot of warm goat’s cheese foam. Jerusalem artichoke veloute with hazelnut oil on top was moderate in flavour but the pomme soufflé with powdered onion salt was a superbly delicate little thing to have with the opening. However, it was the smoked salt butter for the onion bread that actually stole the show causing a need for reinforcements of this rather quickly.

The foie gras with liquorice was a pleasant change from the norm with the lightest and frankly loveliest brioche I have had in quite a while and this dish simmered at pleasant. The arrival of such a plump langoustine was a very welcome sight but unfortunately I had a couple of issues with this dish in that the amount of apple granita, as lovely as it was with the truffled crisps, were simply too much in quantity and punch and essentially drowned the langoustine from any real recognition. More of the langoustine and less of the supporting sharps and savouries (which actually went very well together) I thought for this one. Not a train wreck but I was getting through this one as best as possible.

Thankfully all was saved with the veal, its perfectly cooked potato, superb celeriac purée and parsley oil, shallots and glazed snails. I still find the latter a little rubbery in texture whatever they are glazed in and however well done but the flavour was actually pleasant on these and the dish as a whole was extremely good altogether. It was just a shame the size, possibly even for a tasting menu was such that it was all hoovered in roughly 3 minutes.

On to desserts and the cranberry and star anise ‘foam-shake’ was actually a brilliant combination for a cleanser and I hadn’t had before, with the star anise really livening up the cranberry. Pre-dessert of cardamom panna cotta was an ice combo, but it took a while to get through all of the sharp, tropical fruit before getting the cooling panna cotta and so I found a bit too much of the topping compared with the main base to properly enjoy. I haven’t had banana soufflé before and this, with the banana sorbet put a stamp of quality on the end of the meal.

A hotel like this with Michelin starred food was always going to have some pleasing petit fours so these were enjoyed over coffee (relatively good). This finished off a meal that was minimalist in style, with excellent technical skill and presentation and generally pleasing dishes but ultimately minimalist in quantity and quite expensive compared to most tasting menus. I think lunch here would be much in line with (subjectively) most people’s comfort zone for the formality and associated price tag. However, if you are as obsessed with visit-worthy food as much as myself and don’t care about the bill, although you could do a lot better at Michelin starred level, you can also do worse – no fireworks but a comforting show here.

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It will be hard to not feel affectionate for this little place that opened at the beginning of 2015, from the one, candle-lit rest room, to the view of the kitchen by the coat hangers, to the cosy, snugness of the restaurant inside. I’m also happy to state this was one of the best meals I have had all year. Each one of the four courses were simple, yet refined and there wasn’t a single course that wasn’t a total joy – some were simply even more of a joy than others! It’s also a testiment to any place when you are already planning when you can come back and with whom before the end of the meal….and this is exactly what happened here – one of my new, favourite places now in the whole of London.

Kicking off with one of the loveliest snacks I have had in quite a while (and not since Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs), this onion crumb, bacon jam, onion gel and parsley emulsion on chicken skin brought immediate tingles down my spine it was that superb – the sort of superb that was basically a legal high. This preceeded sour dough from Dalston with yeast and salt brown butter which was likewise utterly sublime. So much so, in fact I was forced to order another round.

Kicking off with one of the loveliest snacks I have had in quite a while (and not since Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs), this onion crumb, bacon jam, onion gel and parsley emulsion on chicken skin brought immediate tingles down my spine it was that superb – the sort of superb that was basically a legal high. This preceeded sour dough from Dalston with yeast and salt brown butter which was likewise utterly sublime. So much so, in fact I was forced to order another round.

The ewe’s curd with golden beetroot kombu and aged soy was a light, smokey and a perfectly pleasant start to the meal. The cod was a gear change upwards in that the fish was perfectly succulent and with the cashew butter sauce, sweet Jerusalem artichoke, texture from the cashew nuts and tempura fried mushrooms, this was an earthy, dish of contrasts that simply came together beautifully.

Thinking things couldn’t get any better, the sirloin piece with gorgeously pickled walnuts, glazed beef cheek, celeriac puree blew things open again as this dish was frankly one of the very best dishes of the year. Such a lovely collection of everything and lovely that the kale was there to make it feel like I has had some element of healthiness without ruining the proceedings. This was followed but what I can only describe as a cruise missile strike of the banana dessert which was also one of the best desserts I can actually remember. I’m a dairy fan and so the milk ice cream with black salt (very good combo by the way) and droplets of condensed milk gel was simply divine and with the banana curd-like topping on lovely crisp pastry was instantaneously in the memory banks.

I’m simply bowled over by this little place and equally surprised that the menu changes on a weekly basis. I know of some establishments that once gained a Michelin star will stick to favourites for many moons as tried and tested. But I think this is a prime example of brave and confident invention from head chef Dan Graham to be continually pushing the restaurant’s menu in this way and if this first visit is anything to go by, I am returning here as soon as I can to enjoy with others.

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