Restaurant Sat Bains (Nottingham)
Number of visits: 1
“Even if you think you’re heading in the wrong direction, just keep going” was what another chef said about the journey there. This turned out to be a rather sound piece of advice; I actually thought we made a wrong turn twice along the way. Located in the industrial district of Nottingham, the restaurant is a true destination dining spot, with Roux Scholar Sat Bains at the helm. Only tasting menus are offered, where each dish is described by its taste profile (sour, sweet, salt, bitter and umami). The food here displays technical brilliance and influences from around the world; a favourite was a dish of scallops with trotter, ponzu and katsuobushi.
Two plump scallops were tucked under a blanket of ponzu jelly, its citrusy flavour providing a pleasant contrast against the savoury discs of trotter meat. Katsuobushi mayonnaise was a brilliant inclusion, adding another layer of complexity to the dish.
Dining on the Kitchen Bench in the pastry kitchen was a great deal of fun, where the chefs demonstrated the various techniques they used and went into in-depth explanations on how the dishes were prepared. The top level of cooking coupled with the fantastic dining experience made for one of the best meals I’ve had, ever. Interestingly, outside of the main building, a special development kitchen (Nucleus), was being built during my visit, and it will operate as a standalone “restaurant within a restaurant”, with diners having their meal within the facility itself.
Restaurant Sat Bains
Lenton Lane
Nottingham NG7 2SA
Pollen Street Social
Jason Atherton has opened a slew of successful restaurants around the world (see October 2014 post for City Social), but his flagship remains one of the finest choices to dine at in the capital. Modern and buzzy, the food it offers is Modern British, with dishes such as Cumbrian suckling pig, roasted apple, king cabbage and granola clusters showing sound flavour combinations.
Different cuts of the pig were presented; peppery notes and tartness from the apple cut through the unctuousness of the belly beautifully, while the loin was tender and flavoursome. I really enjoyed the addition of the granola clusters, each providing a nutty crunch of sweetness. Interchanging between bites of the various components rounded out the flavours nicely.
Despite Social Company’s busy schedule with new restaurant plans for The Clocktower in New York, and Social Wine & Tapas and Sosharu in London (just to name a few), the cooking at Pollen Street Social has not lost any of its lustre. Credit must go to head chef Dale Bainbridge for propelling the restaurant further , and puts any doubts over the quality of the burgeoning restaurant empire to bed. The April edition of Restaurant Magazine delves into some of the reasons behind the group’s success, such as allowing each chef’s identity to shine at each restaurant, and having a strong collaborative culture. A great read.
Pollen Street Social
8-10 Pollen Street
London W1S 1NQ
Sushi Tetsu
It took more than 200 calls to get a table here, but boy, was it worth the effort. Reservations at former Nobu chef Toru Takahashi’s 7-seater restaurant are one of the hardest to obtain in London, not least due to the unconventional method of making bookings (see their website for more information). It is all worth all the trouble though; the freshest of seafood are prepared with the most skilful of touches for a masterclass in sashimi and sushi. Pre-order for the Omakase, or decide what you want on the day itself, and off Toru-san goes on a little dance, slicing fish with a deft touch, moulding rice together with them, lightly scorching the surface with a blow torch to lend a charred flavour.
The mackerel sushi was most delightful; the fish licked by the flames from the blow torch, lying on top of beautifully vinegar-ed rice. A light smear of soy and grated ginger was all it needed to make for an absolutely divine mouthful.
Sushi Tetsu serves the best sushi I’ve had in London, and rightfully so, given its focus. The emergence of the Araki, however, spells exciting times ahead for the Japanese food scene. Checking for cancellations on Twitter might be the easiest way of getting a spot here, especially if you are unable to plan too far in advance. If not, you just have to keep plugging away by phone.
Sushi Tetsu
12 Jerusalem Passage
London EC1V 4JP
tastythreets 