Out of Town: The Damson, MediaCity, Salford

Damson Restaurant

Orange Building, 

MediaCityUK, 

Salford M50 2HF

http://mediacity.damsonrestaurant.co.uk

SN: I went with a couple of friends to The Damson overlooking the gardens at MediaCity in Salford the other day. Sadly I didn't take a camera so you'll have to do with descriptions of the excellent fare.

We were shown to our table - part of a range along a window maybe 25 yards long overlooking the gardens and Manchester Ship Canal quayside at MediaCity in the city of Salford (not to be subsumed into it's metropolitan neighbour Manchester.  The Quays developed as the northern home of the BBC and the Imperial War Museum as opened in 2011 and has soon become a favourite playground for the locals.  This independent restaurant was pleasingly full.  Our seats overlooked the view but there is also a large tabled private dining room and "a bar area" which is cosy and I imagine the place for quiet conversation - no tables were set there but it can be booked.

We were encourage dot go straight to our table but there was no attempt to sell us cocktails or an aperitif. I had to go and ask for a cocktail menu as I spent too long trying to attract the attention of the staff.  That said when it came the Peach Bellini was a nice enough way to kick things off - rather plain both in presentation and taste though.

Our visit coincided with a change in the menu - we felt the main courses had come a bit less adventurous but the starters had the three of us musing on choice.  

After nice bread and salty, whipped butter, I started with Kataifi foie gras, szechuan poached peaches & toasted almonds.  This was divine combination - the katafi pastry - so often the Greek dessert of choice, was a rich and crunchy back drop to the rich baked foie gras.  The pate supported in a basket of the pastry accompanied with gently spice peaches and toasted almonds - there was a drizzle of honey involved too.  The richness and the sweetness were great in the same mouthful.  The greasiness of the foie gras remains on the plate and I think that's a bit of an oversight.

Our wine was a Rosé to cope with our wide ranging menu choices.  The wine list is varied and very well stocked at the lower and medium price range though a little light at the top end.  We had the Cinsault/Tribouren/Mourvedre/Grenache, Domaine Rimauresq Cru Classe, Cotes de Provence, France 2011/12 (though I think we had something a little younger)

Whilst my fellow diners had plaice and duck respectively, I struggled to choose: I took this as a good sign! Eventually I opted for a seaside/hillside combination of Lamb rump cooked sous vide, seashore vegetables, clams, lamb broth, confit garlic foam.  It came in a big dish with a deep centre - four uniform cubes of lamb covered in vibrant green young samphire and surrounded by broth which was cooking the meat a little more.  Around one quarter of the dish a swirl of garlic foam added more to the presentation and taste.  The lamb was uniformly cooked and though I would have ordered it somewhat rarer in other circumstances, it was magnificent and wonderfully counterpointed once more by the calms and samphire.  The celeriac didn't really do much truth be told, perhaps something punchier would have added more.

Desserts followed with recommendations for matched wines.  I eschewed the prescribed Gewurtztraminer and substituted a Monbazillac to accompany Vanilla & mango cheesecake, lychee sorbet, pina colada sphere. The none too subtle but so enticing aroma and taste of the wine may have dented the punch of the cheese cake a bit but I loved this sweet - lychee sorbet was also perfumed and the mysterious globule on the spoon when the dish arrived whilst not spherical was certainly pina colada.  This little coup de theatre was very good and vividly set the palate up for the dessert.

Not to be left curious I also had a glass of Pedro Ximenez with a coffee.

All told this meal presented really good value: in London it would have cost half as much again.  Exciting foods and a lovely range of drinks. The service was understated and after a while friendly at the table.  When I went on an explore and said hi and thank you to the kitchen staff: there was a hesitant acknowledgement but no more.  I think kitchen staff at whatever level should be talking to their customers.  It's a shame when they are hidden away from those of us who enjoy the fruits of out labours.  There is something a bit mechanical about the staffing at this restaurant - missing a chance to engage with the dinner.  They might have sold me another dessert, they certainly wouldn't have sold me any cocktails had I not asked.  Engaging your customers is more then a perfect looking but empty smile - there could have been more of that.

Rootdown

237 Lower Clapton Road

Hackney

London

E5 8EG

0207 686 6080

http://rootdownlondon.com/#home

We are slightly behind in our blogger but Rootdown became a pressing priority after a night there last week.  The bloggers we read are spreading the word about this place opposite Clapton Pond and rightly so.  We were amazed.  Rootdown takes us a little further out but is worth a journey of ten times the distance to sample its unique flavour and style.

Siblings Becca and Ben Scales opened the place recently; it's unprepossessing and has the air of a quirky bar cum diner. This is a seriously good dining experience worth of a top quality eatery, but it manages also to be the kind of place where people will pop in for cocktails on a Friday night accompanied by a delicious soundtrack.  The decor is restrained, the elbow room is plentiful and the service is quick, cheery and informative.

I don't tend to look a menus but LM had been planning our visit and targeting the chickpea doughnuts with zeal.  There was some small dismay (swearing) when Rootdown changed the menu the day we got there.  In the end something more fascinating was on the menu but it will change again.  On that basis look at the menu if you want to know what's what - but also look at the website because it is a great example of how to present your restaurant and its wares.

I chose an Austrian red from Muhr van der Niepoort, Sydhang 2011 which proved to be suitably flexible for our starters and mains and like everything at Rootdown the price was not outrageous.  The real story of the night unfolded from the moment we tried to decide on cocktails....

Chilli Pear Caprioska

LM: I kicked off with a chilli pear cocktail, not a combination I would have immediately thought of but as it turned out fantastically well matched flavours. There was just enough chilli kick for me - apparently the recipe has been toned down recently for being a bit too hot - great to see a bar taking on feedback so willingly.

Mozzarella, cucumber, mint and peach

My starter was simple but divine - generous chunks of fresh mozzarella with peach, cucumber and olive oil dressing. No need to do anything fancy with seasoning when the produce is this fresh and tasty - they'd got the peaches absolutely perfect, firm without being under. Fantastic dish.

Shredded beetroot, zata'ar labneh, black onion seeds, caraway.

SN: The bold colour of this starter as you approach the plate is soon confused by the subtle complexity of the taste and fragrance and texture.  Beetroot - another roof our under-rated veg - is a delicately sweet carrier for the tastes of shoots and the crunch of the caraway and black onion seeds.  The fuzzy mix of flavours in the zata'ar adds a depth and the smooth labneh contrasting texture.  Delightful.

Broccoli tops, freekah, burnt lemon, tahini yogurt, soft boiled egg and pomegranate molasses.

LM: I was torn between main courses - the other option was a slightly safer sounding polenta with mushrooms - but I'm glad I went for the more unusual option! Again the elements were cooked to perfection, the broccoli still had enough bite, and the egg was a really interesting addition to the meal. I was a little dubious about the burnt lemon (with egg?!) but it was smoky enough to add a really subtle depth of flavour to the rest of the dish.

Onglet steak, Janssons Temptation, watercress Cafe de Paris Butter

SN: I'm still on a wave of delight from this main - so much so I tried to make the potato dish myself this weekend.  My attempt was lacklustre compared to Rootdown's effort and demonstrated just how much care they had put in - adding a crunchy exterior to the blocks of layered potato and onion speckled with anchovy and baked in cream. I would, ordinarily steer clear of some of the typical tastes in Scandinavian cooking, but this was out of the world.  The thread ran through to the Café de Paris Butter (garlic, anchovies, capers and herbs in the classic recipe).  Onglet steak is steak at it's best - I love its texture and flavour - no wonder butchers used to keep this steak for themselves.  All together this was a mighty offering - not too heavy though - full of flavour, richly rewarding and remarkably straightforward though difficult to bring off as well as Rootdown do it.

In a remarkable tribute to Rootdown and Becca's skills selling the menu, I decided on two Desserts...

Flourless Chocolate Cake, crème fraiche, cherry compote

SN: I should probably leave LM to describe this - her face as she took the first bite of flourless chocolate cake probably paints sufficient of a picture....

LM: I think the pictures say it all - quite possibly the best chocolate cake I've ever had - rich, gooey, dense and full of flavour - I was very close to ordering a second portion despite being full to bursting at this point.

SN: LM helped me with our extra dessert - a cheese of glorious flavour, rich and golden and superb silk texture.  Mrs Kirkham and her family come from three generations of cheesemakers and the farm near Goosnargh in Lancashire is doing something special.  Rootdown's generous portions helped us end the meal in style.  A gorgeous flavoursome chutney balanced the plate and sourdough as transport of delight.

Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire, chutney and toast

It's quite simple really: great service, great wine & cocktails and simply amazing food delivered with flair.  I really feel (and felt as soon as I saw the menu) that this place is rooted in the simple aim of allowing people to eat and drink well at a very reasonable price. With drinks and three and a half courses our bill was just over £50 each.

Their attention to detail and balance is superb but not fussy: for example the cherries match the astounding flourless chocolate cake perfectly - not too sweet, not cloying, some welcome texture and visual appeal. 

Cocktails are sophisticated but not overblown - we could have spent all night working our way down the list.  The wine list is bold and confident (rightly so) those with set expectations might have to think a bit or take advice but there are gems there.  The service was a key component, Becca made us feel very welcome and right at home.  The staff are friendly, attentive and down to earth. We loved it here - not least because LM had so many choices of vegetarian dishes which we hold in as high regard as they do.

Mouth watering dishes, satisfying platefuls where one should no fear of trying something different - something for everyone and you are in safe hands. We have been to some swell restaurants this year already but this is the best restaurant I've been to all year.

Honey and Co

Honey & Co

25A Warren Street, 

London 

W1T 5LZ

http://honeyandco.co.uk

SN: Honey & Co is a small, well-regarded establishment on Warren Street, overlooked by the Post Office tower.  They serve what they describe as "food from the Middle East" completely underplaying the excellence of the cuisine.  They have a great reputation.  It is a compact space with a large window at the front, a few tables outside and there is a large counter at the other end groaning with cakes.  The menu is absolutely about Middle Eastern food and its delicate flavour combinations and it is impressive in it's range which changes regularly too.

We started with the Luxury Mezze with six or seven dishes which were just a treat:

First few dishes in the Mezze

LM: everything was delicious and so well balanced. The quality of the ingredients is really clear - the hummous, for example, is smooth and delicate, a million miles away from the gritty, garlicky rubbish you get in a lot of places. Feta cigars had a lovely crunch to them, and there was a good balance of salads to go with the heavier dishes.

tomato and sheeps curd

feta filo cigars with honey

SN: this was very impressive mezze - the dark crusted bread was just gorgeous and at every turn there was something to divert and delight.  And echo what LM said about the hummous - a smooth texture I hadn't encountered at all and none of the cloying after-taste of the worst attempts I've suffered.  There was plenty for two of us.  Colour, flavour and texture brilliantly covered across a range of simple but elegant dishes.

Persian meatballs in yoghurt sauce

SN: It was hard to choose a main course: my decision was based mostly on curiosity about how a yoghurt sauce might match meatballs.  It was just divine with peas and pea shoots and mint balancing the gently spiced lamb meatballs with even more luxurious tastes.  Again I was struck by the high quality ingredients, simple ideas and delightful sense of discovery in this dish. When Honey & Co present a dish it's without fuss, but the real satisfaction is in the tastes and textures that they leave you to explore.

lentil and carrot kofta

LM: my main was a lentil and carrot kofta with carrot and walnut salad and tahini (which you can't see, but was underneth the kofta). Absolutely gorgeous dish - lighter than it looks, the kofta had a lovely crunch to them and were soft and spicy on the inside.

Cold cheesecake, kadaif pastry, honey

LM: My dessert was probably the least exciting of the courses for me - a little bit too much cheesecake topping and not enough pastry base, although the sugared nuts and honey gave it a glorious edge. I had dessert envy over SN's choice...

Warm pistachio and goats cheese baklava with set lemon saffron cream

SN: LM was right to suffer dessert envy.  I like baklava very occasionally and I was interested in the Honey & Co take on it: I was ready for something sickly but there was none of that.  It was the highlight of the meal in every sense.  Delicious understated filling, rich in the fullest sense of the word, delicate pastry and the gorgeous cream to set it off and provide a vivid sense of the Middle East sun. The striking colours, textures and tastes sum up all that I really enjoyed at Honey & Co: nothing offends, mostly it intrigues and everything is of a very high quality.

We didn't get round to cake

SN: But there was a problem - having put all that effort into the food, they fell flat on their faces on customer services.

We were 1 hour 52 minutes into our allowed 2 hours when we were presented with a bill.  This was galling - I'd had no time for a coffee, I was thinking about more wine and even toying with the idea of another dessert (on the advice of Itamar Srulovich who had just responded to a question I had just tweeted).  It was a greater disappointment to be moved on in such a perfunctory, charmless way. Had the service been lightning fast throughout I might have felt the restaurant had kept it's side of the bargain - but it wasn't.  Service was poor: we waited five minutes for our member of staff to get off the phone to order dessert.  When we ordered the sweet no sense of the impending exclusions was given - she could have had one more sale if she had recommended we ordered coffee at the same time as ordering dessert.  At one point a different person came back to check our order.  I don't think they were doing everything they could to maximise our enjoyment in that 2 hours.

This is a venue where you will have great food - food in truth worth more than they charge for it - but a meal out is more than that - especially for us.

I guess the owners might argue that they would prefer to offend a few people by moving them on than risk having empty tables.  There was a queue of people waiting, but it seemed fewer than the seats available.  But with our departure and the departure of a large birthday party party at the same time, a lot of space was freed up.  The overall impression left for me is that are not well enough organised - certainly that's how it felt. No one awards prizes for restaurants that turn round tables quickly.  They should pay a visit to the Regency Cafe in Pimlico which has a system which shows it can be done. I won't be going back.

They may excuse this by saying that all the other restaurants do it: our experience is that whilst other restaurants may say that, they very rarely do it. So a sad end to a great food experience and if you are booking - beware the sting in the tail!

Grain Store Unleashed

Grain Store Unleashed

St John's Square, 

86-88 Clerkenwell Road, 

London 

EC1M 5RJ

Phone: +44 (0)20 7324 4455

eat@thezetter.com

SN: Grain Store Unleashed is the re-invention of Bruno Loubet's Bistro deep in Clerkenwell hosted in the Zetter Hotel.  It has relaunched recently and we were lucky enough to get a table shortly after the re-opening.  It is a light and airy, casual style eateries during the day and something a bit mor intimate at night.  We went for Sunday Lunch (a rarity for Split the Bill) to see how it matched up to one of our favourite venues - Grain Store at Kings Cross which we first visited for this blog in Oct 2013 and again more recently in February.  We are still big fans - read how Unleashed stacked up....

As you can see - it's a nice spacious spread of tables with a busy bar and a Spring-like French garden feel about it.

Rhubarb Negroni

SN: It's worth just pausing a moment on Grain Store cocktails - always simple on the page and complex and entertaining on the palate.  This Rhubarb Negroni attracted us both.  The Italian Aperol provided rhubarb and floral flavours whilst the Lillet Blanc (a mix of Bordeaux white wine and exotic citrus bitters) provided a foil to that.  The triangle completed with a robust Beefeater Gin.   Fantastic.

Crozes-Hermitage Les Pontaix 2013, Domaine Fayolle, N. Rhône, France 

SN: This wine was on offer as a bin end in February so unlikely to be around now.  But robust enough to cope with the avalanche of flavours.  We know that if nothing else Loubet squeezes every ounce of flavour out of his ingredients and everything needs a pretty robust wine to balance it.

Cornbread with avocado butter

LM: We started our meal with complimentary cornbread with avocado butter. The cornbread was hot and fresh with crunchy seasalt flakes and the avocado butter was spiked with lime to cut through the richness. A very encouraging start...

Vegetal oyster & caviar, ‘Bottom of the Sea’

SN: This was a curious starter and I was expecting something that made more immediate impact but it did excite the taste buds.  A bit more explanation from the staff might have helped I think.  The overall package is very much of 'the sea'.  I enjoy date seaweed sheet a little more than the oysters - the caviar was delicious but the pickle puree was fine on its own without the onion.

Asparagus in brown butter, pomelo & bronze fennel

LM: Asparagus was a really interesting dish - not particularly adventurous looking on the plate, and for a moment I wondered whether I had picked badly, but thankfully not - the asparagus was dressed with what can only be described as magic butter - sweet and tart without being sour, and fantastically complimentary to the asparagus.

Spring vegetable cassoulet, pulled lamb shoulder

SN: The strong broth beneath this dish would have been sufficient on it's own but with carrots, peas beans and epic poached white radish this was already one of the best dishes I've had at a Loubet restaurant.  The pulled lamb was very finely balanced against these lovely delicate veggie tastes.  As usual Loubet gets these subtleties just right.  Idea for a snack or a light lunch this dish was rich enough for a main course and so hearty as to leave me comfortably full.

Kohlrabi & broad bean raviolo, ramson

LM: Raviolo was gorgeous, the filling wrapped in paper thin slices of kohlrabi rather than pasta and served in a rich broth of beans and peas. So simple but so well made, and I loved the lightness of it. Really generous portion as well - but all about the flavours rather than the bulk.

Parsnip & white chocolate cream, matcha tea, pink grapefruit & passion fruit gel, caramelised puffed oat

SN: this was something I'd yearned for: a decently done parsnip dessert.  Be in no doubt, it tastes primarily of parsnip but the white chocolate is a surprisingly low key accompaniment and looks just divine.  I recall when making homemade parsnip and apple soup, I always struggled to maintain a pure colour but this is spot on.  The oat adds one sort of bite and the gel quite another - it's a hefty kick of tartness that the cream needs.  The shade grown (and therefore very green) matcha tea is a beautiful complement too.  Delivered as a powder it is sparing but a welcome added dimension.

Lemon & strawberries petit pot, rosemary crumble

LM: My dessert was delicious but probably the least adventurous of the dishes. A layer of macerated strawberries was topped with a creamy lemon layer and freeze-dried strawberry coated crumble. I couldn't taste the rosemary but it was tasty nonetheless.

Gorgeous  coffee too!

LM: Overall I think it's fair to say we were both really impressed with the quality of cooking and the inventiveness on offer, and the service was exceptionally friendly and warm. There were a couple of minor glitches from the soft launch including a light spraying for us as the plants were being watered and being charged for the wrong bottle of wine, but both were quickly rectified and with no drama.

Canteen, Royal Festival Hal

Canteen - Royal Festival Hall

Royal Festival Hall

Belvedere Road

http://www.canteen.co.uk

Book online

Celeriac, leek and mushroom POI and mash - with onion gravy and spinach

Both of us have been to Canteen before but we decided to do a StB because it offers such good value on a traditional English menu.  The atmosphere is busy and sometimes one has to wait a few minutes at the bar for a table - no hardship there are some very fine cocktails on offer.

There are monthly and daily specials and the ingredients are pleasingly fresh.  The canteen approach is not to rush customers which is great - they unfailing put water on the tables and the young front of house team are helpful, courteous and enthusiastic (also very happy to have a laugh).  It presents a wonderfully "open house" effect but the big space allows for privacy at tables too.

I started with an English classic - Devilled Kidneys - there's not much I can say about it other than the kidneys were beautifully cooked.  Anyone who cooks kidney's knows how important it is to get this just right.  The sauce was tangy and the toast ample.  No complaints at all.

Sourdough toast with fried duck egg and mushrooms

LM: I had sourdough toast with fried mushrooms topped with a duck egg and chives. Robust, tasty, nothing to dislike whatsoever.

SN: There seems to be plenty of Crozes-Hermitage about - it is a favourite of ours so the choice was easy and the price was right. The wine list is flexible and comfortable: high quality but affordable.  Casual dining is there thing and the drinks on offer match that aspiration.

SN: We both had a delicious pie - it's worth noting for carnivores and veggies alike - that the pie options change regularly and there is always one of each on offer.  The pies are served with either chips or mash, stacks of greens and a small jug of gravy to match.  Our choices were vegetarian - which I'll leave LM to describe.  For those inclined the offer was spiced mutton for omnivores.  I went for the veggie option on this occasion.  

LM: Celeriac, leek and mushroom pie was light and crispy and packed with vegetables - fresh vegetables at that - in some sort of creamy sauce - an absolute delight. 

SN: I reckon this unnoticed star of this dish are the glorious buttery greens - I'm guessing these could be anything from sprout tops to spring cabbage, but the real point is that they are glorious deep green leaves which are tasty and substantial, not an after thought.  All hail greens and gravy!

sticky sticky toffee pudding

LM: Sticky toffee pudding was divine - rich, unctuous and hefty without falling into stodgy territory. I'd be lying if I said I could remember much more, but it vanished rapidly and accompanied by appreciative noises.

SN: My pudding, not for the first time, was a succulent Apple pie with custard (so old fashioned it should be pronounced the proper way -  cus-Tard) - it ranks highly because there's something massively comforting about an apple pie made properly without the mangling a supermarket might give it, or I dare say a patisserie.  The sauce is pale and not to sweet or too rich and offers no hints of the kind of colour one ordinarily sees for cus-Tard in cans, boxes, cakes and pastries.  It is delicious and a belt-loosener - be warned!

Overall I like Canteen as the kind of place I can drop in with a friend and have a grand meal or sit after work on my own, eating and communing with my social media world over a light meal and glass of wine.  If I'm lucky someone will swing by...when they do Canteen welcomes them too.  With Louise, the critical faculties are sharper, the wit is drier and the meals much longer :-) StB isn't always about fusion, tasting menus and £100 bills - Canteen is in our top ten.

PS - worth looking at how responsive Canteen is to the comments on Trip Advisor - their overall rating is way off my 5 star dining experiences over the last 3 months, but they seem determined to address that.  Just shows how it is worth reviewing your experience.

Grainstore again

GRAIN STORE

Granary Square

1-3 Stable Street

King's Cross

London

N1C 4AB

This is a review of a meal in late February 2015 - the menu changes constantly.

Tuberose Collins

SN: It was our fourth visit to Bruno Loubet's oasis with a veg emphasis just north of Kings Cross - our previous write up was full of admiration in October 2013 found here:-

http://splitthebill.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/grainstore-garden-of-earthy-delights.html

Our affection for this place remains.  The overwhelming sense is of great food done well without fuss, comfort before show, and busyness being the way to keep customers happy.  Our Table was served by an enthusiastic food lover who knew her way round the kaleidoscopic menu and specials. She was the front of house for an organisations which puts food first.  It was remarkable looking around the tables at the variety of people there - from all walks of life, all ages and vocations. Parties, couples and single diners - all find something here.  We find solace that so little has changed around the ethos but the menu os as varied and fascinating as ever.

Onion Bread with homemade creme fragile butter
LM seizes on this so I have to be quick to take a photo ;-)

Wild Mushroom Croquettes with pine needle salt

Tasty tipple -
Gigondas 2012, Domaine du Grapillon d’Or, Southern Rhône, France:
Robust enough for game but not so strong as to ruin the delicate flavours elsewhere.
We also had Monbazillac 

This mushroom and truffle risotto was divine, spare in texture, smooth as silk and as you might expect, aromatic and busting with flavours.

Poached egg on buttery leeks and sourdough toast was simple, well executed and tasty - generous portion as well

Wild fruit puree, potted cabbage, parsnip crisps, bacon, roast wood pigeon breast and sausage
Amazing well done - crisps were fat-free and so tasty, rich and earthy

Split the billers

Vegetarian Paella was bursting with smoky flavours -
the veg was grilled to perfection and had plenty of bite - a wonderfully punchy dish.

Nice to have the appropriate glassware

Goats milk and yoghurt panacotta, poached rhubarb, wild strawberry sauce
Perhaps the creation of the night (v hard to choose).
Certainly  ongreat variation on the rhubarb theme, creamy texture but with a little structure still intact 

Dill ice cream - simultaneously the weirdest and most fantastic thing I've eaten this year - with gorgeous soft doughnuts.

Dill Ice cream hits the spot!

In conclusion: still one of our favourite places to eat in London.  We will go back again and again.  More pertinently we're also looking forward to GS Unleashed in April to explore with Bruno and team even further.

Riding House Cafe

Riding House Cafe

43-51 Great Titchfield Street, 

London 

W1W 7PQ

020 7927 0840

http://www.ridinghousecafe.co.uk

LM: Riding House Cafe has been on our extensive list of places to try for a few months now, so my mum visiting seemed like as good a reason as any to give it a go. The interesting vegetarian options on the menu had really drawn my interest, so off we went.

It's not particularly easy to find, located on a backstreet near Oxford Street, but was fairly busy at 3pm on a weekday; nonetheless staff were polite and effective throughout and we weren't kept waiting at any point.

Artichoke dip with crostini

We started with some fantastic buttery nocerella de belice olives which I forgot to photograph and the artichoke dip with crostini. The dip was hot and fresh which is always a good sign with a fantastic grilled crust - more bread would have been nice but we were quite happy finishing it off with our spoons.

There is the option to do a selection of sharing dishes but on this occasion we decided to share the two vegetarian mains and leave room for dessert.

Polenta with goats cheese, tomato and basil

Grilled polenta was buried under a mound of salad, confit tomatoes and goats cheese - very generous portion size and well balanced tastes and textures - we had no trouble polishing this off between us.

Macaroni Cheese Fritter on pea salad

Macaroni cheese fritter was one of the dishes that had made me so excited about visiting RHC - I'd been imagining a rich, crisp on the outside, gooey fritter filled with well seasoned pasta. Maybe less high expectations would have made the reality less disappointing - it was extremely bland, like school-dinner mac and cheese that had been coated in breadcrumbs and fried in not very hot oil. I did enjoy the salad underneath it although it had a little too much black pepper for my taste.

So, onto dessert...

The Infamous Souffle

Peach soufflé with raspberry ripple icecream. Standout. I'm a sucker for a souffle at all times; they feel like the most guilt free pudding and yet so tasty - add in peach and raspberry and mum and I were sold. As you'd expect, there was a ten minute wait; the soufflés were brought to the table, steaming hot with little bowls of divine raspberry ripple ice-cream which certainly tasted homemade and was one of the highlights of the meal. 

The soufflé? Delicately flavoured, beautifully crispy on top, and raw on the inside. I mean, absolutely liquid. Oops.

The waiter gave us a slightly disbelieving look when we queried this.

"I think this is always what a soufflé looks like" he said, "But I'll check with the kitchen."

It was probably only about two minutes until he came back with the chefs apologies, confirming that yes, the soufflé was meant to be cooked in the middle, and a two replacements would be out within the next ten minutes. The manager also came over to apologise which was a really nice touch - these things happen in a restaurant but it's good to see genuine disappointment from the staff when it goes wrong.

Unfortunately it's difficult to be so forgiving when the same mistake happens twice in such quick succession, and within the promised ten minutes we were served two more raw soufflés, admittedly with slightly more impressive height than the pictured ones. The manager was mortified - understandably - and we decided against trying another dessert option, got the bill and left.

It's a shame, because I left thinking RHC has a lot of potential. The staff are friendly, cheerful and polite, the menu has a decent variety of non-standard options and there's a lovely atmosphere. It's fairly reasonable for the area too - a tasty and filling lunch for two with wine came to less than £60 (although we weren't charged for dessert). 

The problem is that all of that pales into insignificance if the basics aren't done right. I hope we got RHC on a bad day but I can't bring myself to want to go back or recommend it on the basis of the visit.