The “Best Of” Tasting menu assembles my favourite dishes of the year in an order resembling a long drawn out feast. Even amongst a list of outstanding courses there are the ones that ticked all the right boxes for me and those top dishes are listed here.
Amuse Bouche
When selecting a dish from a menu I’ll get a mental picture and sense of what the dish is likely to taste of based on the listed ingredients. I love it when a restaurant serves an amuse bouche because you have no idea what to expect because that anticipatory step is absent. My favourite taster of the year was the salt cod at Van Zeller. This was a play on fish and chips combining the cod for a mild fish flavour with a wispy potato mousse for the chips. Pea sorbet and a gherkin salsa substituted for mushy peas and vinegar and the toasted breadcrumbs on top rounded things out perfectly.
Amuse Bouche
When selecting a dish from a menu I’ll get a mental picture and sense of what the dish is likely to taste of based on the listed ingredients. I love it when a restaurant serves an amuse bouche because you have no idea what to expect because that anticipatory step is absent. My favourite taster of the year was the salt cod at Van Zeller. This was a play on fish and chips combining the cod for a mild fish flavour with a wispy potato mousse for the chips. Pea sorbet and a gherkin salsa substituted for mushy peas and vinegar and the toasted breadcrumbs on top rounded things out perfectly.
Bread
Despite strong completion from the marmite & cheddar bread from the Pig & Whistle in Cartmel, the bread that I enjoyed most in the year was the Sneck Lifter bread at Cottage in the Wood. Made with Sneck Lifter ale from Jennings brewery in Cockermouth the combination of mild malty and nutty flavours was a delight. And a bread needs a spread. The best of those were the bone marrow butter with its rich smoky tone and the oniony chicken liver mousse that the Dairy, Clapham sent out with their bread.
Despite strong completion from the marmite & cheddar bread from the Pig & Whistle in Cartmel, the bread that I enjoyed most in the year was the Sneck Lifter bread at Cottage in the Wood. Made with Sneck Lifter ale from Jennings brewery in Cockermouth the combination of mild malty and nutty flavours was a delight. And a bread needs a spread. The best of those were the bone marrow butter with its rich smoky tone and the oniony chicken liver mousse that the Dairy, Clapham sent out with their bread.
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Appetiser(s)
The tasting menu at The Dairy was full of memorable, imaginative dishes. The crispy chicken skin with wild mushrooms and burnt kale came early in the meal but the wonderful teaming of strong flavoured ingredients meant it was my favourite on the day. Rich dark chicken oyster meat was combined with crispy chicken skin with underlying chewy meaty strata. The oyster mushrooms added a meaty buttery tone and the kale was seaweed-like in this setting. The dish was lovely but it was the thick mushroom sauce that glazed everything else to take the dish to another level.
The tasting menu at The Dairy was full of memorable, imaginative dishes. The crispy chicken skin with wild mushrooms and burnt kale came early in the meal but the wonderful teaming of strong flavoured ingredients meant it was my favourite on the day. Rich dark chicken oyster meat was combined with crispy chicken skin with underlying chewy meaty strata. The oyster mushrooms added a meaty buttery tone and the kale was seaweed-like in this setting. The dish was lovely but it was the thick mushroom sauce that glazed everything else to take the dish to another level.
The Loch Duart salmon with sea vegetables at Restaurant Sat Bains was a stunning dish. The slow cooked salmon with pickled cucumber, samphire, pickled mushrooms and crispy rice looked stunning as it was placed on the table and vivid green oyster soup was poured on at the table. The buttery, tender salmon combined superbly with the vinegary cucumber and mushrooms and salty sea vegetables. Smoked herring roe dyed with squid ink added a subtle smoky touch that elevated the whole dish.
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Fish Main
The French by Simon Rogan opened in the Midland Hotel in Manchester in March 2013 and I managed to visit in late August. The ten-course lunch tasting menu really hit stride after a couple of early dishes starting with the ox in cola oil that became a signature dish over the course of the year. My favourite from the sequence of stunning dishes was the plaice with carrots, bone marrow and nasturtium. The wonderful tender plaice formed a strong partnership with the sweet carrots boosted further by the rich notes of the bone marrow fritter and jus. The surprise of the dish was the sweet carrot purée that combined with the plaice for a fish and chip taste. I still can’t figure out how that worked but it was wonderful.
The French by Simon Rogan opened in the Midland Hotel in Manchester in March 2013 and I managed to visit in late August. The ten-course lunch tasting menu really hit stride after a couple of early dishes starting with the ox in cola oil that became a signature dish over the course of the year. My favourite from the sequence of stunning dishes was the plaice with carrots, bone marrow and nasturtium. The wonderful tender plaice formed a strong partnership with the sweet carrots boosted further by the rich notes of the bone marrow fritter and jus. The surprise of the dish was the sweet carrot purée that combined with the plaice for a fish and chip taste. I still can’t figure out how that worked but it was wonderful.
Meat main
Another tasting menu that included many superb dishes was that from Hedone in January. The savoury courses built towards a crescendo of roasted breast and leg of squab pigeon. The rare cooked meat was accompanied by a subtle gravy based on a mix of offal and foie gras. Jerusalem artichoke foam from blending juice and butter had a sweet raspberry-like flavour. Crunchy salsify was an excellent choice of vegetable accompaniment while watercress purée added a refreshing counter.
Another tasting menu that included many superb dishes was that from Hedone in January. The savoury courses built towards a crescendo of roasted breast and leg of squab pigeon. The rare cooked meat was accompanied by a subtle gravy based on a mix of offal and foie gras. Jerusalem artichoke foam from blending juice and butter had a sweet raspberry-like flavour. Crunchy salsify was an excellent choice of vegetable accompaniment while watercress purée added a refreshing counter.
Dessert
The Agen prune soufflé with Armagnac ice cream at Marianne ensured that eating out in 2013 finished on a high. The understated prune flavour of the soufflé gave it a tart edge and kept the sweetness in check. A dark purée in the base of the ramekin was a stronger presence and accentuated the prune character. The use of Armagnac in the ice cream provided a strong partner for the prunes and the blend of flavours was superb.
The Agen prune soufflé with Armagnac ice cream at Marianne ensured that eating out in 2013 finished on a high. The understated prune flavour of the soufflé gave it a tart edge and kept the sweetness in check. A dark purée in the base of the ramekin was a stronger presence and accentuated the prune character. The use of Armagnac in the ice cream provided a strong partner for the prunes and the blend of flavours was superb.
