Month: April 2020

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EDIN’S

Is this the most bohemian street in NG1? Looking out on Broad Street from the perch of one of the tall stools at the stylish new deli-café Edin’s, it certainly feels that way. From the legendary Wild Clothing store to hip bars like Muse and the arty glamour of both the Broadway and The Screen Room cinemas, it’s a street that’s certainly having a moment…

Directly across from Edin’s is Shaw’s cafe and restaurant, the bistro-style restaurant housed in an atmospheric old industrial building with its own distinctive, often eclectic, vibe (although the food could be rather hit and miss). So it’s no surprise to learn that the eponymous Edin Gondzic was formerly one of the proprietors of Shaw’s. The Bosnian entrepreneur obviously knows a good location when he sees it. And now he’s brought his unique European sensibility a few yards across the road to this new operation.

Edin’s one of those rare places where you feel at home almost as soon as you walk in. The sofa with overstuffed pillows, the skilfully mismatched tables and chairs, the baskets of fruit and veg, the classic black and white film posters, the copies of Gazetta dello Sport and Le Monde, the Latin jazz soundtrack… all this could be horribly pretentious in the wrong hands, but here it feels right. In fact, if you’re ever suffering from a hangover in the Hockley vicinity, we recommend soothing it away here.

The set up is trendy cafe-bar up front, proper restaurant in the back. You order from either from the constantly changing blackboards or from the menus – single sheets of paper stuck onto wooden slabs.

Dishes range from light tapas and meat and cheese plates to full meals. But there are no rules here, it’s that take-or-leave-it continental ethos – so, in the spirit of the place, we decided to share a range of dishes in no particular order. So we ended up sampling the tempura prawns (£5.95), cheese omelette (£4.95), falafels (£4.95), cous cous salad (£4.50) and home-made fries (£2).

The tempura prawns were particularly good – four chunky examples of fresh seafood encased in a crisp batter and accompanied by a sweet chilli dip with a wickedly hot kick. We also enjoyed the omelette which was, as you might expect from a continental kitchen, cooked runny – and given a real edge by the generous Halloumi filling. Meanwhile, the falafels were obviously freshly made and that distinctive spicy chickpea filling was spot-on. The only disappointment was the salad which, although very healthy thanks to all the red chard, featured lumpy and hard grains of cous cous.

While most of the pricing seemed fine, the small portions of chips weren’t particularly good value – at £2 a throw, we needed three between the pair of us and we’re not complete bloaters (honest). So if you want to load up on the carbs, this might not be the place.

The wine selection consists of around 20 well-priced bottles – which you can also purchase (at half price) and take home. We opted for the house red (good value at only £8.50), an easy-drinking Campo Nuevo Tempranillo from Navarra in the Basque region of Spain (currently one of the most exciting wine-growing areas, according to those in the know).

Finally, we shared a fulfilling dessert of American cranberry tart (£2.50) with the wholesome goodness of thick, buttery pastry and the lush, bitter-sweet tang of the cranberries. Washed down with a superb Cappuccino (£1.85), the meal ended on a (caffeine) high.

Edin’s offers a welcome hangout throughout the day and evening. With the espresso machine firing up at 8am, and the last glass of wine poured at 11pm, it’s that kind of place. And that means a diverse range of punters, too. From creatives discussing projects over 9am lattes to stylish shoppers nipping in for a quick lunch, or diners before (or after) the latest Brazilian blockbuster across the road at Broadway, Edin’s fills a niche in the market. Although Rosy Lee’s Tea Room next door looks like an interesting prospect, too.

There’s also a genuinely continental feel here and it’s an intangible quality. Perhaps Edin himself just has knack for creating it. Or the fact that we heard both Italian and Spanish (and Texan) spoken around the small dining room makes it feel like the real deal. Add in the free Wi-Fi and the daily papers to flick through and you’ve got a café that’s a cut above.

Although the dining room wasn’t particularly busy on our visit, the front café section was rammed, perhaps because it’s not immediately obvious that there’s more room at the back. Word of mouth recommendation should sort that out, though.

Thanks to Edin’s, you may not feel the need to get that train to St Pancras for the Eurostar. The quintessential continental café has come to us instead. David Sandhu

Edin’s Deli Café, 15 Broad Street, Nottingham. Tel: 0115 924 1112. Open daily from 8am to 11pm.

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THE BANYAN TREE

If, like Metro, you still have a soft spot for Little Chefs (those iconic roadside diners of our childhoods), you may be slightly miffed when they transform into other businesses – even a gourmet curry house, for instance. That’s what’s happened at the Red Hill roundabout (a few miles north of the city centre up Mansfield Road), which now houses The Banyan Tree.

Ever since it opened last year, we’ve heard good things about the food there. But, as confirmed urbanites, we’ve always whizzed past on our way to the big, bad city. This time, however, we turned off the A60 and taxied through the Texaco petrol station forecourt to arrive at the familiarly box-shaped one-storey building.

The car-park was already packed, but there was still space for ours. And, of course, that’s probably one of the Banyan Tree’s major attractions for many punters. Never mind the soulless location, there’s free and ample parking! A rather depressing thought, nonetheless.

As we entered the fray, already hot and heaving with a mature crowd of local couples and families, we didn’t mind waiting a while on a white leather sofa as they took our orders. They’ve certainly made a decent job of the interiors – all muted tones and trendy wallpaper.

According to the promo blurb, The Banyan Tree is “No ordinary tree, no ordinary restaurant” And as we’ve read so often, they promised the freshest of ingredients – “all our spices and sauces are skilfully prepared from primary ingredients which naturally yield flavours that are distinct in taste and quality.”

More interestingly, the Executive Chef Mr Himmat Singh Nathawat apparently honed his skills and unique style at The Cinnamon Club, one of London’s top contemporary Indian eateries – so our expectations were high.

The menu looked solid; nicely balanced between the usual classic faves, and some particularly intriguing options on the chef’s signature dish list, including starters of Pakhandi Kebab (£4.50) ‘chicken wings coated in corn flower with crushed black pepper seasoning – deep fried and dipped in a special spicy sweet and sour sauce’, and mains of Aachari Palak (£10.95) – ‘lamp chops tenderised in mustard oil and pickling spice marinade, then slow cooked in a Bhuna-style sauce with spinach, garlic and pickled onions; and Duck Sizzler (£13.95) – ‘Gressingham duck breast marinated in green herbs and tandoori spices, served on a sizzling platter with juliennes of onions and pepper’.

To do the menu justice, we decided to try a combination of the chef’s specials and traditional dishes. First up were starters of Harayli tikka (£4.75) and shabzi pakora (£3.50). My tikka featured three smallish cubes of succulent chicken breast which had been marinated in herbs and yoghurt, then grilled in the tandoori. Although the unique smoky flavour of the tandoori was rather muted, it allowed the delicate freshness of the herbs, particularly mint, to shine. Meanwhile, the pakora comprised a naughty-but-nice selection of deep-fried vegetables, including aubergine, cauliflower and potato.

It was a promising start. But any goodwill gradually evaporated during the seemingly endless wait for our main courses – a disappointing 45 minutes. When they did arrive, things perked up again: my friend relished her mixed vegetable massala (£6.95) with pilau rice (£2.75) – the richness of the sauce given authority by the pureed plumb tomatoes and an edge of fresh garlic and ginger. My Malabari prawns (£13.95) also didn’t disappoint – although, to justify almost 14 quid for three prawns, they needed to be quality! Fortunately, these gigantic juicy specimens were exquisitely infused in a creamy sauce of ground mustard, fennel seeds, coconut milk and fresh herbs and combined fabulously with the tangy lemon rice (£3.25).

The restaurant was beginning to empty by 10pm (this is definitely not a late-night curry stop) as we shared a dessert from one of those familiar lamented menus. We quite enjoyed our lemon and lime cheesecake (even if it was newly defrosted); followed by the guilty retro pleasure of the complimentary After 8s.

According to the menu, “in India, the Banyan tree is revered for its mystical properties and provides a focal point for village folk to meet, take shade and watch the day go by. We take our inspiration from the organic yet mystical properties of this special tree and endeavour to grow our business in the same way.” Well, the owners here (who are also in partnership with Mansfield’s Monsoon Restaurant) seem to have a blossoming business – the overheads of an out-of-town place like this must surely be quite low, while the prioes are easily the equivalent of a city centre venue (around fifty quid for two) and trade certainly appears healthy.

No doubt about it, The Banyan Tree offers superior food to your average suburban Notts Indian restaurant. So, if hassle-free parking is important to your Saturday night curry experience and you don’t mind the highly un-exotic view of an NG5 petrol forecourt, set your SatNav for the A60/A614 Intersection… David Sandhu

The Banyan Tree, Former Little Chef, Red hill Roundabout A60/A614 Intersection, 520 Mansfield Road, Redhill, Nottingham. Open Mon-Thurs (5.30pm-11pm), Fri-Sat (5.30-11.30) and Sun (5.30pm-10pm). Tel: 0115 920 3080.

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CAUNTON BECK

It’s a tough job – but someone has to do it. The editors of the Good Pub Guide are constantly hunting for Britain’s best pubs (aren’t we all?), so every one featured must have exceptional food, drink and atmosphere.

When the 2009 edition landed on our desks last week, we immediately flicked to see who’d made it from the great East Midlands: most intriguingly, the Caunton Beck, Notts. Intriguing because this unassuming gastro-pub (part of a small group with the Wig & Mitre in Lincoln and Bottle & Glass in Harby, Notts) is renowned both locally and nationally for its food but flies under the radar when it comes to PR and all that malarkey.

Caunton is a small village near Newark. It’s not far from the A1 – so guidebook-reading foodies from across the country head here for the a la carte menu (which changes every few months) that’s served from noon every day.

The restaurant certainly looks impressive as you arrive. There’s an affluent feel to the place (and it’s not just the flash motors in the car-park). The building is actually relatively new – reconstructed using original timbers on the site of the former Hole Arms in 1997.

We resisted pre-meal pints (Batemans Valiant, Marstons Pedigree and Tom Woods Farmers Blonde are on draft) and were led straight into the less-populated restaurant area. The décor here felt a bit tired – the country-kitchen combination of rag-finished yellowish walls, wooden benches with pink cushions and a hotch-potch of pictures (what were those military coats- of-arms all about?) could use a revamp. Nevertheless, the subdued lighting and open fire creates a relaxing ambiance. It’s almost too relaxing – with few punters on a Tuesday night and no background music, the atmosphere was morgue-like.

Of course, the menu is the star attraction and it sparkles with possibilities: from starters of confit of belly pork with a parsnip and mustard seed puree (£6.95) and carpaccio of beef with pickled celeriac (£7.95) to mains of British beef and Irish stout pie (£12.50) and seared salmon fillet with shredded crispy beetroot (£13.50). Actually, there must have been a good catch of salmon recently as it seemed to dominate the menu.

The specials board is an important part of the offering here, too. It contained almost as many options as the menu itself – so we spent ages flip-flopping between the two.

A nice gourmet touch on the menu is the sommelier-style matching of the food with specific wines. So I happily accompanied my haddock and leek soufflé starter (£7.50) with their recommendation – an oaky 2007 Chilean Chardonnay Biplano (a pricey £5.55 for a 175ml glass), while my friend chose Pinot Grigio (better value at £3.75) with her Thai fish cakes.

Both opening dishes were superb. The smoked haddock chunks and fresh leek were baked within a creamily, fluffy soufflé to create a fulfilling dish of real class. Meanwhile, my friend’s two fish cakes were light and crispy with flakes of salmon subtly infused with Thai spices and enlivened by sweet chilli and ginger jelly.

For our mains, I opted for the specials board and the chicken breast and risotto (£12.50) while my friend stuck to the main menu and the vegetarian tartlet (£12.50). Both main courses were greened up with some fresh veg.

My dish differed considerably from the red wine risotto promised – it arrived with pancetta within the grainy risotto (good job I liked pancetta then). However, the additional meat made this already salty dish rather rich. The chicken was expertly cooked but the overall savouriness was almost overwhelming – especially with a melted Colston Bassett stilton topping.

Blue cheese (a Blue vinny) was also making a tasty impact on my friend’s tart – the large portion of tomato and thyme tart also included a sprinkling of rocket leaves. Again, it was delicious – but rather heavy on the flavours.

Finally, we only had ourselves to blame for ending this indulgent meal with a shared duo of decadent desserts. There were lots of other interesting options including a few we didn’t even understand – candied orange and rosemary cassonades (£4.95) or baked damson and sloe gin posset (£4.95) anyone? – so we played it straight with the walnut chocolate brownie (£4.95) and a chocolate torte (£4.95). Alongside an espresso (£2.25) and a liqueur coffee with brandy (£5.50), we compared notes on our chocolate puds – the generous slice of bitter dark chocolate torte just about stole the show, especially with an orange marmalade topping giving it a tangy edge. Meanwhile, we doubted whether the brownie really needed some maple syrup. Too much is never enough for this kitchen, it seems.

Caunton Beck is one of those slightly smug country retreats that knows its cooking is a cut-above – and those countless guidebook recommendations prove it. Occasionally, though, it seems too showy – for instance, the wine list cover advertises Krug for £24.95 a glass (£139.50 a bottle).

The Good Pub Guide also waxes lyrical about the ‘warmly welcoming service at this lovely inn’. But we found the atmosphere rather chilly at times. Our waitress even seemed slightly annoyed when we requested a corner table (set for four) – despite the virtually deserted dining room.

This is certainly one of our region’s finest gastro-pubs. But our eternal quest to find the perfect boozer (thankfully) continues… David Sandhu

The Caunton Beck, Caunton, Newark. Tel: 01636 636 793. Open for food daily 11.45am-10pm.

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THE WOLLATON

This lot make it look easy. With British boozers supposedly under increasing threat, the Moleface Pub Company, a small local chain, are fast gaining a reputation for taking rather unloved local pubs and turning them into the kind of gastro pubs we’d all like around our way. They’ve already transformed both the Larwood and Voce at Trent Bridge and, more recently, The Lord Nelson in Burton Joyce. Metro was impressed by both – particularly the culinary flair at the latter – so we wondered whether they could make it a hat-trick in NG8, down the road from lovely Wollaton Park?

The Wollaton was formerly The Willoughby Arms, one of those cavernous suburban pubs which you drive past pondering why you’d ever visit: none of the buzz of an urban venue or the charm of a country boozer. But a £400,000 refurb has almost achieved the impossible – creating a trendy, open-plan space in such a humdrum setting.

Locals will hardly recognise the place. The dining area now has a plush, grown-up feel – a modern take on Victorian aesthetics with plum drapes and dark woods, turn-of-the-century artwork and subdued lighting from the chandeliers. And we’ll let you discover the weird wallpaper in the loos for yourself. We liked it a lot. 

They like to play it simple here – even the menu is just one side of an A4 sheet. And it couldn’t be more British, and there’s more than a hint of that Victorian influence again in some of the dishes on offer. From the black pudding scotch egg starter (£4.50) to the main course of roast rack of lamb from the Belvoir Estate with new potatoes and minted greens (£29.95 for two) and a vanilla rice pudding with stewed fruits (£5), this is seriously old-school with a modern twist.

After some delicious home-baked granary bread and large glasses of Touraine Sauvignon Blanc (£5.65) and Torrelongares Rose (£4.75), we opted for two classic starters. My friend’s pear, walnut and Cropwell Stilton salad (£5) was exquisite: quality ingredients, elegantly arranged, which livened the palate with its freshness – and, of course, that local Stilton is something to be proud of. Meanwhile, my cured salmon (£5.50) was also outstanding – three perfect slices of salmon given a rich, full flavour by the accompanying Norfolk crab, tomato and avocado.

 Our mains continued along the fish route. My bream (£10.50) was a further delight – a pan-fried fillet teamed with parsley new potatoes and given a lively kick by a zingy caper and beetroot relish. And my friend’s salmon (£11.50) also didn’t disappoint either: a generous portion, poached then drizzled in hollandaise, with tasty purple sprouting broccoli and bashed potatoes.

Finally, we shared a Wollaton sherry trifle (£5). This wasn’t quite as great as the rest of the meal – served in a long glass, it tasted too sugary and industrial and not as boozy as we might have hoped. We regretted missing the warm Bakewell tart with Blackmore Farm clotted cream (£5).

The Wollaton is a huge space. With dining not restricted to the restaurant area, there’s over 150 covers here. On our Saturday night visit it was reassuringly busy, but not rowdy. The large open kitchen also offers a sense of theatre.

So this is undoubtedly a promising start for The Wollaton. It certainly deserves to be a third success for the Moleface Pub Company. The service was among the quickest and most efficient we’ve experienced. At around £60 for two (and even less earlier in the day when there’s tempting deals, plus deli and tapas options), it’s also good value. The huge outdoors area will also come in very handy for some al fresco action as the sun starts to shine. There’s even talk of converting some of the outdoor space into a mini small holding with pigs and chickens. It all fits in with their admirable ethos of sourcing local produce. How hard can this restaurant lark really be? David Sandhu

The Wollaton, Lambourne Drive, Wollaton, Nottingham NG8 1GR

Tel: 0115 928 8610, www.thewollaton.co.uk