Understanding more about restaurants and their customers
Author:David Sandhu
David Sandhu is an award-winning copywriter and marketing consultant who implicitly understands the food and drink sector. He was previously a restaurant reviewer for The Independent, The Sunday Telegraph, Metro, Time Out, Olive, and Food & Travel magazine – as well as a judge at the Nottingham Restaurant Awards, Heart FM Awards and The Great British Menu (BBC2).
Based
on totally unscientific research at
The Restaurant Show (Olympia) and Casual Dining, Commercial Kitchen and Lunch!
(ExCel) during September, here are my five key takeaways…
The vegan market has gone insane (including some marketing
budgets)
The big boys have moved into this already crowded
space although not always entirely convincingly. Brands like THIS, The
Vegetarian butcher, Moving Mountains and Meatless Farm had a huge presence at
the shows. Although, personally, smaller outfits like Biff’s (and their crispy
fried jackfruit wingz) stood out for authenticity – and flavour!
Functional drinks are upping their game
Energy drinks have a bad name but some really
innovative brands are creating functional drinks with interesting ingredients
that actually offer a boost (without the usual caffeine and sugar combo) –
check out Humble Warrior’s mango turmeric sparkling botanical or the natural nootropic drinks from super-minimalist
Brite Drinks.
“Social eating” at home
This
is definitely a thing, based on Deliveroo and Uber Eats metrics revealed at The
Restaurant Show. It means that families and friends are curating their own
feasts in their own homes with huge orders – for instance, cult takeaway King
of Wingz reported regularly seeing 100+-wing orders flying around South London!
Consistency is the key (still)
Boring
but nevertheless true, many hospitality leaders at the shows were saying that
customers (as much as ever) expect the exact same standards and experiences at
each visit. BUT maintaining them is so much harder right now due to the real
shortages of staff and numerous supply chain issues.
The food industry will NEVER run out of ideas
The
reason many of us love our industry so much is because of its invention.
Walking around Casual Dining is a constant ‘why didn’t I think of that?’
experience: from sweet potato gins to bloody marys in a can, savoury energy
bars, black sesame seed ice cream, hard seltzers, and way too many unique taste
sensations to remember…
Everyone cares about reviews of their restaurants – even if they pretend they don’t.
But this isn’t about ego. There are solid business reasons to successfully manage your online reviews, particularly as Google reviews on Google My Business become ever more vital to local search for independents.
According to a Harvard Business School study:
· A one-star increase can boosts profits by 10%
· 44.6% of consumers are more likely to visit if owners respond to negative reviews
Enjoying only your positive reviews is human nature. But seeing bad reviews as being a potential opportunity makes a huge difference.
Tip 1: Don’t take things personally and be NICE
It can be tough to take any criticism (especially when unfair) but maintaining a professional and upbeat tone in your reply is vital. This is valuable social proof that your customers will feel heard and cared about – which is powerful stuff. Use soft language, be warm, human and come across well.
Tip 2: Respond for readers generally (NOT just the person who gave your bad review)
The chances of you changing the reviewer’s mind or having them retract a bad review aren’t high – so it’s about responding for the hundreds of other potential customers. An apology and offer to make it write makes a huge difference to overall perceptions.
Tip 3: Communicate with happy customers, too
Unfortunately, most businesses only respond to bad reviews if they respond to any reviews at all. But your most important customers—the happy ones who are likely to return – need to be recognised because this dramatically increases the likelihood of a repeat visit. Repeat customers are crucial to your business. If your restaurant’s repeat customers are not around 70%, you’ll constantly need massive marketing efforts to bring in new guests.
Tip 4: NEVER pay people to give you reviews
You just can’t offer money, gift cards, or free food for good reviews. Not only is this against the terms of service for all review sites, but Google also has the legal right to fine you up to £10,000 for a paid review. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from recognising a happy, loyal customer who had already left you a nice online review and buying them a glass of wine. That’s just good customer relations!
Tip 5: Be brave enough to OWN any bad reviews!
Reputation management is the technical term for all of this. But, whatever happens, you could always do what this pizza place in Loughborough did (see below!)– ie.100% own the bad review and literally write it on the wall. As reputational management strategies go, it won’t work for everyone but I, for one, love it…
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.
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.
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.
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 TouraineSauvignon 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
Gunthorpe, 27°C: it doesn’t get much better (in Notts, at least).
This popular beauty spot along the banks of the Trent lies within that scenic rural stretch around
Burton Joyce, Lowdham and Southwell. And now that some proper sunshine has
arrived, half of Nottinghamshire seems to descend upon these shores for a
stroll past the lock and weir
(although we wondered how many realised that Queen Boadicea apparently defeated
the Roman Tenth Legion here in the 1st Century AD?).
Today,
the only rivalry taking place here is between the fortunate half-dozen or so
pubs and restaurants that boast river views including: The Unicorn where local
bikers hang out over bitter and chip cobs, the Toll House (currently up for
sale) and the former Anchor Inn where an interesting new Italian place called
Pontefino remains under wraps. But still ruling the (albeit gentle) waves is Tom Browns Brassiere, a well-established restaurant with a
clutch of plaudits – from Nottingham Restaurant Award gongs to AA rosettes and
Egon Ronay gastropub status.
Unsurprisingly
(given its name), Tom Browns is a converted Victorian schoolhouse with wooden
floors, exposed brickwork and numerous dining rooms filled with nooks and
crannies – catering to well over 100 covers. Alongside the ubiquitous white
tablecloths and black leather seating, there are some nice individual touches – from the cheeky
seaside postcard near the loos to the poignant photos of the former school.
Despite the stylish setting, Tom Browns is also renowned for value.
It’s pricing has always been competitive – especially its legendary Early Bird
special, which runs right up until 9.45pm on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. We
wanted to visit before sunset anyway (otherwise, what’s the point of driving
out to the sticks?) – so it was a no-brainer at £15.95 for three course (£13.95
for two).
For a set-price deal, the choice is fairly good – around a dozen
starter and main choices altogether, and a few dessert options on the Modern
British-influenced menu (fairly predictable without anything especially outré).
We kicked off with carrot and coriander soup, and tomato and
mozzarella salad. Both were competent efforts by the kitchen: the earthy
flavours of the home-made soup were enriched by a splash of cumin oil, while
the buffalo mozzarella was as clean and fresh as you’d expect.
Next up were our mains of ‘posh fish and chips’ (£2 surcharge on
the Early Bird prices) and vegetarian croquettes. My fish and chips were a cut
above your average chippy fare: a duo of crispy monkfish tails, lovingly
battered, and accompanied by a cleverly constructed stack of potato ‘planks’
(the chunky chips so favoured by modern gastropubs). All complemented by some
tangy tartar sauce and, best of all, minted fresh pea puree that paid due
respect to that Notts culinary invention – mushy peas and mint sauce.
Meanwhile, my friend was equally pleased by the savoury delights
of her potato and stilton croquettes – a satisfyingly wholesome bite, offset by
a summery fennel and herb salad, with added spice provided by mustard
mayonnaise.
We also ordered a side order of seasonal vegetables (£2.50) – a
well-matched blend of tasty broccoli, carrots and cabbage.
Not everything was pure sailing Trentside, though. One of our
puddings was a major let-down. I’d expected the artic roll to improve on the
original 70s favourite – but, on this evidence, this was a retro dish best left
in the past. The ice cream sponge was duller than a Showaddywaddy B-side – and
the apple filling and sultana puree were little consolation. Should have gone
for the crème brulee… Mind you, no complaints from my companion on her
raspberry ripple ice cream.
It also has to be said that service was a touch erratic and
pedestrian at times, perhaps due to the sheer number of covers on a sunny
afternoon. Nevertheless, overall, this is a confident, well-oiled operation
serving quality food.
And, with our final bill coming in at just over £50, including
wine, it’s no wonder Tom Browns remains so popular, especially in the sunshine.
Let the good times roll… David Sandhu
Three-course meal for two with wine:
£55 (Early Bird)-£80 (A la carte)
Tom Browns, The Old School House, Riverside, Gunthorpe. Tel:
0115 966 3642 or visit www.tombrowns.co.uk.
Open 7 days a week, serving food 12-2.30pm & 6-10pm.
Nottingham, 1989:
Cloughie’s Forest triumphing at Wembley, local
house legend Graeme Park DJing at the Garage during the second ‘summer of
love’… and authentic Japanese food arriving in the city thanks to Higoi. Yes,
those were the days (nostalgia isn’t what it used to be) – and, fortunately,
Higoi is still around to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Established by head chef
Mr Kato, this small, unassuming restaurant in the midst of studentville on Lenton Boulevard
was a pioneering venture in the late Eighties. After all, where else in the East Midlands would you have found proper sashimi and
sake? No wonder it garnered enthusiastic reviews from the national press at the
time.
Nowadays, of course, you
can buy sushi down your local supermarket. So how would this veteran of the Nottingham restaurant circuit compare to the likes of Yo!
Sushi, Chino
Latino and Wagamamas? We were ready to party like it was 1989…
First impressions, after
ducked through the traditional cream curtains, into a small, uninspiring dining
room, were that this place probably hasn’t changed much since Brother Beyond
were bothering the charts. The homely mix of basic furniture, pinkish walls and
eclectic collection of Japanese geisha prints and kabuki masks may lack the
technological whiz of YO! and the glamour of Chino Latino’s – but Mr Kato’s
lived-in lounge makes you hope that the food is the top priority. And the
proportion of Japanese diners among the modest mid-week turn-out raised our
expectations even higher.
There’s one table here
where you sit on the floor Japanese-style, perched on leather cushions – it had
to be done. The extensive – and, frankly, exciting – menu took a little working
out, but the arrival of a sake lemon cocktail (£3.50) helped. Where to start?
There are ‘dinner courses’ which is a set-meal deal: for instance, beef fillet
steak and kara-age chicken (£25). Then there’s a good range of sushi and
sashimi dishes, plus the ippinryoori (a la carte) selection, and the zensai
(small plates such as gyoza dumplings at £5.50). Not to mention numerous
accompaniments like soba noodles (£6.50).
Finally, serious Japanese
foodies should book at least two days ahead for the kaiseki special tasting menu
(£38 per person). Or, for a group, nabemono dishes (the do-it-yourself option
around the table) such as sukiyaki with thin-sliced beef (£22 per person).
Chopsticks at the ready,
my friend was thrilled by her choice of the chef’s special vegetarian dinner
(£23). Plate after plate of interesting, innovative and occasionally baffling
dishes – a blur of veggie delights: highlights included the ginger-infused
tofu, fresh nigiri rolls, vinegar seaweed, and Japanese mushroom tempura. Only
the avocado sashimi was slightly bland.
Meanwhile, powered by more
sake (£9 per flask), I worked my way through other sections of the menu. From
the Higoi special sushi selection, I was impressed by my nagoyan roll (£6.50):
numerous slices of sushi containing scrumptious crispy breaded chicken and creamy
salad with spicy miso sauce, artfully presented on a long plate – not the
healthiest of sushi, but totally rewarding.
For my main, I went with
moriawase (assorted) tempura of salmon, prawn, aubergine and courgette – all delicately
battered, as you’d expect. However, the tentsuyu sauce (freshly grated ginger,
radish, soy and seaweed) didn’t pack quite enough punch for my taste. Accompanying
this, the moist, sticky gohan rice (£2) and inevitable miso soup (£2) were both
the real deal. Even our ice cream dessert (£3.90) offered something different –
a subtle green tea-infused tang.
Higoi is one of those rare
restaurants that’ll keep you coming back for its myriad of possibilities (lucky
Lentonites can even get takeaways here – 20% discount). It may take another
couple of decades to get through that menu, but you’ll have fun trying. Here’s
to another 20 years: kampai! David
Sandhu
Despite
having the Trent
on our doorsteps there still aren’t that many decent places for a stylish
summer meal by the river. An honourable exception is Tom Brown’s Brassiere in
Gunthorpe where you spot water-skiers while sipping your chilled Chardonnay. So
we were intrigued to hear about the opening of Farndon Boathouse last month
which is apparently part-owned by one of the backers of Tom Brown’s.
Formerly
known as The New Ferry Restaurant, the building has undergone a major
redevelopment and refurbishment programme using many natural materials, clad in
wood, with warehouse-style lighting exposing chunky exposed roof trusses, stone
floors and large windows ensuring great river views. We particularly liked the
moody black and white boat-related prints throughout the dining room. Overall,
it’s an impressively slick operation with smartly uniformed staff patrolling
the spacious bar and two dining spaces. And, when the weather holds, there’s a
modern outdoor terrace with raised decking.
We
certainly weren’t the first to hear the buzz on this place – it was packed on
our weekend visit, despite only being open less than a fortnight. The punters
are flocking here for a solid menu of mainly modern British staples. Typical
starters are warm Lincolnshire poacher and three onion tart with tomato relish
(£4.50) and king prawn cocktail (£7), while mains include belly pork, bubble
‘n’ squeak, brown sauce and apple chutney (£11); sausages, creamed potato
puree, red wine & shallot jus with crispy onions (£9) and beer battered
fish, fat chips, marrowfat peas and tartar sauce (£10).
After
kicking off with some fresh baked bread which came with olive oil, balsamic vinegar
and oven roasted whole garlic (£2), my friend opted for one of the few veggie
choices on the main menu: a puff pastry gallette (£8.50). She should have asked
what it was because it turned out, rather disappointingly, to be akin to a
squashed vol-a-vent. Even the accompanying mozzarella, basil, vine tomatoes and
olives couldn’t quite rescue it. Plus she needed a couple of side orders –
seasonal vegetables (£2) and new potatoes (£2) – to beef it up.
Talking of
which, I knew exactly what I expected from the Boat House gourmet burger – for
£11, you want the full monty. Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed by the
home-cooked rump steak mince blended into a fearsome burger with barn bacon
(locally sourced from ‘over the road at Hardys farm shop’, according to the
menu) plus exquisite mature Long Clawson stilton, in a toasted focaccia bun.
Add in the subtle bitterness of a rocket and chard salad, a super tangy tomato
and chipotle relish, and skinny chips that had been triple fried to make them
extra addictive. All in all, a calorific feast. This meaty masterpiece reminded
us that gourmet burgers are sometimes hard to come by in Notts. Sure, you can
always head for the reliably excellent Delilah deli, but both Ultimate Burger
and Rare sadly closed within a year a while back.
On the
subject of quality meat, this place also seems rather proud of its sausages. According
to the website, Head Chef Dan Garner will be getting together with the renowned
Nottingham butchers J.T. Beedhams to try and
invent ‘a new sausage exclusive to the Boathouse’. Nice one, lads!
Finally,
both of our dessert choices excelled. My lemon tart (£4.50) was a slice of
zestful heaven, especially when teamed with the innovative home-grown rosemary
sorbet. Meanwhile, my friend felt redeemed by the warm Bramley apple and
rhubarb pie (£4.50) which oozed with rich flavours from the thickly-cut chunks
of fresh fruit and sweetened by the generous scoop of creamy vanilla pod ice
cream.
It was a
good way to end a decent, though not inexpensive, meal. And although describing
Farndon, a few miles from Newark,
as a ‘beauty spot’ might be a slight exaggeration, this is a pleasant enough
place to be on a sunny-ish evening. There are also some nature walks around
here if you want to go all Bill Oddie. And sailing types should be aware that
the Farndon Boathouse has its own moorings for three boats (overnight mooring
is free to diners – just call to book ahead). Actually, the nearby Farndon
Marina is surprisingly impressive with dozens of boats on a tranquil 25-acre
site.
So, while
Gunthorpe may well be a prettier stretch of the Trent, Farndon Boathouse clearly has the
potential to give Tom Brown’s a run for its money. Most promisingly of all, the
Boathouse is currently running ‘Sunday Sessions’ of DJs and acoustic music as
the sun sets over the river. From 6pm to 8.30pm, there’s a DJ doing his best
Jose Padilla impression with some chilled-out ambient vibes, then there’s live
acoustic music from local bands: (17th Aug – Urban 2) or (24th Aug – The
Herb Birds). Hey, it may not be quite the Café Del Mar but they’ve got the
right idea. David Sandhu
The Riverside, Farndon, Newark, Mon to Fri noon to 2.30pm and 6pm to
9.30pm, Sat to Sun noon to 3pm and 6pm to 9.30pm. Tel: 01636 676578 www.farndonboathouse.co.uk
Nottingham has
always known how to enjoy itself. The city’s hedonistic nature, first defined
in the groundbreaking 1960s novel Saturday
Night and Sunday Morning, remains alive and well today. Thanks to its huge
student population (one in 12 people living in the city is a full-time student)
and the sheer number of stags and hens flooding into the city centre each
weekend, Nottingham rivals bigger cities like Newcastle
and Dublin in
the good-time stakes. But don’t let that put you off. Away from the maddening
crowds, Nottingham is one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan and stylish cities
(after all, this is where design guru Paul Smith first cut his cloth): its
compact city centre combining a proud history with cutting-edge modernity –
from the world’s oldest pub to super-chic eateries and late-night lounges
attracting national acclaim. In recent years, the
emergence of a buzzing restaurant culture (demonstrated by the city’s first
restaurant awards in 2003) has seen exciting new venues torival the already legendary nightlife. Enjoy!
DON’T MISS…
GOURMET
BRUNCH AT DELILAH DELI
LUNCH
WITH THE CITY’S SLICKERS AT HARTS
INNOVATIVE
COCKTAILS AT THE FUNKY BRASS MONKEY
BAR
DINNER
AT THE AWARD-WINNING WORLD SERVICE
RESTAURANT
AFTER-HOURS
DRINKS AT THE CELEB-FRIENDLY SAINT
BAR
GREAT EATERIES
1. Geisha (3 The Broadway,
Lace Market, Tel: 0115 959 8344. www.geishauk.com)Since opening in 2004, Geishahas raised the bar as Nottingham’s most ambitious destination restaurant.
Offering a dazzling Far East-influenced menu, this top-end venture aims to slim
the wallets of urbane locals with designerdrinking, dining and dancing within a 60-cover restaurant, lounge bar and
basement club. Don’t miss the tempura lobster in creamy curry sauce (recently voted
the UK’s
best curry dish by Restaurant magazine).
2. Alley Café Bar (Cannon Court, Long Row West. Tel: 0115
955 1013). Loved by local veggies, this tiny venue is well worth seeking out.
Dishes like black bean burrito and Tandoori tofu kebabs for under a fiver
ensure it’s constantly busy. Intimate, bohemian and friendly, the bar also hosts
funky evening events like beat poetry slams.
3. Shaw’s (20/22 Broad Street. Tel: 0115 950 0009).Despite being located near the arty
Broadway Cinema, Shaw’s still feels like a ‘find’. Housed over two floors in a
beautiful old industrial building, the antique shop fittings, red lamps, wicker
chairs and comfy sofas create a rather eccentric neighbourhood eaterie.
Genuinely charming and the bistro-style food – from a daily hand-written menu –
is good value.
4. Chino Latino (Maid Marion Way. Tel: 0115 947 7444)There aren’t many places in town you’ll
find dishes like green tea soba noodles, breaded lobster and jalapenos with
coconut rice and lotus seeds. But you can here at this Japanese-South
American fusion restaurant (the chef was recruited from London’s Nobu). Recommended cocktail: Sherwood
Dragon.
5. CAST (Nottingham Playhouse, Wellington Circus. Tel:
0115 852 3898) Designed by award-winning architect Peter Moro (of Royal
Festival Hall fame), Nottingham Playhouse is a listed building. And thanks to a
£1.2 million lottery grant, it now boasts a delicatessen, CAST restaurant (decent
modern European menu) and café bar –overlooking Anish Kapoor’s huge ‘Sky
Mirror’.
6. Hart’s (Standard Court, Park Row. Tel: 0115
911 0666 www.hartsnottingham.co.uk).
While fans (and it has many) believe Hart’s offers the finest kitchen and
smartest service in town, critics find it rather too slick and corporate.
Nevertheless, Hart’s has earned its place in the affections of Nottingham’s cognoscenti since opening in 1997 – the
modern British cuisine has ensured a loyal clientele of lunching solicitors and
affluent diners.
7. World
Service (Newdigate
House, Castle Gate. Tel: 0115 847 5587) A major player in Nottingham’s restaurant
revolution, World Service is housed in a 17th Century building skilfully
converted into a voguish restaurant with a Japanese walled garden. As well
as regaining its ‘Restaurant of the Year’ title at the Nottingham
Restaurant Awards for a third successive year, it continues to garner national
recognition. Signature dishes range from Gressingham duck leg with spicy plum
sauce and roasted cashew nuts to belly pork with roast potato and Bramley apple
sauce.
8. Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms (Old Lenton Lane.
Tel: 0115 986 6566) Proof that Nottingham has arrived
on the UK’s
food scene comes courtesy of talented local chef Sat Bains retained his
Michelin Star (the city’s first and only) at his recently revamped restaurant.
Although located on the outskirts of town (taxi required), the nine-course Menu Degustation (£65 per head) is a
sublime experience – look out for the surreal ham and pea course with liquefied
peas poured from a teapot!
BEST BARS
9. Bluu (5, Broadway. Tel:
0115 950 5359) This large bar is typical of the venues around the regenerated
Lace Market/Hockley area – a minimalist, industrial interior with a basement DJ
bar where Nottingham’s cognoscenti hang out on huge leather sofas.
10.The Dragon (67, Long Row. Tel: 0115 941 7080). This previously
scruffy pub close to the Market
Square has been intelligently renovated into a
comfortable boozer for grown ups. A friendly place for a pint.
11.Brass Monkey (11 High Pavement. Tel: 0115 840 4101). This is where the city’s most
innovative cocktails are served from the long, Manhattan-style bar on High
Pavement, a historic street in the Lace Market that’s now a boozer’s paradise.
12 & 13.Cock & Hoop (27, High Pavement) a real-ale, no smoking enclave
given a stylish makeover by the adjoining Lace Market Hotel (recently earned
acclaim from the Michelin guide). Meanwhile, the cosmopolitan Saint Bar (29, High Pavement), within
the hotel, is an oasis of style and sophistication with a cocktail list (and
prices) to match.
14. Dogma. This ever-popular
bar(9 Byard Lane. Tel: 0115 988 6833)
features a lively basement area that’s loud and lively, especially at weekends.
Flirty and fun.
15.The Social (23 Pelham
Street. Tel: 0115 950 5078). As the northern
outpost of London’s
famous Heavenly Social, this is the hub of the city’s trendy music scene – and
has showcased early performances from major bands including The Strokes and
Coldplay.
16.Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
(Brew House Yard. Tel: 0115 947 3171). It’s almost compulsory for visitors to
sup at this atmospheric ancient inn (it claims to be the world’s oldest pub and
is reputed to be haunted) carved into the limestone cliffs beneath Nottingham Castle.
COOL SHOPS
17. Gauntleys (Exchange Arcade, Tel: 0115 911
0555, www.gauntleywine.com) Since
1880, Gauntleys has been the place to come for fine wines, spirits and smoking
paraphernalia. With more than 120 types of spirits on offer, the musty cellar
boasts rare vintage cognacs and whiskies and Armagnac
– not to mention 500 different wines. And the expert knowledge of the staff
comes as no surprise because every wine sold is personally tasted at source,
from the cask. Nice work if you can get it, we say…
18. Delilah (15 Middle Pavement.
Tel: 0115 948 4461). My, my, my… this is an epicurean paradise for Notts
foodies selling rare produce such as Spanish Iberico ham. There’s a cosy
communal food bar for tapas-style ‘grazing’ including all-day breakfasts, or
you can nibble free samples of dips, oils and chutneys. From Cropwell Bishop
Stilton (one of 200 cheeses) to Wicked Hathern beers, many products sold are locally
sourced. The try-before-you-buy policy is proving a popular way of educating
the taste-buds of Nottingham’s more
adventurous food shoppers.
19. Victoria Food Market.
Based
on the top floor of the Victoria Shopping Centre, the food court includes a
genuinely retro Italian coffee bar (Aldo’s Café) and one of Nottingham’s
quirky contributions to British cuisine – mushy peas with mint sauce from The
Hot Pea Man stall.
20. Chocolate Utopia (30 Friar Lane. Tel: 0115 947 0016. www.chocolate-utopia.co.uk)WatchBelgian
style chocolates being made the old fashioned way at this new shop dedicated to
the art of confectionary. The Amaretto truffles are particularly irresistible.
HOT HOTELS
21. Lace Market Hotel (29, High Pavement. Tel: 0115 852 3232 www.lacemarkethotel.co.uk) These lovingly
converted Georgian townhouses have undoubtedly been Nottingham’s
hippest address since it opened as a boutique designer hotel in 1999. A pivotal
part of the Lace Market scene, it has hosted many a discerning celebrity – from
pop stars to footballers. Expect charming service, great food (in Merchants,
the hotel’s popular brassiere) and drinks (see 12 & 13), and Aveda goodies in the minimalist bathrooms. Still the place to stay in the city.
Doubles
from £119.
22. Hart’s Hotel (Standard Hill, Park
Row. Tel: 0115 988 1900)Built upon
the success of the eponymous restaurant and Hambleton Hall in Rutland, Hart’s Hotel is quietly cool. The
32-bedroomed boutique hotel stands upon the ramparts of Nottingham’s original
medieval castle and the site of the former Nottingham General
Hospital. Inside, things
are resolutely contemporary – from the minimalist furniture to the Bose
audio-visual gadgetry. Doubles from £120.
Situated
next to Nottingham train station (a few
minute’s walk from the Lace Market), the city’s newest hotel boasts 264
bedrooms, a restaurant and a waterfront bar. Doubles from £69.
24. Park
Plaza Nottingham
(41 Maid Marian Way.
Tel: 0115 947 7200)
While
not as hip as the boutique hotels, the four-star Park Plaza Nottingham offers a
good compromise. Features 178 fully air-conditioned guestrooms, fitness suite
and in-house restaurant – Chino Latino (4).
Doubles from £90.
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