Haar, St. Andrews, 6th August 2020

In the age of COVID, it was a struggle to find a restaurant that was actually open.  A browse through the Michelin Guide and a couple of phone calls to old favourites resulted in disappointment after disappointment.  Haar didn't look particularly inviting; no sea view and a relatively dull interior.  However, I had heard of it, which scored it a point.  I also liked its name (another point), which is a word derived from Old Norse meaning a sea fog specific to the east coast.  The third and winning point came from the fact that it was open and was accepting reservations.

If there's a tasting menu available, I always choose it, as I feel it's the best way to experience what the restaurant has to offer.  A tasting menu also allows a chef to showcase his or her signature dish.  As luck would have it, Haar was only offering the tasting menu, with no a la carte option, which meant no prolonged arguments with my dining companion.  I made the booking online and was concerned by the rule that the table had to be vacated within two hours, apparently due to COVID restrictions.  So... the virus becomes more vicious and deadly at two hours and one minute than it is at one hour and 59 minutes?  It seemed to me that the restaurant was trying to maximise its covers (fair enough after an enforced closure for months), but just wasn't being honest about it.  Two hours is not necessarily long enough to enjoy a tasting menu and a coffee, so I had a sense of foreboding.

Thankfully, my first impression when we were greeted by the maitre d' was a good one.  He was welcoming without being overly friendly, and instructive without managing to irritate me.  I have found it very difficult to get customers to obey our COVID rules at work, so I felt that he did this really well, and took a mental note for my next day in the office.

I started with a cocktail, a Seaside Bramble.  You can't really go wrong with a gin based cocktail, especially when the sun is shining and it's considerably warmer than you'd expected it to be on your Scottish holiday.  The bread arrived at the same time as the drinks, a beautifully warmed "coblet" served with miso butter.

You can't tell from the photo, but the bread had been sliced, so it was easy enough to break off a piece.  The wooden butter knife was an added bonus.  Aesthetics do make food taste better.

The first course arrived soon after, with which we had some champagne.  It was a pre-appetiser: a single oyster, an olive and a won ton.  The saltiness of each of them instantly created an illusion of being at the seaside.  The oyster was the highlight for me as it genuinely felt like eating a bit of the glorious smell I'd enjoyed earlier during a walk along the beach.  Bryan wasn't keen on trying an oyster, although with the Tom Yum flavour it was definitely a gateway oyster and would have been a good place to start for the uninitiated.  They were all layed out on a bed of pearl barley, and both oysters had a solitary piece of pearl barley inside.  I assume this was supposed to be the pearl inside the oyster!  Attention to detail like is what makes a good meal memorable.  The won ton was steamed, so more like dim sum: wafer thin, soft casing rather than crunchy and crispy.

The next course was my favourite.  It was beef tartare, and it was absolutely bursting with umami.  The yolk was confit egg yolk; I don't know if it usually is but the flavour was incredible.  It came with black garlic which smelt like wild garlic but had a much more subtle flavour.  The tartare was served with urfa (Turkish chili) crackers which appeared flimsy but somehow held the food after I scooped it on.

Next came cod, served with "carrot tail".  This caused debate, because Bryan thought it must mean the fronds coming out the head of the carrot, but I thought it must mean the pointy bits at the end of the carrot.  We were both wrong.

Carrot puree had been perfectly fashioned into a fish tail.  My photography doesn't show the level of detail; there were fish scales!  The cod coated in a green Thai crumb and was served with a coconut broth which was creamy and delicious and continued the Asian fusion theme that was present throughout the whole menu.

Smoked lobster with mirin butter was next.  There was so, so much butter.  It was a relatively small dish, but still felt like too much.  I have never left uneaten sauce on my plate before!  The rice wine enhanced the richness of the butter, and gave it a sweetness similar to sherry. The hard work had been done for you so the meat was either already loose or required minimal teasing to get it out.

The final savoury course was pork done two ways: fillet and pork belly.  The pork belly was one of the highlights of the meal for me as it was flavoured with tamarind which I adore.  It was served with kimchi which had a bit of a kick, and sesame mushrooms to continue the Asian theme.  The photo doesn't really show the pork belly which is at the back left, but rest assured it was the star of this course.

Something that really interested me about the restaurant was the fact that it is carbon zero, surely no mean feat for a restaurant?  If you're interested in finding out more about this, go to:

www.carbonfreedining.org/haar

The six course tasting menu was £80 per person.  With a half bottle of champagne, a cocktail and a couple of (rather fancy) soft drinks, the bill came to £243, which did not include service, but did include a 99p charge to plant a fruit tree to offset the carbon footprint and food waste of the meal.  This seems like a lot of money, but we've only been out for dinner four times since March, whereas we would usually eat out about once a week.  Personally I felt it was worth the price tag for the experience, the exciting menu and the things I had never tried before such as mirin butter and enoki.  Haar is in the Michelin Guide for Fife, but does not have a star.

I'll leave you with a photo of pudding.  It has been suggested that this looks more like a selection of Lush bath bombs... you decide.

Ashmolean Rooftop Restaurant 8th June 2018

This was my fourth time at the Ashmolean, and, amazingly, the third time that it was on someone else's dime.  My first time was paid for by company who had a contract with my then employer and the second was a 'free lunch' because I was being an interviewed for a book. Yes, I'm being serious.  How very Oxford, right?!  My last trip was thanks to a gift voucher I was given for my birthday.  I'm sure free food tastes better.

My dining companion arrived early, so we went half an hour earlier than our booking.  This was not an issue at all.  The staff looked after us well, with water and drinks sorted out straight away, and a promise that food would be imminent.  It was warm enough to sit outside, all the better to see the 'dreaming spires'.  (N.B. It certainly wasn't a bad view, but there are better places to see the spires.)

Our voucher allowed two glasses of Prosecco, but we were able to swap these for our drinks of choice.  I went for Champagne, and he went for a bottle of Abingdon Bridge beer.  I chose the charred mackerel to start.

The description was: Charred mackerel, candied beetroot, lamb's lettuce, dill, tangerine oil.  As you can see, it was beautifully presented, but it did not live up to my expectations.  Although the flavour of the fish was terrific, the skin wasn't crispy, and I didn't feel the tangerine oil (or the tangerine segments) complemented it at all.  I suppose the theory was that the oily fish would match well with a citrus flavour, but the tangerine oil was not strong enough to cut through the fish.  Also, surely the last thing an oily fish like mackerel needs is more oil?  The beetroot had no sweetness to it and I didn't like the texture.  It didn't seem to be candied; it just seemed hard, as if it hadn't been cooked for long enough.  I'm not sure there was any dill, or if there was, I couldn't taste it.  The fish itself was delicious, and I enjoyed the lamb's lettuce, but the whole thing would have been enhanced by crispy skin and perhaps lemon instead of tangerine.  

I much preferred my companion's starter, which I would never have ordered because it sounded so boring: chicken croquette and gem lettuce with Caesar dressing.  However, the chicken was incredibly tasty and succulent and, let's face it, everyone that knows that chicken Caesar salad is a winning combo.

We both chose the same main course which is very unusual for us: the potato gnocchi with Grana Padano, black truffle fondue sauce and baby spinach.  We both agreed it was terrific.

The gnocchi was the perfect texture.  The sauce was rich, cheesy and coated the gnocchi without being claggy.  The breadcrumbs gave it a bit of crunch and the flavour of the truffle came through without being overpowering.  It was so rich that I had to have a little rest halfway through, but I did manage to finish it.  We ordered another beer and a carafe (why don't more places do carafes?) of wine with our main courses.

We were both pretty stuffed by this stage, so we finished our drinks and ordered coffee rather than opting for pudding.  Our voucher gave us £61 off the total bill.  Two starters, two main courses, a glass of champagne, two beers, a 500ml carafe of Viognier, two double espressos and a good tip came to £100, so the voucher gave us a substantial saving.  Thank you to the person who gave me it!

Despite being disappointed in my starter, I would definitely go back to the Ashmolean.  The service was attentive without being over the top.  The setting is not to be sniffed at, even if it's not quite as impressive as the view from the top of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin.  I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of the food and the drinks.  I also thought the flexibility of the voucher was brilliant, because you weren't tied to particular courses on the menu or one type of drink.  Maybe I should ask for one every year for my birthday!

Acropolis, Headington - 3rd October 2017

Acropolis is so new that I couldn't even find a number for it online.  Still, I was confident that it would still be open when we strolled in at 2100.  Fortunately it was, and we received a charming welcome.  The restaurant was warm and cosy, although a bit sparse in its decor.

I never find that staff are fast enough at asking me what I'd like to drink, unless I'm somewhere that's extremely expensive.  On this occasion, I was pretty keen on a getting a drink and the short delay felt like a lifetime.  Still, I was cheered by the fact that Mythos beer was available.  Not only does Mythos remind me of Greece, it has a unicorn on it.  Enough said.  Retsina, which I love, and typical things like normal wine and spirits were available, but I stuck to Mythos for the meal.  The staff were good at clearing away empty glasses, but I was disappointed that our water didn't arrive until one of our party asked for it a second time.  Restaurants, please take note: There is usually always at least one person that wants to drink water.  Either have it on the table, or bring it/offer it as soon as we sit down.

The menu looked great, with plenty of classic Greek dishes.  One of our party was a vegetarian, and she seemed content with the amount of choice (although it didn't seem like a huge number of options to me!).  Still, I have another friend who told me she spent her entire holiday in Greece eating chips and salad, so it was definitely better than that.

I went for the Feta Filo, which is feta wrapped in filo pastry, covered in honey and sesame seeds.  I had this in Lefkada in 2015 and have been searching for it in Greece ever since (well, you know, for the two weeks I've spent there) with no joy.  

My apologies for the blurred photo.  My camera is being repaired at the moment and I'm not used to the one I have on loan.

My starter was perfect.  The saltiness of the feta was perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the honey.  The feta itself was warm enough to be gooey, or as gooey as feta can be.  The pastry was terrific, and the sesame seeds set the whole thing off.  It was a big starter, and very filling.  The salad is also worth a mention - it was fresh and tasty, not limp and tired as is common.

My dining companions each got a starter too.  One had saganaki cheese, which was done in breadcrumbs rather than in flour.  The vegetarian got tzatziki, which came with loads of pitta bread and I could smell the garlic from it from across the table.  The other had sausages, which were delicious (that was the only one I tasted so I can't vouch for/criticise the other options).

I chose the combination souvlaki for my main course, which was a lamb, chicken and pork kebab.  Again, there was loads of it, and it was perfect.  The meat was juicy but still had that fantastic charred taste.  I thought it was great that there was the combo option so that you could have the three different types of meat.

The other main courses were vegetarian mezze, pasticcio and a lamb stew type of thing.  They were all tasty (yes, I tried them all, I have no restraint) but I thought mine was the best.

The main courses came with potatoes and rice, neither of which I tried.  There was no additional charge for these.

By the time we finished our main courses, we were all pretty stuffed, and it was late, so we didn't have any pudding or coffee.  I assume there was baklava and Greek coffee on the menu though, which you should all try at some point if you like sweet things and coffee!

All in all, I would definitely go back to Acropolis.  They need to get an internet presence, even if it's just a Facebook page which has the contact details on it.  Also, they could improve their service to ensure the woman who has had a hard day has a drink in her hand a bit faster.  However, I'd give full marks for the food, which genuinely made me feel like I was in Greece, and the friendliness of the staff was a boon too.

The Magdalen Arms, 6th January 2017

The Magdalen Arms is one of my favourite places to eat in Oxford.  It's cosy, the food is great, and the menu changes all the time.

It was a last minute decision to go, so my photos don't do it justice because they weren't taken with my proper camera.  We were lucky to get a table at short notice and we did need to promise to vacate the table within two hours (which is not something I usually agree to, being a slow eater and usually wanting pre-drinks, at least three courses and coffee).

I got there early so managed pre-drinks without using up valuable table time.  There's a good selection of drinks and there is also a drinks menu which changes with the seasons.  Today's menu featured drinks such as a quince toddy (bourbon optional), damson gin martini and medlar fizz.  I went for the martini (fresh, sweet and containing an actual damson) and my dining companion had a bohemian pilsner (whatever that is).  We were given bread, butter and water within moments of sitting down.

The food menu was full of delights as usual.  Some highlights were (to start): 
Venison goulash
Sardines with gremolata on sourdough toast
Duck and rabbit rillettes

And for mains:
Slow cooked lamb shoulder with gratin dauphinois (to share between a few people)
Potato and ricotta ravioli
Steak and ale suet crust pie (I've had this before and can vouch for it, ohhh the crust)

I opted for the twice baked Stichelton souffle, with pear and walnut salad.  It was rich, fluffy, and the sweetness of the pear complemented the sharpness of the blue cheese.  I should also mention that the salad was not over dressed, which seems to be a common issue.  I had the opportunity to try the sardines as well which were delicious, but a bit too faffy for me when I was on the verge of hanger.

The showstopper was the main course: Beef Wellington.  My dining companion reminded me of a Mary Berry programme when she says, "There's nothing worse than an over cooked fillet of beef."  Let's face it, there are plenty of things worse than that (genocide and Tories spring to mind), but I think Mary would have been very pleased with the beef at the Magdalen Arms.  Red and pink melt in the mouth beef was surrounded by what tasted like chicken liver pate, perhaps with some buttery mushrooms (duxelles?) thrown in, encircled by sublime golden brown pastry which was the perfect combination of flaky and moist.

As I said, the photos really don't do it justice.  You can't even see the perfect golden colour of the pastry.  It was truly delicious.  It was served with buttery cabbage.  

I couldn't manage a pudding (and anyway, I still have mince pies in the cupboard), but I can vouch that they are always good.  Tonight's menu featured chocolate fondant, prune and armagnac ice cream and a cheeseboard.

Have a look for yourself at the ever changing menus:

http://www.magdalenarms.co.uk/

The one thing that they let themselves down on tonight was the loos.  The girls' loos had rubbish all over the floor!  It looked as if a selfish/very stressed parent had changed a nappy and then had to leave before they'd cleared up.  No nappy smell thank goodness, but a trail of loo roll and various baby wipes and an empty packet of wipes, all over the floor!  Bear in mind we ate very early, so perhaps whoever was meant to clean/check the loos hadn't yet done so?  Either way, it was a bit off-putting, and had it been my first visit, I might have turned and walked back out again.

The pleasant and friendly service (and did I mention the food?) certainly eclipsed the loo experience.  My only regret is that I didn't manage a pudding on this occasion.

P.S. There are often dishes to share at the Magdalen Arms.  Some are for two, others are for as many as five.  It's one of the few places I've ever felt comfortable sharing food, because the portions are big enough to satisfy me.

Review of the White Hart at Fyfield

The strange thing about the White Hart at Fyfield was that I thought I had already been.  In fact, I thought I had already been at least four times.  It turns out I had been going to a different White Hart in Oxfordshire, at Wytham, while always somehow thinking I was in Fyfield.  I am not entirely sure how I managed this, especially considering I can't get myself anywhere without the help of a sat nav, so surely I would have entered the postcode when going to a pub for the first time?  It remains a mystery. 

I had actually ticked off the White Hart at Fyfield in my Michelin Guide, and worse still, I had recommended it to people!  When I realised I'd been going to the wrong place, my biggest concern was that I had recommended somewhere which might not be very good, so I resolved to try it out as soon as possible.

I went on Wednesday night, so didn't bother to book.  It turns out they do a Wednesday night Supper Club, so it's probably always a busy night, but we managed to get a table nonetheless.  There was a nice buzz from other diners and drinkers, without it seeming noisy.  Service was friendly and attentive from the minute we walked in the door, and as soon as we were at our table we were asked if we wanted a drink, water, or indeed if we wanted left in peace while we settled in.  We opted for drinks and a jug of water, and I thought it was an promising start when I was offered a choice of three different types of gin.

The drinks arrived quickly, along with some 'welcome bread'.  Surely all bread should be called welcome bread?  I thought calling it that was a nice touch.  The bread was great - two different types, and still warm.  It was served with oil and balsamic, which isn't my preference, but when I asked for butter it was brought to me straight away.  The butter was served with some salt on the side - another nice touch.  The gin was disappointing because it only had a couple of cubes of ice, and the tonic wasn't chilled.  To me, there is no point in ice unless it goes at least two thirds of the way up the glass.  Otherwise, it just melts and dilutes your drink.  However, it had been a long day, and I was planning to drink it in the next three minutes, so I didn't bother to ask for more ice.

We didn't go for the Supper Club menu and chose from the a la carte instead.  I started with the chicken liver parfait, which was served with apple and vanilla chutney and toast.  He had the chargrilled asparagus which came with a deep fried poached egg (this was a marvellous thing), Parma ham and hollandaise.  I should also mention that I really want to try an aspect of one of the other starters, the wild garlic mousse, but didn't fancy the rest of the starter (I think it involved salad or something else too healthy).  I decided to brass neck it and ask for a taste, and was delighted when our waitress brought me far more than a taste.  Everything was delicious, especially the apple and vanilla chutney.  The vanilla really added a new dimension to the sweetness of the chutney.

I had chicken for my main course, which came with a risotto of wild mushrooms, asparagus and savoy cabbage.  He had rib eye steak, which came with fat chips, a cooked tomato, mixed leaves and a sauce which I can't remember.  I can't vouch for the steak because I didn't taste it, but the chicken and risotto was superb.  It was a chicken supreme which always seems to lock in moisture and flavour, and there was loads of it.  Best of all, it had some crispy skin on the edges, mmmmm.  The texture of the risotto was spot on and the flavour of the wild mushrooms really came through.

The service was excellent throughout our meal and the staff seemed to be genuinely friendly.  Empty glasses were removed, we were asked if we wanted refills before our drinks were empty (these things seem simple but definitely don't always happen) and no one hesitated for a second when I asked for extra things.  

We were too full up for pudding, but had coffees, which came with a mini cheesecake, so we still had a taste of something sweet.  The bill, which didn't include service, was £92, which included two courses each, four alcoholic drinks, two coffees and freebies of bread, garlic mousse and mini cheesecakes.  I appreciate this might be more than people want to pay for a mid week meal, but I felt it was definitely worth it for the quality (and volume!) of the food, and the excellent service.  I would count the White Hart at Fyfield as a destination pub, i.e. worth the trip for a meal.

http://www.whitehart-fyfield.com/index.php

Seasalt - review

I felt it was my duty to try the new restaurant in St. Clements.  After all, it has been open for three weeks, and I go past it every day.  I went straight after work, which meant I got there about 1630, which I suspected would be too early.  I was delighted when they said that they wouldn't dream of turning a customer away, did a quick check with the chef and invited us to take a seat.

The menu had four or five starters and main courses, as well as four or five vegetarian options.  There were also a few specials which included whole lemon sole.  I always feel it's reassuring when there aren't too many things on the menu; hopefully it means things are fresh and cooked to order.  

I started with a very reasonably priced glass of fizz and an oyster.  I had been craving oysters since reading a book by a French author which entailed the protagonist going to lots of brasseries and eating lots of oysters.  It lived up to my expectations and came with all the trimmings you'd expect.

I'm always disappointed when bread and butter is something that needs to be paid for, rather than automatic.  We steered clear of the bread because it had a hefty price tag of £3.95.  It was described as a 'bucket', but I still thought that was too expensive.

My starter (yes, the oyster was a just an amuse bouche) was baked dressed crab.  It was something I'd never had hot before, and to be honest I think I prefer it cold.  Still, it was rich and tasty, and covered with cheese, so by no means unpleasant.  I preferred my companion's starter of monkfish cheeks with chilli and lime which was delicious.

My main course was the real winner: a surf and turf.  Priced at £25.95, this comprised fillet steak, a half lobster, French fries, leaves and an abundance of garlic butter.  It was perfect.  The rare steak was charred but bloody, the lobster was moist with butter and easily accessible (without tools) and the fries were hot, salty and plentiful.

We couldn't manage pudding, but forced one down in the name of research.  We shared a pavlova with strawberries, raspberries and cream.  The fruit was sweet, the meringue was chewy and there wasn't too much cream so I told myself it was a very light pudding.

For the most part, the service was excellent, but it could have been slightly more attentive.  I'd have had a third glass of fizz if I'd been asked a bit sooner.  Water was replenished without asking though which I love - this sounds simple enough but rarely happens.  Seasalt is very new though so I can allow for service not being perfect.

I will be happy to return.

12th May 2012

How can he still be sleeping?  He didn't get out of bed until 10 (after going to bed almost 11 hours before), and he's been back in bed since 12.30.  It's now after 14.30.  Never mind the fact that it'd be nice to spend time with him at the weekend, I would also like to have access to my bedroom to put clothes away and do general household tasks that require being able to do something other than tiptoe around the house.  I would like to listen to music as I do the things I want to do.  Also, this means that tonight, when I want to go to bed at a reasonable time, he won't be tired and I'll need to put up with the light being on, or him going in and out of the room.


I've always known I've needed less sleep than he does, but it has never affected our relationship as badly as it seems to now.  Perhaps I should stop even aspiring to quality time before 16.00 on the weekends.  Although, I've never been one to compromise or lower my standards.  What do I do?