The second restaurant I picked for my recent trip back to Chester, and a short taxi ride outside.
Restaurant Next Door is Michelin recommended, and a great seasonal menu. £90 for 9 courses, but this included the bread as a course, and the financier which was more of a snack
Dish 1 – Preserved tomato sorbet, polenta tuile
Nice tomato flavour, added crunch from the tuile, slight aniseed from the dill but not too heavy. A good start to the meal
Dish 2 – Beef tallow financier, honey and caviar, topped with seaweed
Soft and slightly warm, nice beef flavour, caviar added saltiness and honey added needed sweetness. A nice light bite
Dish 3 – Bread course – Poppy seed and rapeseed bread, lacto fermented mushroom butter and a whipped butter
Ok bread, but a bit dry. Butters were nice but not memorable
Dish 4 – Charred spring onion, pearl barley cooked in wild garlic butter and onion stock
Deep and rich flavour, full on onion and garlic in a lovely way. Banger.
Dish 5 – Chalk stream trout, charred leek, sprouting broccoli and buttermilk sauce
Well cooked trout, charred leak added an edge, as did the tartness in the sauce. A well balanced dish
Dish 6 – Slow cooked egg yolk, Ragu of morel and spinach, asparagus and old Winchester cheese
Rich Ragu, rich egg and rich cheese, yet didn't seem too much. Full on umami, rich and creamy. Delightful
Dish 7 – Loin of lamb, confit shoulder, hispi cabbage, black garlic jus and salsify
The loin was nice, tender and well cooked. Shoulder was unfortunately dry. Hispi had a tartness to it which cut through the rich lamb and jus. Nice, let down by the shoulder
Dish 8 – Compote of rhubarb, kefir sorbet, ginger granita
Tart and fruity, refreshing with a nice subtle yet lingering heat from the ginger
Dish 9 – hay baked apple, lacto fermented granny smith, whey caramel sauce, creme cru ice cream
Sweet sauce, tart ice cream and granny smith added a nice difference
by TheYorkshireSaint