Recent Foodventures

I began thinking seriously about sharing some of my opinions on my favourite topic several months ago, but it has taken me considerable time to get around to it - not unlike an unhappily high degree of the waiting staff I've encountered in those few months.  Rather than post date EVERYTHING I have felt like saying, I will, instead, give you a brief synopsis.  The highlights and the disappointments. 

These are, of course, merely opinions. 

Hadskis (21 May 2014)

This location had rave reviews.  I was not overwhelmed by any stretch of the imagination.  The trofie pasta dish was outstanding, until I had a taste of the béarnaise which accompanied the rib-eye and suspected the pasta sauce had been a bit too similar...

 

 

 

OX (18 & 27 June 2014)

OX is by far the best dining experience I have had in Belfast.  The staff are attentive and unfailingly polite.  The food is wonderful, seasonal and local.  The list of awards and accolades just keeps growing.  Each dish can be paired with a matching wine, and they really know their stuff.  The wine the sommelier chooses compliments and enhances the food beautifully and, in turn, the wine is itself at it's finest when taken with the food.  Each dish is different, intricate and exciting.  This restaurant does not follow the typical food trends that the majority of the restaurants in Belfast do.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Bastille (4 July 2014)

My companion ordered the boeuf bourguignon.  It was, frankly, dreadful.  How can a French restaurant get a classic French stew so wrong?  Instead of a delicious medley of beef, baby onions, garlic and mushrooms suspended in a full-flavoured wine based stock (hence the burgundy in the name), the poor man suffered tough beef and mushrooms in an unfinished beef stock.  To call this dish 'bland' would be generous.  I suspect the chef may have realised his gross error afterwards, as the host made several efforts to ask if everything was okay.  My companion was less inclined to make a fuss than I...

Rhubarb (9 July 2014)

We were seated.  We were given menus.  We were not advised of the specials.  I asked what the soup was.  I asked if we could have the à la carte menu.  I was advised 'the chef says no.  Not tonight.'  I ordered a main.  I was told, at that point, after everything else, that there was none of that particular dish on for service.  We left. 

 

The National (13 July 2014)

Today's lunch special to celebrate Bastille Day was boeuf bourguignon.  I ordered this to show my companion just how wrong the atrocity he had been served in the French restaurant had been.  It was very good.  Everything, in fact, that you would expect from a bourguignon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Street South (16 July 2014)

This was the Critics' Table.  This was a very enjoyable experience and, although I was served food that I would never have chosen, it was an adventure.  I don't feel it would be appropriate to comment on the food, as the point of the evening is to allow the chef to hear the clients' thoughts on the food he is thinking about perhaps putting on the menu.  To criticise a fledgling concept would be unjust. 

 

 

 

 

Shu (3 August 2014)

I was very excited about visiting Shu again, no less because of the mounting collection of accolades it consistently receives.  My summer vegetable risotto was perfect.  I had already chosen what I wanted for my main, but, sadly, the hake I had been dreaming about had not been procured.  The chef chose to substitute the roast hake with roast cod.  I gave it a go regardless.   The chef must know his business, surely.  I was disappointed though, as I should have known I would be.  The accompaniment of roast piquillo pepper and couscous was very mild, but could have been carried by a more flavourful white fish like hake.  Cod was not up to the job.  Despite that, it was exquisitely cooked.  The dessert was a triumph. Valrhona chocolate fondant, salted rosemary and fennel caramel and yoghurt ice cream.  The perfect marriage of sweet and savoury.


 

Bistro Este (13 August 2014)

People have said that this may be the best BYO in East Belfast.  After the hake debacle, I ordered hake in a chorizo and chick pea casserole.  I was hard pushed to find any chorizo in my 'casserole'.  In no shape or form was the tomato stuff I was served a casserole.  It was basically a tin of chopped tomatoes and passata thrown in a pot with a tin of chickpeas and heated through.  There was no seasoning, no onion, no garlic, no slow cooking.  There was nothing to give this dish a depth of flavour.  Certainly, there was no indication of effort.

Coppi (16 August 2014)

This was a very busy Saturday night, but we stood in the doorway being waiting to be greeted by the two staff having an in depth discussion for too long for my liking.  Our table was not ready.  We were sent to the bar.  The staff there were also in no rush to give us attention.  When we were seated the young man who came to take our order was suitably mortified that we had not been brought water when I asked for it and was charming throughout.  We had some cichetti to start.  The kitchen agreed to let me have the scicilian braised goat ragu with pappardelle instead of penne.  My companion had a basil, tomato and lentil ragu that lingered on his mind for days. 

In conclusion: Go to OX.