Alchemilla
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
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A visit to Alex Bond's city-centre restaurant is a voyage of exploration in every sense. Alchemilla occupies the cellar of a Victorian coach-house; surrounded by worn brick walls, the interior is a fascinating blend of industrial and ancient, with red-brick arches lit through concreted skylights and narrow-paned, misted windows. Smartly uniformed staff curate the experience with appreciable cheer, and most tables afford a view of the huge, busy kitchen. Initial nibbles are sensational, from a potato tortilla topped with Cheddar cream, shaved white truffle and sherry vinegar gel to a perfectly formed spherical doughnut filled with 'nduja XO jam, adorned with a sliver of cured scallop and dill mayo. The all-but-inescapable proliferation of east Asian ingredients and seasonings is mostly handled with dazzling panache, as is evident from an exhilarating course of lobster tail with kimchi purée, pickled squash and confit lemon, overliad with a garnish of fennel cress, basil and shiso. Not every dish registers as a ringing triumph, however: the meat course on the tasting menu, a small piece of pink venison with artichoke purée, glazed quince and a cheesy tartare, with a bitter chocolate smear, highlighted what can happen when individually fine elements are not sufficiently balanced against each other. Dessert compositions offer the most intriguing kind of challenge. A teacake with blackcurrant meringue and beetroot jam is a Proustian evocation of the Scottish Tunnock, while a savoury kombu ice cream covered in puffed rice with Japanese vinegar, anointed in vanilla oil, stops provocatively short of being sweet at all. The sourdough bread, with its wafer-thin crust and wholegrain crumb, may well be the best for miles around. An enterprising wine list, with terse flavour-wheel tasting descriptors, could do with a more extensive (and imaginative) by-the-glass selection, but there is an appreciable attempt to find interesting new flavours in its various territories.
