Sosban & The Old Butcher's
Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey
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There’s a phenomenal amount of creative cooking going on at this former butcher’s shop – even the bread is addictive. Sosban is understated, unassuming and unpretentious – earthy colours, four plain tables and a kitchen work bench where chef/patron Stephen Stevens can be seen beavering away solo, expertly combining invention, balance and taste while pacing everything perfectly (the whole experience involves nine courses). And anyone who fears the lack of a menu (and no knowledge of what you will eat until it arrives at the table) need not worry. The cooking is rooted in the region, a homage to all that is local and sustainable, with zero waste as a guiding principle. An opening mouthful sets the scene: a crisp cracker comprising layers of cod skin, filled with curried banana and soured peanut – a mini masterpiece. There are many other unusual combinations too: delicate chicken liver parfait embedded with diced eel, plus sweet/umami notes from IPA vinegar and finely grated Hafod Welsh Cheddar, simply bursts with savoury intensity. A fabulous dish featuring nuggets of confit lamb’s tail (assertively flavoured, gloriously fatty), is enhanced by a silky mustard custard as well as apple, mustard leaf and coffee. Our day-boat cod, blowtorched and served with onion fudge and fermented spring onions, benefitted from the subtle addition of liquorice, which worked beautifully with the other flavours. Liquorice appears again in a delectable savoury-to-sweet crossover (a creamy layering with lemon and olive oil), which paves the way for a confection of whipped buttermilk, compressed apple and celeriac ice cream – something of a signature dish that has evolved over the years. There is no wine list, but the drinks pairing is imaginative; individual glasses are available by the 125ml pour. The framework within which all of this takes place could do with some fine tuning but the cooking is sheer culinary dazzlement.
