Two Nottingham restaurants are in UK’S top 100
AND YES, THEY’RE THE ONES WITH MICHELIN STARS
TWO Nottingham restaurants are among the top 100 in the UK according to the latest rankings based on the votes of food experts.
The National Restaurant Awards’ annual rankings are calculated from the votes of more than 200 experts, including chefs and critics who have submitted their best restaurant experiences over the past 12 months across the UK.
The scores take into consideration the quality of the food, service, atmosphere and price during a year which has been one of the worst for hospitality, with restaurants closed for much of the time due to the pandemic.
Moor Hall in Lancashire has been named the UK’S best restaurant for its dishes, among them 60-day aged grass-fed Shorthorn beef, tarragon and crispy potato. It has two Michelin stars.
And it comes as no surprise that the Nottingham restaurants on the list also both have Michelin stars.
Two-michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains, in Lenton Lane, comes in at 54th. Called “one of the UK’S most influential restaurants in recent times”, it has become a breeding ground for cheffing talent.
The definitive guide to the country’s best restaurants said: “Don’t be put off by the somewhat inauspicious location of Restaurant Sat Bains – you arrive having travelled down a rather shabby lane and it sits under a busy flyover – the incongruity is on purpose. For Bains, if you haven’t got a fancy postcode to rely on then the food you serve has to be absolutely top notch, and in the case of his restaurant this is definitely the case.
“At his restaurant, Bains is in search of perfection. He’s constantly tweaking and playing with ideas, meaning that a dish one week may have morphed into something different the week after.
“What you are guaranteed to get, however, is a meal of extraordinary flair and with a sense of humour at times. The current tasting menu starts and ends with an exploration of the five tastes – sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami – although Bains doesn’t let on what this might be.”
At 81 on the list is Alchemilla, the one-michelin star restaurant in Derby Road, run by Alex Bond. The guide said: “Alex Bond performs alchemy at this inclusive and progressive Midlands gem that puts plant-based dishes centre stage.”
Set within a 150-year-old former coaching inn, the restaurant serves up modern yet accessible tasting menus with some Asian influences.
“It’s bracingly creative, highcontrast stuff that puts flavour first and foremost: think hash brown with ox heart and miso BBQ sauce; beef tendon with gherkin and langoustine; and soured onion with black garlic and smoked crème fraîche.
“Starting at £65 for five courses, prices are restrained given the level of skill in the kitchen. Wine prices are also kept in check via policy of championing lesserknown producers and regions and the service is relaxed, resulting in an overall experience that’s far more accessible – dare we say it even democratic – than that offered by the majority of Bond’s peers.”