Cleaver & Wake

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

A day trip to Nottingham on a Friday afternoon in June. 

A very early start led to a Bacon Butty aboard the 0705 from London St Pancras. Crispy and smokey bacon in a soft roll with brown sauce - it was a good start to what would be a long day.

A swift Peppermint Tea here ..

https://delilahfinefoods.co.uk

Then a first visit to a fine dining restaurant on what’s known as the Island Quarter. A well informed local friend informs me of the following .. 

“The Victorian buildings nearby are from the time hundreds worked at the rail station. That area was very industrial. Where the cattle market was. Which still has its own train station but no rails. That area is due to be transformed into another quarter.”

https://www.cleaverandwake.com

I started with Wye Valley Asparagus with a Burford Brown Egg & Grapefruit Hollandaise. The server, looking after me, then told me about the day boat fish choices on offer & even invited me to take a look at their fresh fish display to see what had been landed.

The catches of the day … Trout, Lemon Sole & Monkfish. 

Monkfish it was, pan-fried & it arrived with New Potatoes & Samphire plus Tartare Sauce.

Lunch was absolutely delicious. The Monkfish was the best I’ve ever had &, with it being an open kitchen, I even got a chance to tell the chefs that myself post-lunch. That felt like the right thing to do. Chefs are some of the hardest working folk you could ever meet.

All trains back to London were delayed later that afternoon but it didn't matter. I got on board an earlier one, well fed & watered.

A little bit sleepy, too.

AMM