Alchamilla
So, I recently went to Alchamilla, not just one of the top rated restaurants in Nottingham, but one of the top in the whole UK. Safe to say my expectations were naturally high. Yet, impressively all expectations were surpassed, the food across the board was amazing. We embarked on a journey through their tasting menu, enjoying a range of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes exquisitely prepared. Each dish was paired with a wine, and the server explained why they chose that pairing in detail, these pairings were consistently perfect. I could spend the next few hours writing about every course, but instead I think it would be better to focus on one dish that exemplifies the entire experience.
The plate of food I have alluded to (pictured below) is their king oyster mushroom poached in teriyaki, bbq maitake glazed in fermented bread stock, caramelized yeast, bbq shiitake mushroom ketchup, pigeon liver parfait, shitake and mirin sauce. This is a dish that even the most accomplished of home cooks could not not attempt at home, it is as complex as it is delicious. But it really impacted the way I think about food, the variety of temperature in the dish is like nothing I have ever eaten before, and it works so seamlessly. Balance is the key word when evaluating food, and here every element works in harmony, the parfait is rich; the mushrooms are umami; the jam is sweet and the mirin is acidic. The textures are equally well considered with the caramelized yeast giving enough crunch to counter the softer and chewier textures amongst the dish. Ultimately, for me this is a perfect plate of food, and it shows that care and thought that went into every small decision made.
