Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
The Adams Restaurant is located in the Adams building in the Lace Market area of Nottingham City Centre. It is housed in a stunning building that was previously a factory but is now one of the buildings which New College Nottingham operate in. The restaurant is open Monday - Friday for lunch and coffee and in the evenings on Wednesday and Thursday for dinner. Each week the menu changes according to the seasons and to fit in with any special events such as, St Patricks Day. The menu's range from 3 courses for £15.95 to a 5 course tasting menu for £19.95.
The great thing about Adams restaurant though is that it is ran by students who are currently studying at the college, whether that be doing an NVQ or helping out in-between their studies for their degree. Assisted by a supervising teacher in front of house and also in the kitchen the students aren't completely alone but have the opportunity to experience a real life restaurant whilst studying in the industry. I decided to book for their Vegetarian Themed Evening where the 5 course menu looked simple but sounded delicious.
We had already looked over the menu before we got there (otherwise it would have taken an hour to decide what we want!) and therefore had an idea of what to order. The wine list is varied and there is definitely something for everyone. We chose a lovely bottle of red and enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere before our first course arrived. The restaurant wasn't busy but we had indirectly been made aware of this because of the half price offer they advertised on social media during the day! This was fine by us though as we were in the mood for a quiet evening and fast paced service.
First up was the Amuse Bouche of "Watercress and spring onion soup finished with truffle oil". This was the perfect starter and was full of flavour, accompanied with this was your choice of a white or brown homemade bread roll - again the bread was warm, soft and so tasty! Then came the starter of "Moroccan spiced vegetable kebabs, red onion salad and coriander dressing" this was pleasant but I felt like the kebab was laking in vegetables funnily enough. A really nice spice and dressing but there could have been just a little bit more.
For the third out of five dishes came the intermediate small palette cleanser - "Cucumber and mint sorbet". I can definitely see how this would have been a lovely cleanser before the main course however, there was definitely too much sugar used to make this and therefore it was more like a sweet dessert than a refreshing sorbet. Main course for me was the "Vegetable thai curry, coconut milk, pak choi, jasmine rice and shaved coconut". I was so glad I chose this as my main as the rice was full of flavour the curry was creamy but had a lovely thai spiced taste and the vegetables were cooked to perfection.
Finally, dessert - who can say no to a "Chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake, dark chocolate ice-cream and hazelnut praline"?? After 4 other courses this could have been the perfect finish but unfortunately didn't quite make it. The cheesecake mixture was just plain cheesecake on top of a hazelnut base and topped with a very hard chocolate ganache. I ended up, and from looking around the room so did others, separating each element of the cheesecake as I just couldn't get my fork through the chocolate. The ice-cream was delicious and the praline was lovely but the cheesecake could have been better.
An overall decadent and satisfying meal and I would be happy to return to try another themed taster menu! The waiter we had was obviously quite new but served us so well and was very generous and a great host for the evening. Well done to the team for the night and I would recommend everyone to go and try their lunch or dinner menu!
Adams Restaurant, The Adams Building, Stoney Street NG1 1NG - Tel: (0115) 910 4510
Twitter: @ncn_Adams
Le Bistrot Pierre, 13-17 Milton Street, NG1 3EN (0115) 941 2850
I have been away from blogging lately because of the workload from Uni (final year!) but it has slowed down a little now so I thought I would share my recent visit to Le Bistrot Pierre with you all.
Twice a month (except for December) they hold a Dine with Wine evening where you can have a three course meal each paired with wine for £27.95 or £22.95 for two courses. I went along with the boyfriend to see if it was any good as we have eaten here a few times but never with this menu. They put the menus online for the whole year so I would advise having a look before you choose which evening to go to as the menu is different each time. I have also noticed there is little choice for Vegetarians so I would ring ahead to see if an alternative option could be provided, they have their normal a la carte menu running along side this one so I can't see why there would be a problem.
The company is a chain (sigh) but it is actually really nice and the restaurant they have in Nottingham has recently had a refurbishment. This means they have a completely new interior and they have expanded up one storey so it is now quite large too. The overall ambience is quiet relaxed but still intimate meaning there are couples, families and ladies who lunch here all the time. For dinner I would recommend booking a table as they are usually always full and at lunch they do not take bookings so there is usually a large queue outside waiting for it to open everyday!
First course: I chose the Mushroom, Roast Butternut Squash and Sage risotto. This came paired with a small glass of Samur Blanc, a very nice light white wine with a slight citrus taste. The risotto was the perfect portion in a creamy sauce and the mushrooms were amazing.
Main Course: Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb with lemon, green herb and garlic butter and a chorizo, plum tomato, bacon and flageolet bean cassoulet. This dish came paired with a Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, I very much enjoy red wine and this one was not good. I returned the original glasses and asked for a fresh bottle but it was pretty much the same and had a slight acidic taste and off smell. Not enjoyable.
But the food was delicious. A huge portion that I could not finish; the meat was slightly dry but pulled a part fabulously and the dressing was delightful
With all of their main courses you can choose which sides you would like to accompany your dish. We choose vegetables and dauphinoise potatoes which were deliciously cooked, not too soft however, I have had better potatoes their before. All in all as I said I could not finish this course as it was just too much but I managed to save a little room for dessert!
I chose the Cheeseboard served with Quinta Do Crasto Port as I hadn't ever tried Port and was feeling adventurous. After the main there was also no way I could have eaten the gooey Chocolate Torte, however my boyfriend ordered this and I couldn't help but snap a picture as it looked amazing served with Pouring Chocolate and Blackcurrant Ice Cream. His also came with a glass of French Dessert Wine which, after a little taste by moi, I agreed it paired perfectly with the chocolate and wasn't too sweet.
I can't speak for experiences in other restaurants of this brand as I have only been to the Nottingham one, but I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a rich, French dish and a relaxed environment. After dining here multiple times I would advise to book on a quiet night as there is definitely a lower quality of food on the busy evenings. We both enjoyed the Dine with Wine menu but will probably not choose it again.
Let me know if you have ever been to Le Bistrot Pierre and what you thought! xx
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