The steamy hot weather had left the city centre deserted and public transport largely empty. So, not too worrying a journey into the city centre apart in my bemasked state from the risk of momentarily broiling in my own juices.
I found Craft changed. For a start it now seems to be Craft rather than Craft Dining Rooms. Well that makes sense. The pods outside in an HG Wellsian sort of way seemed to have proliferated and the bar was now located outside. I had booked an outdoor table but was told I had been allocated one indoors which was gloriously air-conditioned and the social distancing space was generous. On this day the air conditioning was as important as the food. Well almost. Well, that is probably true, actually. So I was both happy and relieved to have had my reservation countermanded.
On line menus and wine lists. Technology comes to the rescue. I was asked if I wanted a card menu and I did as it’s nice to have a souvenir. On the back there’s a nice little map of Great Britain showing the places of origin of some of the restaurant’s wines and ingredients. At this point I realised I had not had my temperature taken (which the restaurant had previously been making a big thing of) though the great heat of the day would have undoubtedly rendered me pyrexial anyway and no-one had offered me or pointed me in the direction of hand sanitiser.
The pleasure of a double Cotswolds Gin and tonic and in came the starter. Each course very reasonably offered four choices, I opted for the very tasty and fine-looking salt beef with refined pickles and mustard and accompanied by a small brioche loaf. The brioche was mildly burned though edible but really should not have been sent out of the kitchen in that state.
The bread was a relatively minor issue when the main course arrived. Pork in many guises. Here Chef had come into his own. There was so much that was right about the dish. With its circular motif it was vaguely psychedelic and had lots of browns and yellows that those of us who lived through the 1970s would be so familiar with. And how wonderful not to just be served pork cheek or pork belly. Here there were both plus a lovely little bit of pork rump. The cheek was among the most tasty I’ve had before and the belly was magnificent with its slim little slice of crackling adhering to it. I enjoyed the perfectly cooked five spice carrot, the mash of ideal texture and the magnificent piece of gorgeously flavoured pineapple which had been marinated in something ambrosian I think. At the hub was an egg which went well with the rest. Top marks. A repeat visit soon was now assured.
So often the main course of a meal can be the low point but this was the undoubted star of this meal.
The dessert was summed up on the menu as Rice pudding with Hay ice cream. Mercifully the flavour of hay was barely noticeable and the rice pudding was perfectly textured. The milk tuiles gave a subtle flavour to it all. Light and apt, just my sort of pudding.
The indoor restaurant has halved its size since I last visited Craft rather as our prime minister would like us all to do. It was a little disorientating but made the restaurant more intimate as the restaurant had been far too big and hard to keep warm in winter. So where had the rest of it gone?
I asked about the publicity I had read recently for Chef Andrew Sheridan’s new restaurant, 8, and wondered where it was going to be situated. The answer was in front of my nose. It was going to be in the missing half of Craft and would open on 8 October. The menu will be an 8 course tasting menu and will be themed around the number 8. Each dish pays ”homage to the number and Sheridan’s culinary journey” with the concept summing up his whole career in eight courses”. This sounds all a little too self-referential and self-absorbed but I’m ready to give it a go although getting a reservation might be difficult as the 16 cover venue will at first be limited to eight covers because of the need for adequate social distancing. Sheridan does produce the most delicious dishes so 8, I’m sure, is going to be rather special.
Addendum - Thanks to the Chancellor of The Exchequor for my very decently sized Eat Out to Help Out discount. It really is a very sunny day.
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