246. Alex Claridge’s Menu That Was.

 

  Two evenings after being among the privileged dozen to experience Alex Claridge’s Menu That Never Was (see Blog 245) I was back at The Wilderness to enjoy, I hoped, Alex Claridge’s current Menu That Is (or Menu That Was depending on how soon after this piece was written the reader is casting their eyes over it). There were old favourites and new.

  I often express an opinion that I could quite happily enjoy an extended evening of nothing more than canapés in a restaurant somewhere and the three amuse gueules served at The Wilderness confirmed how much I would like my canapé-only fantasy to be realised. These were absolutely first rank - the little pastry filled with wagyu tartare and Comte cheese I had enjoyed just 2 evenings before, a scintillating crab XO doughnut and a delightfully flavoured celeriac enhanced by the turn and taste of hazelnut

  However my fantasy was soon revealed as foolish as more substantial courses appeared on the table before me.

  Firstly pleasingly mildly flavoured mackeral with another blanco and finger lime, light and fitting for early summer. Then more fish in the shape of delicately cooked cod, perfect in texture, precisely balanced with a broth studded by little pieces of iberico pork. Then a return visit to Claridge’s The Carrot 2022 which is one of those dishes which makes the diner stopping questioning the need for courses based on a single vegetable.

  And then the meat arrived. I paid a £25 supplement for the wagyu beef tartare extra dish. This is a lot of money but it is a great dish and very much worth investing in for the pleasure it brings. Such joy has to be tasted. Then back to the regular menu with Lavinton Lamb Caesar - a well-cooked loin with belly bacon

decorated in chess-board format. A work of art for various reasons.

    Then comes a dish of beautifully cooked Cornish duck breast served with unobtrusive chicory and blood orange sauce. I would say that it would be hard to better showcase the flavours in this dish.

    Next the by now familiar but always welcome Ch-ch-changes, the mini-banana-flavoured white chocolate banana that isn’t and then a very welcome dessert using up end-of-season northern rhubarb to delicately flavour mascarpone with texture derived from puffed buckwheat. Soothing and delicious. Finally the well-judged and delightful chocolate dessert - ‘ceremonial cacao, 25 year old balsamic, vanilla’ and finally, finally it’s  Hotlips again,

  It is not possible to understand Alex Claridge’s passion for his work until one sits in The Wilderness witnessing the intense processes involved in producing these remarkable dishes and to listen to chef’s own words about the road, with its many potholes, that has led him so far. It is all very impressive and admirable.

  I try not to presume to give an opinion about how influencers (which after all is basically what the Michelin Guide inspectors are) should be rating the restaurants they visit but it is preposterous that The Wilderness has not thus far been awarded a Michelin star when one compares it with other restaurants.

  It appears that there are plans for the restaurant to move around autumn-time to another site in the Jewellery Quarter which is exciting but a little sad given the history of the various restaurants that have served meals in the building (see Blog 157) and The Wilderness’ own extended time there but perhaps a new site will finally bring those who should know better than me to their senses.