Birmingham Food - An Old Bloke's Perspective: 327. Summer Heat (5

Carter’s of Moseley had announced that things were going to change - for the summer at least - and its faithful diners only had a matter of weeks to enjoy a meal in Moseley they’re recalling past pleasures. A canny move. Naturally, not knowing what was going to happen and keen to once more dine of its remarkable dishes before it was too late I reserved a table and back I went.

The welcome was as warm as ever and the restaurant looked unchanged until I noticed that there was now a chef’s table, presently occupied by young people who did not seem to be having any money problems though as it was the middle of the day, you might have thought they should be out at work. In the 1920s we had the idle rich, now we have the idle middle class.

My dining companion, who had never dined at Carter’s before despite living just a short distance away, chose the middle priced tasting menu, we really did not think that our alimentary tracts would be able to deal with the Full Monty

And of course the meal turned out to be everything that one might have expected. Old favourites were not afraid to make an appearance and brought much joy with them - Cornicsh mackeral and kelp, the glorious oyster <pearl> and the so very meaty DW chicken <thigh>. I sometimes think that a restaurant that sold just canapés and appetisers might be the most successful restaurant around - if they were the quality of Brad Carter’s amuses gueules that would certainly be the case.

Following a delightful summer tomato dish there was another old favourite - Carter’s twist on Matthew Boulton’s Birmingham soup which the 18th century inventor and industrialist devised to feed the hungry poor though Carter’s version was more likely to feed the satiated comfortably off. Memorably the dish is decorated with a lovely tuile which reproduces the outdoor decor of Birmingham’s notable Central Library.

The trout dish was a great favourite enhanced by the force of the flavour of sea buckthorn and trout roe. Beautifully barbecued duck with a nice crispy skin to be shared by two diners was served as the main course with fine carrots and faux rice - this part of the dish was my least favourite ingredient - the ‘rice’ produced from barley, I find unconvincing and I am not particularly keen on the texture of the ‘rice’ (but it has to be said that my dining companion found it to be perfectly satisfactory).

The dessert was lovely. And how very pleasing to have a cherry dessert. It was pretty and delicious. A work of art as was, of course, the brilliant strip of chocolate decorated with the pattern of the Birmingham Centre underpass. Carter’s had once more delivered the goods.