388. Mortimers.

 

  I have reported on my very enjoyable experiences at Mortimers three times before (see Blogs 321, 302 and 159) but not since June 2023 and it’s pleasing now to report that when I chose the six course lunchtime tasting during my present stay in Ludlow I was again very impressed with the excellent food served, the location and the spot on service.

  I need not go on in depth given all that I have written before about Mortimers but Chef Patron Wayne Smith continues to send some fine and excellent dishes from his kitchen although perhaps for those customers who like to visit from time to time some of the courses would benefit from changing a little more often. The lunchtime tasting menu was broadly unchanged from my last lunch there almost nine months ago. Having said that there is at least one dish which is so gorgeously memorable that it is never a chore to have to eat it time and time again.

  The amuses bouches - an excellent cheese tartlet, a delicious blini with crab mousse and a somewhat less tasty ham hock croquette were all as familiar as old friends, the bread and butter selection too was largely unchanged but nonetheless very pleasing and I enjoyed the previously described confit chicken terrine with charred corn, successfully crispy chicken skin,grilled leek and a bonbon of black pudding which was much tastier than that in my last visit.

    The goats cheese with beetroot, a sweet beetroot sorbet which contrasted pleasingly with the cheese, sorrel and  olive bread was served in a very generous portion. The olive bread was not as hard as on my last visit and there was no danger to the long term health of my remaining teeth on this occasion but the bread had little flavour though I could see that something with a bit of texture was needed for this dish.

  And then, to a very fine dish indeed - the extraordinarily tender and tasty Herefordshire beef, cooked and seasoned immaculately - so tender that a spoon would have cut through it. This was absolutely appropriately accompanied by an excellent mash (much better than on my last visit) and sweetly roasted onions and leeks and a fine beef sauce. This finds its place on my list of the 10 best dishes of the year. It is the Pride of Mortimers.

 

  The two desserts were the same as those served on my previous visit - this time, accurately cooked rhubarb with pistachio cake, vanilla cream and pistachio ice cream. This was a definite improvement on that which was served on my previous visit. The chocolate mille feuille was presented very prettily and was as enjoyable as the last time I ate it.

  Mortimers seems to me to be as underrated as Cheal’s now in Knowle. It serves generally excellent food with at least one real gem. These are two West Midlands restaurants which restaurant critics need to take very seriously.

Chef Wayne Smith

Rating:- 🌞🌞