404. Simpsons.

 

  In the most recent couple of years or so, my visits to Simpsons, the doyen of Birmingham restaurants, have been several, almost numerous, but usually related to special dining events being held there. In the 20 teens, as I have previously reported, I had had several disappointing meals at Simpsons with near-chaotic service and food which did not reflect the expense of it all. My most recent experiences there have been wholly pleasing however suggesting that Chef Director Luke Tipping has pulled Simpsons through its dark patch and out the other side even though The Good Food Guide, seemingly presently devoted to the levelling up, or perhaps the dumbing down, of dining out continues to fail to recommend it in its hallowed pages (pages obviously less hallowed than those of the Michelin Guide which does still recommend the restaurant and rightly so). 

  It was time to dine at Simpsons for a meal from its regular menu rather than that of a special event (though it was a special event as it was the Old Bloke’s birthday - not that I was making it public - I can not bear fuss and have reached the stage of my life where endless well-intentioned congratulations are rather wearing).  The day was wet and miserable which did not seem very generous of the weather god but it was to be hoped that his colleague, the goddess of food and abundance, might be feeling a little kinder.

  My two guests arrived at Simpsons at exactly the same time as myself  and, as orphans of the storm, we were pleased to be seated in Simpsons’ comfortable sitting room quaffing glasses of pleasure = mine was white port with tonic - and nibbling on a sign of what was to come - a delicious little cod beignet, crispy-coated with perfectly textured and tasty fish and a pretty, flower decorated crisp with goats cheese mousse. 

  Thence into the bright, spacious dining room, its lengthy window giving a fine view of the garden, with purple rhododendrons in their fully blossomed glory being contemporaneously watered by God’s Almighy Hand, as the rain fell from the heavens.

  The welcome was excellent and the seating comfortable and we prepared to start on our seven course voyage through Simpsons’ current tasting menu (though we also had the choice of a three or five course menu). It was to be a voyage of calm seas and great pleasure.

    First the excellent bread with a cod’s roe spread and wild garlic butter. Already, Chef Luke Tipping was hitting the target with punchy flavours and wonderful textures - the crunchiness of the crust of the bread and the smoky marine flavour of the spread and the carefully judged garlic taste of the butter. 

  

  The first starter was the scintillatingly fresh flavour of Isle of Wight tomatoes with tomato sorbet - multi-textured, gorgeously presented and doing what a starter should do, enticing the diner to anticipate the coming of wonders and imminent great pleasure. Then a second starter bringing tasty white crab with the acidity of blood orange and three dainty and well cooked spears of asparagus under a crispy tuile. 

  If the crab were not enough, more luxury from the sea - this time a pleasingly sized piece of turbot, the best cooked I have had for a while, beautifully presented with a sweet carrot purée and a punchy, but not inappropriately so, bisque.

    The next course was a heritage beetroot dish, which in some restaurants can be rather tiresome, but here the beetroot was served in a number of forms of various textures and sweetnesses and acidity and, as beetroot dishes go, this was up there among the higher echelons of such beasts.

  And then, the star, a very fine dish of supremely perfectly cooked Cornish lamb served with a zinging mint gel (chefs so often fail to appreciate just why ingredients have become locked together by tradition - lamb and mint are a marriage made in culinary heaven) and courgettes, often dull and of little worth but here absolutely on point and sitting on the plate looking all perky and alluring, looking more, at first glance, like figs than chunks of courgette. But the lamb’s the thing. It was gorgeous, it was tender, it tasted of fine sheep meat, it was perfectly cooked, it was immaculately seasoned, it was … perfect. And it was crowned with a sublimely unctious lamb sauce. A great modern British dish. 

  And so, farewell to a great main course and on into the final phase of desserts. First the soothing flavours of peach and the hit of coumarin in woodruff. Finally, a spectacular mango soufflé, risen as high as a block of flats, as lightly textured as a cloud and accompanied by coconut and passion fruit. 

  Simpsons certainly is back up at the peak as well as being at its own peak. A simpatico space to eat in, a happy ambience, good service and extraordinarily good food.

Rating:- 🌞🌞🌞

On 20 May 2024, it was announced that the Chef director of Lunar in Stoke on Trent, Niall Keating, had left his post the previous day by “mutual agreement” with the co-founder, Craig Wilkinson,  Keating will be involved in a new role in a hotel in Manchester. (See Blog 400). Keating’s departure came a few days after the Head Chef at Lunar, Craig Lunn, had left his post at the restaurant.

  Three days after Keating’s departure, it was announced that Carl Riley, previously of The George in Alstonefield which had been recommended in the Michelin Guide from 2011 to 2023 but is not currently featured in the Guide, had been appointed to be the new Head Chef in Lunar.

Niall Keating

Craig Lunn and Niall Keating