Alex Claridge is a master of of Birmingham’s hospitality sector - not for nothing that former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street chose him to be his adviser on the nighttime hospitality sector. And Alex knows just how to reel in the punters both old and knew, especially old regulars (old in both senses of the word). A feature of his business are tempting special events and some of these take the form of tastings of new dishes and the opportunity to give feedback on the dishes before or if they go on the new menus.
This was one of those evenings. The premature and long summer drew on, there were blue skies and bright, warm sunshine with a hint of mild humidity and the feeling that the summer was going together hotter and more intolerable over the coming days. But inside Albatross Death Cult all was cool, calm and comfortable and familiar old faces were gathering to dine there with some less recognisable or never seen before. The atmosphere was the epitome of relaxed good cheer and Alex Claridge was leading the kitchen with Oliver Grieve in support and Claridge’s partner Rachael Whittle heading up the front of counter alongside sommelier Camilla Bonnannini who has far too many’n’s in her surname but who does a wonderful job with the wines and sakes she has selected.
‘Oyster’, the eternal old favourite and signature, reported many times before came first and then there was a fine crispy tartlet, fresh and summery, of tartare of sea bass with sorrel and peas - fresh as any breeze which might blow on these hot summer days and pleasingly soothing.
Next, gorgeously crispy potato terrine topped by potently fishy taramasalata and smoked eel and unobtrusive seaweed. Next, an excellent dish of well flavoured mackerel made exquisite by tiny thin slices of sweetly pickled radish and ajo blanco, the flavour of almond delightfully discernible. My only complaint would be that I should have liked my ajo blanco to be more chilled than it was but it was an excellent dish.
Next came a small sake cup of punchy prawn head and tomato consommé and then a finely cooked cod in an utterly delicious consommé with a garnish of tiny shavings of summer truffle.
Monkfish was next to be served. For me, though apparently not for any of the other diners, it seemed slightly undercooked - I should have liked a little more body to the fish’s texture but I liked the vividly green accompanying jalapeño Hollandaise which had an exciting spicy bite to it. The final fish course was Chalkstream trout for which, to be candid, I’m growing a little tired of but this was very nicely prepared and sat on the plate shaped like the white chocolate ‘hot lips’ petit fours that Claridge had served at The Wilderness in times past. The langoustine bisque served with it was pleasingly tasty.
There was a thoroughly enjoyable new dessert on offer - a finely cooked tart made up of excellent crispy pastry with a filling of muscovado and katsuobishi (tuna flakes) which had an exciting well-judged sweetness and umami from the katsuobishi. Paired with deliciously and vibrantly-flavoured lime sorbet which cut through the flavour of the tart this made for a very toothsome dessert indeed.
Finally, I derived great pleasure from the petit four, a very well made macaron with a mild hit odf nori. It had a lovely consistency and the outer part was nicely crispy with the outer part being gorgeously gooey.
There was nothing left but to pay the bill and to say farewell to staff and one’s dining companions, some more eccentric than others - a red beret placed accurately on the precise spot on the head coupled with a kimono and san culottes certainly makes a statement and the wearer had to be the best-dressed diner in the Jewellery Quarter that evening.
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