This is contribution from my friend Ruse; he has provided me with excellent commentary and pictures from his last gourmet adventure. It looks and reads delicious; enjoy!
Midsummer House - a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
Proprietors: Daniel Clifford and Russell Morgan.
Head Chef: Daniel Clifford - He has worked in some of Europe’s finest Michelin restaurants, working under the finest chefs including Marco Pierre White and Jean Bardet. Dream was to put Cambridge onto the culinary map. Achieved the first Michelin Star in 2001, an accolade which Cambridge has never had. In 2005 was awarded a second Star, not just putting Cambridge on the map, but also East Anglia as the first Two Star restaurant this side of England.
Age: 33
Awards: Two Michelin stars, four AA rosettes, Harpers and Queen Best restaurant outside London 2005, Tatler Best restaurant outside London 2006.
(Not really) fun fact - Since the restaurant is right on the river Cam, due to excessive rain it was flooded in 1999 and then again in 2000.
The location is story-like - an actual old, beautiful house in Cambridge, slightly and rightly hidden from the crowds.
Our choice was an 8-course tasting menu with extras.
Appetizer
Bloody Mary dish
Paris Mushrooms, Coffee, Ceps and Pumpkin 'soup'
Celery, Goats Cheese and Horseradish - crystallized beet/celery tube stuffed with goat cheese and horseradish ice cream
Hand Picked Sautéed Scallop, Celeriac, Grannysmith Apples and Truffle
Sweetbreads, Ox Tongue, Pistachio, Maple Syrup, Foam and Mouli - Sweetbreads is a specialty - it is the thymus gland and/or the pancreas of either a young cow or a lamb - you are in the UK after all
Salt Cod Brandade, Pineapple, Pork Belly, Crab and Langoustine - one of the stars of the night - excellent presentation, full of local origin and English tradition
Pousse Café with foam and egg
8. Pigeon, Sweet Potato, Cocoa Nibs - another dish that plays an important part and puts the whole tasting menu within context
Jerusalem Artichoke, Lychee and Rose - a great surprise, quite on the molecular side, strong flowery taste, cleansing effect
Chocolate and Praline...
an explosion - 7 ways to eat chocolate at the same time - a hedonistic spectacle...
homemade doughnuts - coarse sugar, warm, apple dipping sauce.
Overall a wonderful experience. Food, wine list, service and ambiance is top notch. A nice combination of strong English fare with a dose of molecular gastronomy (although I hate the term, the stuff is actually delicious) and an underlying French cuisine tone. The food has all the traits common to the world's truly greatest restaurants. Simple and elegant interior, friendly and knowledgeable staff, plenty of natural light.
We paired our food with a vintage bottle of Austrian Riesling and 2 vintage bottles of Red Bordeaux wines (1997 and 98).
To sum up - a first class dining experience, experimental yet traditional. A tasting menu dinner for 4 with French wine pairings will set you back approximately 800 pounds (200 per person), which is by no means modest but in most cases worth the trip, time and cost (especially these days with the sterling at its all time low).
Midsummer House - a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
Proprietors: Daniel Clifford and Russell Morgan.
Head Chef: Daniel Clifford - He has worked in some of Europe’s finest Michelin restaurants, working under the finest chefs including Marco Pierre White and Jean Bardet. Dream was to put Cambridge onto the culinary map. Achieved the first Michelin Star in 2001, an accolade which Cambridge has never had. In 2005 was awarded a second Star, not just putting Cambridge on the map, but also East Anglia as the first Two Star restaurant this side of England.
Age: 33
Awards: Two Michelin stars, four AA rosettes, Harpers and Queen Best restaurant outside London 2005, Tatler Best restaurant outside London 2006.
(Not really) fun fact - Since the restaurant is right on the river Cam, due to excessive rain it was flooded in 1999 and then again in 2000.
The location is story-like - an actual old, beautiful house in Cambridge, slightly and rightly hidden from the crowds.
Our choice was an 8-course tasting menu with extras.
Appetizer
Bloody Mary dish
Paris Mushrooms, Coffee, Ceps and Pumpkin 'soup'
Celery, Goats Cheese and Horseradish - crystallized beet/celery tube stuffed with goat cheese and horseradish ice cream
Hand Picked Sautéed Scallop, Celeriac, Grannysmith Apples and Truffle
Sweetbreads, Ox Tongue, Pistachio, Maple Syrup, Foam and Mouli - Sweetbreads is a specialty - it is the thymus gland and/or the pancreas of either a young cow or a lamb - you are in the UK after all
Salt Cod Brandade, Pineapple, Pork Belly, Crab and Langoustine - one of the stars of the night - excellent presentation, full of local origin and English tradition
Pousse Café with foam and egg
8. Pigeon, Sweet Potato, Cocoa Nibs - another dish that plays an important part and puts the whole tasting menu within context
Jerusalem Artichoke, Lychee and Rose - a great surprise, quite on the molecular side, strong flowery taste, cleansing effect
Chocolate and Praline...
an explosion - 7 ways to eat chocolate at the same time - a hedonistic spectacle...
homemade doughnuts - coarse sugar, warm, apple dipping sauce.
Overall a wonderful experience. Food, wine list, service and ambiance is top notch. A nice combination of strong English fare with a dose of molecular gastronomy (although I hate the term, the stuff is actually delicious) and an underlying French cuisine tone. The food has all the traits common to the world's truly greatest restaurants. Simple and elegant interior, friendly and knowledgeable staff, plenty of natural light.
We paired our food with a vintage bottle of Austrian Riesling and 2 vintage bottles of Red Bordeaux wines (1997 and 98).
To sum up - a first class dining experience, experimental yet traditional. A tasting menu dinner for 4 with French wine pairings will set you back approximately 800 pounds (200 per person), which is by no means modest but in most cases worth the trip, time and cost (especially these days with the sterling at its all time low).
1 comment:
Going through this post brings such a gorgeous experience - my brain is at the state of intoxication already this early morning! Maybe I should read your blog in the evening .. :)
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