So here it is everyone.. my review of Nocturnal Animals by Alex Claridge!
If I’m being totally honest, I have never been to The Wilderness but from the social media I saw around it… It looks like a good place to eat! And now I’ve tried the Taster Menu and Afternoon Tea at Nocturnal Animals, I will definitely be giving it a go soon enough. Also, if you like good food and like the occasional power ballad from the 80s.. this is the place for you!
I’ve always been told ‘don’t knock it, until you’ve tried it’ and this is the approach I normally take when trying food that I haven’t tried before, and when I looked on the menu there were a few things I was a little bit worried about. This is when my lucky fiancé, Tara, gets excited that she might have two portions of something but, unfortunately, it wasn’t the case this time around!
We started off with the Chicken Liver Parfait with Damson Hoisin and Linseed… it has only been about a year since I started liking Parfait and this is probably one of the best I’ve had anywhere, very quickly going to the top of the list with Tom’s Kitchen. It was just so easy to eat and full of flavour!
We moved onto the Tempura Monkfish with Garlic Aioli and Gherkin. To say this is one of the best fish dinners I’ve had ever is an understatement and, as some of you know, I’m not a keen fish lover. It was divine and so punchy; I could eat it over and over again. While I was eating these two dishes, I was slowly making my way through the cocktails they had on offer too – don’t ask me what they were called as I might have been a bit tipsy and I’ve slept since then, but check out their drinks menu for some delicious creations.
On the way to the restaurant I remember saying to Tara, ‘you know what I’d love right now… A bao bun’ (this is without even knowing what was on the menu), and sure enough there was one on the menu. It was absolutely delicious, packed full of Iberico Pork… I could have eaten more than one, but that’s just greedy and I’m trying to watch my weight (yeah right!).
Next was the Duck & Fois Gras Gyoza with Aged Duck Broth and Cashew. This was one of the dishes I was a bit worried about but all I can say is mmmmmmmm it tasted so good… a little pocket of goodness! Then we moved onto the Tuna Tartare with Wasabi, Nasturtium and Soy, and I was seriously worried about this as I’m not for a raw fish. I could see in Tara’s eyes she was hoping I wasn’t going to like it as I could see she was enjoying hers and would easily demolish mine, but sorry to disappoint you babe, I really enjoyed it. The tuna mixed with the Wasabi and Soy was such a lovely taste and will be enjoying it again when we go back.
The Thai Red Scallop with Rice Noddles and Chorizo was next, and I think Tara thought she might be quids in here, but once they added the sauce to it, it went to a whole new dimension. Yummy yummy in my tummy!
Safe to say that Alex Claridge has opened my eyes to eating more fish – thank you Alex!
Then the last course before the dessert and I remember the waitress saying to us that it might be small portions but you will end up leaving full, and by this point I was starting to feel it but this is the one dish I wanted to try. I love Chicken Katsu so I thought the ‘Quail Katsu’ would be a winner, and it didn’t disappoint… one of my favourite dishes of the night. The taste of Quail with the Pak Choi and Spring Roll – I wish I was able to take it home with me and have the next day because I loved it all.
And finally we got onto dessert, which of course matched the tiled floor. Nice touch, Alex. I was in heaven… so chocolatey and moreish, and despite being ready to burst, there is always room for dessert. AMAZING on a plate!
As well as the incredible menu, the entire way through dinner Tara and I were playing “name that tune” with the brilliant 80s playlist. It gave the restaurant such a great vibe; so laid back yet full of energy. We had a good sing-a-long whilst waiting for each course to be served.
Absolutely brilliant experience, living up to all of the hype. If you haven’t been yet, GO – you won’t be disappointed!
Please note: I didn’t have to pay for this as it was part of the restaurant’s soft launch and we were invited by Emma Tronson – Thank you Emma. All opinions are completely my own.
