FOOD & DRINK • REVIEW
ABSOLUTELY eats out…
“Each flavour shines through... it takes real skill to get this dish right”
Michael Nadra An intimate and friendly culinary gem in the heart of Chiswick
FOOD Seasonal British classics cooked with a contemporary twist
B y N I C O L A OW E N S
R
estaurant Michael Nadra is an intimate spot sitting just off Chiswick High Road. We settle into its pastel velour banquette seats and sip champagne before deciding on the six-course tasting menu with wine pairing. Michael confesses to being his own sommelier - and what a talent he has for it; the wine pairings make the dishes sing. Our first delicious course is a plate of silky smooth scallops and squid, perfectly cooked with creamy broccoli and cauliflower and counterpointed by a smoked paprika dressing.
This is followed by the rich and gutsy winter flavours of roasted wood pigeon, celeriac, savoy cabbage and griottines cherries, moistened by bone marrow and an Alsace bacon jus which must have taken hours to perfect. Our third course is an Asian-inspired sea bass with a zingy freshness. It’s accompanied by prawn and chive dumplings on beautifully steamed bok choi which allow the delicate sea bass to shine; this dish is a true flavour fusion to savour. The fourth course is succulent grainfed fillet steak - which melts in the mouth - with Welsh braised cheeks, wild mushrooms, creamy truffle
DECOR Plush pastel banquette seating
PRICE Six-course tasting menu for £65, wine pairing £35
VERDICT Highly recommended - perfect for a celebration
mashed potatoes and spinach. It’s the kind of combination that appears obvious but as each flavour shines through, it becomes evident that this dish has taken much thought and skill to get right. The selection of intensely flavoured raspberry and mango sorbets allied to a shot of U’luvka Polish vodka is a fun palette cleansing interlude and affords an opportunity to address the impossible question – ‘what has been our favourite dish so far?’ Everything is expertly brought to a close with a gorgeous quartet of desserts, each their own little masterpiece. Chocolate fondant for the cocoa – obsessed, sweet and rich treacle tart and a deconstructed passion fruit cheesecake – all accompanied with homemade salted caramel ice cream. We had a wonderful all-round experience with Michael and his team. It’s a beautifully-run restaurant that makes each guest feel special; you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable meal. We’ll be back soon. R E S TAU R A N T M I C H A E L N A D R A • C H I SW I C K 6/8 Elliott Road, W4 1PE
restaurant-michaelnadra.co.uk
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