Home by James Sommerin (Penarth)

To start, the cheese gougere with parmesan was a good opening – it had a crispy exterior and a nicely soft interior with good cheese flavour. The white bean espuma with chicken skin and burnt onion was also a good canapé. The espuma was light and airy, while the chicken skin added a satisfying crunch.

For the next course, a liquid pea ravioli with sage, Serrano ham and parmesan emulsion was a highlight. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the flavors of the filling and the emulsion complemented each other perfectly. The pollack dish was another standout – the nori seaweed and langoustine mousse, along with the trout roe and supplemented Perigord truffle, made for a dish that was both sweet and savory. Notable was the strength of aroma on the truffle which some of the very best restaurants in the country have not matched in my experience.

The lamb dish was equally enjoyable, featuring tender meat that had been dry-aged for 10 days and roasted in its own fat. The accompanying salsa verde, leaks, and wild garlic added a nice depth of flavor, while the lamb sauce with cumin tied everything together.  The cumin was a brilliant flavour combination not had with lamb before.

For dessert, the different textures of apple was an interesting dish to end the meal. The apple sorbet, compote, and espuma provided a range of textures and flavors that made for a refreshing dessert . However, I did find the lumps of iced elements on top made from liquid nitrogen too large as they were extremely cold in the mouth and the pastry disc a little bitter and hard (took a lot of strength to break it) indicating it might have been  over done.  Even if this was intentional, the dessert was overall pleasant but not my favourite part of the meal.  The petit fours of cherry white chocolate was also a standout, (cherries and white chocolate being a classic pairing that never gets old) in a gentle shell of white chocolate and liquid cherry centre as well as the hot chocolate fondant was the perfect ending to the meal – rich, decadent, and delicious.

Overall, this was a great lunch to enjoy.  The quality of the ingredients and the skill of the chefs evident from both James and his daughter as the sous chef (Georgia).  Initially I wasn’t so sure about the lack of sunlight in the restaurant with all of the curtains drawn as looked a little encaged at first, but I ended up liking the fact that it helped with the acoustics as an intimate space and I understood the cosy, privacy this created as a result.  The value for money as well as the personable touch from the Sommerins chatting with the tables as well as overall level of the food makes for a very attractive option.

Food Grade: 78%