I regularly get asked to suggest somewhere in Nottingham that people might not have been to. Balageru has been my most reliable answer for a while. It’s only a stones throw from the Victoria centre and sitting at the bottom of Mansfield Road among takeaways and off licenses it is definitely easy to miss. Inside there are few bells or whistles with a pretty basic room that fits only a few tables. I will readily admit a lack of knowledge about African cuisine, it may shock you but it wasn’t a mainstay of my Fenland upbringing. I am taking the restaurant’s self identification as Ethiopian & E ..read more

I have been away this week so the report is by Peter who has more than capably stepped in and shared his notes. [Alec: with a better palate & wine writing lexicon…] Cheverny has low name recognition, but that might change as its main grape varieties are fashionable: Sauvignon Blanc for whites, Pinot Noir for reds. To please an even wider audience, whites can include Chardonnay; reds Gamay and Malbec. Chinon, meanwhile, is one of France’s best-value classic red wines, as this tasting for the most part reminded. Cheverny, Benoit Darien, 2021. Aromatic, with notes of cellery, yellow grass and ..read more

The first time I am writing about a blind bottle format. In short most of the wines are covered so we don’t know what we are tasting and then revealed. — A sparkling wine to start. Some nice age and autolytics immediately present on the nose with some ripe apple and citrus. High acidity on palate, green apple at the front with lemon curd as it developed in the mouth. A pleasant little bitterness on the finish. Lacking a touch of persistence at this stage of its life but soft and enjoyable. Could only be English and was a Leckford 2011 before their Waitrose partnership. Currently around £30. T ..read more

Starting on Hounds Gate in 2017 the No.Twelve team have quietly been making a name for themselves over the last few years. I went some years ago but it was early in their evolution and before their menus changed significantly. No.Twelve now offers an evening tasting menu and lunch time small plates alongside some special one-off evenings including wines pairings. The restaurant is made up of a couple of small rooms around a central bar area with exposed brick throughout. On a sunny springtime day its a lovely spot to while away a few hours. The small plates menu I tried sees a dozen options at ..read more

The South West of France is obviously a large, diverse region for wine making. Our presenter this week wanted to look more at the local grapes than the more international varieties that often crop up. Cajolle, Parlange & Illouz, 2021. You couldn’t wish for a more rustic start. You could wish for a more enjoyable one though. This Jurancon Noir grape has never been written about as having great pedigree and I found that a difficult statement to argue with. Very light in the glass it was sour and fizzy with some red fruits, apple, wild strawberry, cherry but ultimately green and under-ripe ..read more

I rarely write about restaurants more than once, but felt compelled to after a recent visit to Nan Tei. My review in 2019 was positive though I summed up with; ‘why wouldn’t you just go to Kushi-Ya instead’. Well, 5 years on getting a table there isn’t as easy as it once was! In visiting Nan Tei on this Friday night I thought some custom may have trickled down, sadly we were the only table! That’s a shame for any restaurant, particularly in the current climate of challenging conditions for hospitality. It was only afterwards when I reflected on this that I resolved to give them some promotion ..read more

It’s actually 11 but I missed the milestone last year. 27th March 2013 I published my first piece at the tender age of 24. I daren’t look at it, at that age both my knowledge and writing were certainly questionable! Yes, they probably still are. Since those days I have published over 250 reviews and hopefully achieved my goal of promoting small independent eateries. As I look down the list it’s a shame to see so many of the places I enjoyed that are no longer trading but that’s a reality, both of the industry and ageing. Some thing don’t change though, apparently the Larwood and Voce still hav ..read more

I’ve been a fan of the Little Brickhouse brunch for some time. They now only offer it on a Saturday but its a vibrant plate of food that manages to be both comforting and nourishing. I digress as this is about their evening menu, which I hadn’t sampled for some time. They started with Little Bricks in Sherwood before moving to their current site on Derby Road. I routinely describe Little Brickhouse as hipster which I realise means different things to different people. It attracts ‘cool’ people, hosts art exhibitions, has a natural wine list and the furnishings and crockery are charmingly vinta ..read more

2016 Blanc de Blancs, Sepp Moser. I can’t recall many regions that don’t give sparkling wine a go. 100% Chardonnay, I tend to prefer when they stick to their indigenous grapes just for something different. 8 years down the line this was golden in the glass with a rich nose of brioche and honey. The palate had a real texture and was quite evolved, toffee apple and cream soda dominating some citrus fruits that are now in the background. Still enjoyable but perhaps past peak. £26 2023 Setinfeder, Lehensteiner. The first of three Gruner Veltliners. Pear drops, acetone, touch of sweet grape juice ..read more

Spoiler alert, I am afraid it’s not much of a battle as both are great in their own ways. In retrospect I should have highlighted them both sooner as I have found much joy at both Coosh and Tough Mary’s Bakehouse. Tough Mary is the perfect leisurely stroll from mine and has now been going for over 7 years. On what is quite a lively stretch of Derby Road it stands out from pubs and Danish furniture stores with its signature streak of yellow. They have half a dozen tables if you want to enjoy one of their excellent coffees with a purchase, always sorely tempting. Pastries are where they particul ..read more