24 | June 8, 2013 | www.cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News
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There’s more to Fitzbillies than buns
Every week the founder of Cambridgeshire Wine School seeks out the best wines to go with Living’s recipes. AH, it’s Fitzbillies in the restaurant review this week. Proprietor Tim Hayward (also a respected national food journalist) was guest of honour at my Wine School’s launch because he is so passionate about food and wine. On the subject of restaurants, what do you do when eating out and you find the wine you ordered doesn’t taste quite right? We Brits are usually scared of saying anything and suffer in silence, but if the food was off you’d mention it. I think we should ask for the wine to be swapped. Don’t feel you have to get technical or call it ‘corked’ (you might spark an argument with the sommelier) – just say it isn’t what you expected and you’d like to try another. They shouldn’t charge, in my view. Meanwhile if this week’s review gets you salivating for lamb, allow me to recommend a wine that went down well at my recent Southern France tasting made by former French rugby captain Gerard Bertrand. It’s a soft, but complex blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan. Chateau Aigues Vives Corbieres 2010 (£9.99 in Majestic) has a lovely mix of dark fruit flavours, with a surprisingly complex hit of vanilla, mushroom and leather. It really needs food to enjoy it properly. ᔡ For a wide range of wine tastings, courses and gift vouchers: www. CambridgeshireWineSchool. com
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’VE sunk my teeth into more than a few Fitzbillies signature Chelsea buns – thick with currants and a syrup that deliciously glues your mouth together, sentencing your teeth to a lifetime of fillings – but this was my first foray into the dining room. Tiled in turquoise with blackboards stylishly proclaiming the lunch menu and glass cabinets wistfully reminding you of the cakes and pastries the café sells during the day, my boyfriend Sam and I were led to a table for two in the brightest spot, underneath a skylight. At first it felt a little exposed sitting in the middle, surrounded by calm couples grappling with grilled lobsters and families tucking into homemade ice cream, but as the sun set (and the wine kicked in for a happy graduation dinner party round the corner), we relaxed and became clouded in gauzy moonlight. It was actually pretty romantic, but not in an ‘ick’ way. Sipping on raspberry lemonade and elderflower cordial (both £2.70), we considered the starters as a jug and water tumblers appeared. Either I don’t get out much or eat at generally more
taste test Fitzbillies Street, 51-52 Trumpington 1RG Cambridge, CB2 2500 3) 35 Telephone: (0122 fitzbillies Email: bookings@illies.com tzb Website: www.fi ing hours: Restaurant open m; Thu-Fri 6p m8a ed n-W Mo r on Friday 8am-5pm, dinne am-5pm, 6-9.30pm; Sat 10 n 10am; Su dinner 6-9.30pm ly served 6pm. (Dinner is on turday on Friday and Sa evenings) available. Disable access o people, tw Cost: Dinner for came to including drinks, £56.30. 刀 Food: 刀刀刀刀 刀刀 Service: 刀刀刀 刀刀刀 Atmosphere: 刀 刀 Value: 刀刀刀刀
៑ A Fitzbillies’ Chelsea bun fan, ELLA WALKER visits the Cambridge favourite by night and finds an evening menu just as inviting as its daytime offerings uncouth establishments, but in my book, if you don’t have to ask for water, that’s actually wonderful. It’s the little things you know? But back to the starters . . . Sam opted for the grilled squid and spring onions with lemon, chilli and garlic (£6.90) while I ignored the temptation of parsley soup with St Georges mushrooms (£5.90), having already spotted a dessert I couldn’t risk being too full up to miss (more of which later). The squid smelled incredible. Wafts of tangy lemon and chilli practically dragged me across the table as Sam tucked into tentacles and perfectly cooked squid flesh, leaving me free to sneak lemony leaves from his plate to make a coarse kind of bruschetta using two types of homemade bread that had also miraculously appeared by our elbows (the waiting staff at Fitzbillies are seriously talented). One, a butter bread cut into tough, curved slices, melted in the mouth (I doubt it needed an extra slather of butter, but I couldn’t resist), and a second seedy sourdough concoction, the texture of my mum’s homemade banana bread with a crunchy crust, was perfect for mopping up garlic oil. As the squid disappeared, a bundle of crisp chilli cheese straws took up residence on our table too – moreish and cheesy with a warming kick, I was in love. Dangerously filling up already, we awaited the main event. Braised lamb neck with lettuce, radishes, jersey royals and mint (£16.90) for me, and veal chop, wild garlic and apple butter with duck fat potatoes (£16.90) for Sam. My lamb was ridiculously tender,
chunks of meat folding into a light gravy dotted with crunchy baby radishes, wilted lettuce, dainty mini potatoes and tiny silver onions that added sweetness and bite. It was fresh, seasonal and a deceptively large serving. The star of Sam’s plate was the garlic and apple butter (it found itself working very well with my lamb), which was simultaneously tart and soothing, while the potatoes (more like wedges) were salty, golden and still tasted like roasties. Somewhere during the ordering process we got mildly confused with our veals and our venisons, so when, halfway through the meal, I realised he was actually nibbling a baby cow we got slightly hysterical (give us a break, they both start with ‘V’!). Thank God we don’t have vegetarian consciences . . . The dessert I’d been counting down to was a rhubarb and almond puff with clotted cream (£6), which failed to disappoint in every single way. A square of flaky, puff pastry with caramelised
edges, slathered with an almond cream that bordered on marzipan richness, topped with strips of sweet and sour rhubarb and a blob of melting clotted cream. It has easily made it on to my ‘last meal before I die’ menu, it was that good. Sam – a self-proclaimed sorbet aficionado (I got a lecture on the merits of mango sorbet as we waited for the puddings) – ordered lemon and geranium, and pink grapefruit sorbet (£2.25 a scoop) which came with a slightly-too-thick homemade wafer. Cue a mild panic: how can you have geranium flavoured sorbet – surely it’d taste like soil? But luckily everything turned out OK. The lemon was sweet and refreshing, the geranium barely noticeable and the grapefruit a tad too bitter – but then grapefruits are, aren’t they? Giddily wandering out, deliciously full, we decided we’ll definitely be popping in again for more than just cake.