Sunday, April 06, 2014
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Nomad. Now they've tickled my fancy for a long long while. Pickles, Mediterranean food, gutsy arrangements of sharing plates. Right up my alley.
House-made pickles line the restaurant. From the get go, you know it is, from top to tail, very much one of those modern industrial-looking 'hip' ones.
Timber beams and ventilation pipes, man-sized barrels, open kitchen for the curious uninitiated to peer curiously into and bare tables. You know you're in one of those places.
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| Oysters | cucumber, arak 5ea |
Whilst it lacks the chilling properties of serving on ice, there's something about serving oysters on rocks and pebbles that makes it seem so natural. The oysters themselves are clean and pristine, served in a beautiful Tetsuya-esque vinaigrette.
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| Goats Cheese Churros | truffled honey 15 |
Looking a little thin and shrivelled, their churros hardly impress the eye but provide the perfect medium for which to dunk into zingy whipped curd and earthy sweet truffle honey.
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| Foie Gras & Chicken Liver Parfait | radish, Iranian plum 26 |
Second trip for my usual dining partner, she zeroed right into the chicken liver parfait without surprise. It's easy to see why, what with the super smooth and buttery parfait with a touch of foie gras luxury added in, house pickled radishes to nibble on and a sweet plum jam.
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| BBQ Lamb Ribs | quince, Nomad yoghurt 32 |
Now we can't seem to go past ribs. Ever. I think it's almost fair to say that no ribs will ever surpass Ms G's sweet and sour ones but these do a pretty good job of trying. The ribs are smokily charred and finished off in a sugary quince paste to give it an inviting caramelisation. The cooling neutrality of yoghurt assures we can continue to eat the unctiously tender ribs without feeling sick.
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| Beer Braised Shortrib | Nomad smoked cheddar, B&B pickles |
Judging from passers-by, their shortrib burger (or bocadillo) seems like a popular order. We love it; shredded rib meat with their house-smoked cheese melting all over. Tart gherkins cut it right through and with a soft bun, you've got a meal you wouldn't want to share.
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| Buttermilk Cream | cherries, sangria ice 14 |
I was thinking, hey guys chucking on whole cherries is a little lazy right? Silly me; they've subtly pitted the whole cherry without cutting a gaping hole so when you first bite in, you're pleasantly surprised. Clever, clever. In comparison to our mains, it's fresh with a boozy kick to the granita to soothe out much of the creamy richness of the pannacotta. With only 3 elements here, they sing in simple delicious harmony.
Nomad is hot. Let's get that straight. The combinations are clever yet still work. What makes it different is their adherence to doing things from scratch, from curing and smoking to pickling. Sharp service and a good spacious area bring together what is a great space to dine and wine.
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2 comments:
those lamb ribs look incredible!
The foie gras is divine isn't it? And I love the look of those oysters on pebbles - I find that serving them on ice can sometimes make them too cold.
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