Mint Restaurant- Burnett Road Streetly village
Friday8th July
The name Mint gives no indication to the style of cuisine served at this restaurant; so as this was to be my first visit there I decided to do some market research.
I was both surprised and intrigued by peoples comments, many that I asked had heard of Mint but had never dined there. Others had been to functions catered for by Mint and had thoroughly enjoyed the food. But those who had visited the restaurant gave mixed reviews, ‘lovely food but didn’t like the dining room’, ‘stylish and tasty menu but not enough on the plate’, ‘.’Gorgeous food but inexperienced staff’.
So always with an open mind my husband and I arrived promptly at 8pm on a Friday evening. We were greeted by a very pleasant young lady, who offered us a seat in the lounge area and handed us a drinks menu.
The Lounge
The lounge is also the reception area, it is glitzy and glamorous in a Boudoir style, and it reminded me of a restaurant that we recently visited in Soho London but on a much smaller scale. The one wall is covered in peacock paper and there are hints of glitter, the seating includes large sofas with animal print cushions. Admittedly the decor is not to everyone’s liking but it certainly gives the restaurant character and creates a relaxed atmosphere. To the right of the well stocked bar is a circular table for the casual diner. This area is open from 6.30pm for those who fancy a couple of drinks and perhaps a sharing plate.
The Diners
The lounge was busy with a mixture of potential diners, they were of various ages, some couples, a group of ladies and families with teenage children; all enjoying a pre dinner drink as they browsed the menu. There was a gentle buzz of conversation creating a very pleasant atmosphere.
The Menu
Mint www.mint-restaurant.com offer the option of a £20 menu Wednesday to Friday, which includes 3 courses, half a bottle of wine and coffee and is available from 6.30pm- which I consider to be excellent value and suitable for all ages and budgets.
We opted for the main menu£29.50 for 2 courses, £36.50 for three courses; which included 6 starters, mains and deserts or a local cheeseboard.
Local Seasonal produce
Browsing the menu it became obvious that Mint is very keen to offer local seasonal produce. Dan the owner tells me he visits Birmingham wholesale markets each day to buy the best fish. He also purchases Packington pork, Great Wyrley beef and local pigeon when in season, the entire restaurant’s fruit and vegetables are fresh from a farm in Shenstone.
As a keen supporter of local produce this impresses me, buying local helps sustain our local economy and reduces food miles, ensuring the freshest produce from farm to table. www.pennyzako.co.uk
A talented adventurous chef
The menu is a novel of complex combination dishes each dish tells its own story, the meat or fish being cooked in 2, 3 even 4 different ways. To the untrained palette the menu may appear over bearing even pompous. However that said the flavours and textures should work well together and are an indication of a talented adventurous chef As long as each dish is cooked correctly and well balanced the evening promises to be a gastro feast. The menu excited me and I was so looking forward to tasting it.
To Start
John ordered
- A trio of Cornish Mackerel, pan fried, soused, smoked pate with peanut, cucumber, dill and pineapple
And I
- Hand dived Scallops, belly pork, apple puree, Clonkilty black pudding, purple sprouting broccoli.
We ordered a bottle of
- Petit Bourgeois- Sauvignon blanc vin de payes du Jardin de la France 2007
- (likened on the menu to a Sancerre)
I was disappointed that there were no English wines offered on the menu, considering we have a vineyard (www.buzzardvalley.co.uk) only five miles away bearing in mind Dan the owners passion for local produce. However the menu offers a good range of beverages starting from £15 up to 3101.
The Dining Room
Upstairs the glitzy boudoir theme is continued with silver, glittery pillars and mirrors. The dining room is quite small and can only be accessed via a steep staircase, so unfortunately those who are not able bodied only have the option of casually dining downstairs. For those who are capable there is the option during fine weather to dine on the balcony terrace, with a lovely view of Sutton Park.
The Meal
John’s mackerel starter looked pretty and had a lovely fresh flavour. The handmade peanut butter added texture and brought the dish together, overall it was a pleasant well balanced dish.
My generous portion of scallops and belly pork was beautifully presented. The packington pork belly melted in the mouth, the puree was smooth and well seasoned and the sweetness of the apple sauce partnered well with the scallops. The black pudding when tasted on its own disappoint had very little fat in proportion to rusk, however because the belly is a fatty cut the combination balanced perfectly.
I was a little dismayed that at 8 o’clock on a Friday evening that they had sold out of my first choice main course- the fish platter. so instead I ordered the lamb
- Slow cooked shoulder, lamb fillet and lamb breast, lamb liver, garlic and olive puree, crispy potato and asparagus.
John ordered
- Duo pork tenderloin and slow cooked shoulder, courgettes, morels lavender carrots, crispy potato and asparagus.
The pork dish was quite simply divine; the carrots had just a subtle fragrance of lavender which did not overpower the dish much to my surprise. The thick sticky glaze added a depth of flavour which complimented the earthiness of the succulent local pork and the woodland morels- partners made in heaven.
My lamb dish was cooked beautifully, full of flavour and slightly pink it was the star of the dish and looked stunning on the plate. The garlic and olive puree added a touch of acidity which counteracted the sweetness of the lamb and the peppery spinach cut through the richness of the meat.
To Finish
- Pistachio macaroon, strawberry puree, Chantilly cream, basil sorbet and strawberry jelly
- Followed by a board of local cheeses.
The desert was Picasso on the plate; macaroons are very in vogue at the moment. The basil sorbet complimented the sweetness of the seasonal strawberry jelly, which was intensely flavoursome and had just the right wobble!
My verdict
Dan and his team have worked hard to establish their restaurant in streetly, their dream of a drop in venue for brunch, afternoon tea, pre dinner drink or full menu I feel is a little over ambitious, not because they cannot deliver on service, taste or quality of food, quite the contrary it is purely down to their location.
If you could pick up Mint and relocate it in the grounds of Sutton Park I do think people would think differently about dining there. The building itself is historic but there is no getting away from the fact it was once a clothes shop!
In summary
We had a very pleasant dining experience and I applaud Dan and his team for what they are striving to achieve. We were served attentively by young but well informed polite staff. The food was presented with finesse and artistic flair and the unusual flavour combinations were delicious.
My response to the pre dining comments that I received- please give Mint another chance to impress.
Mint is a restaurant for the sophisticated palette and those who appreciate the fine dining experience. If you are a foodie and love local food cooked beautifully with artistic flair, pay Mint a visit- I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Loveourbritishfoods
No comments:
Post a Comment