Carters of Moseley in Birmingham

 

December 2 2016

As a little reward to myself for finishing my first term in culinary school, I had treated myself to a lovely dinner at the newly awarded Michlen star restaurant, carters of moseley.

SO WE CHOOSE TO DO THE 7 COURSE MENU THAT INCLUDED ALL THE ABOVE EXCEPT FOR THE CHEESE COURSE.

Chicken Liver Cereal

Chicken Liver Cereal

House Charcuterie

House Charcuterie

Ogelshield Gourgeres

Ogelshield Gourgeres

St. Austell Mussels, Dashi, Pepper Dulse

St. Austell Mussels, Dashi, Pepper Dulse

My favorites had to be the chicken liver cereal and the St. Austell mussels.  The cereal was a great idea as the chicken liver was quite rich and creamy but then was balanced out by the crunch and a bit of saltiness from the cereal.  The mussels were also quite nice, the dashi broth added a lightness and asian flavor to the dish.  The gourgeres and charcuterie were nice but nothing particularly special or different.

Flamed Mackerel, Tokyo Turnips, Back-Fat

Flamed Mackerel, Tokyo Turnips, Back-Fat

Pheasant Dumpling, Kabocha Squash, Wiltshire Truffle

Pheasant Dumpling, Kabocha Squash, Wiltshire Truffle

Mayan Gold Mash & Bone Marrow Gravy

Mayan Gold Mash & Bone Marrow Gravy

Wild Cabbage, Tunworth, Wiltshire Truffle

Wild Cabbage, Tunworth, Wiltshire Truffle

Looe Red Mullet, 3 Cornered Leek, Bone Sauce

Looe Red Mullet, 3 Cornered Leek, Bone Sauce

Red Deer, Blackcurrant, Fermented Cabbage

Red Deer, Blackcurrant, Fermented Cabbage

Each of these dishes had elements I liked, and a few were slightly lacking in either texture or balance of flavors.  i actually liked the mackerel dish the best, as this had an interesting play on textures and flavors.  as the turnips and back fat were both shaped in cubes, when tasting you had the crunch from the turnips and then the saltiness and chewiness from the back fat but were unable to distinguish between the two upon looking at them.  the mayan gold mash was quite tasty but all i really tasted was salt and the texture was all the same, soft and mushy.  i would have fried some bone marrow or added some element of crunch to the dish.  the pheasant dumpling was my least favorite as the dumpling didn't have a strong taste but when eaten with the squash, all you could taste was squash.  the mullet as its sauce was made from big prawns, i SUBSTITUTED this with the wild cabbage, tunworth cheese and wiltshire truffle dish.  It was good but nothing EXTRAORDINARY special, truffles are always nice.  the deer dish was also ok, the blackcurrant sauce was quite overpowering and salty.  but the red cabbage powder was the most interesting element of the dish, added a nice bright purple color.

Regia Walnut Ice Cream

Regia Walnut Ice Cream

Treacle Tart, Goats Milk, Miso Caramel

Treacle Tart, Goats Milk, Miso Caramel

i Quite enjoyed the walnut ice cream, the flavor of the ice cream was very subtle and the shaved walnuts gave it a bit of texture.  i was excited for the next dessert as i love miso caramel but unfortunately i was quite DISAPPOINTED.   both the treacle tart and miso caramel are very rich in flavor therefore i think the purpose of the goats milk was to cut the richness and sweetness but it just wasn't enough, it was a bit too soft and there maybe should have been more of it.  

it was a great dining experience, especially after going to culinary for the last few months.  the dining experience has now and forever changed for me.  Now i have a better understanding of all the preparation that goes into each single dish and have a greater appreciation for the time and effort spent.  however i now have become more critical.  now both my taste buds and mind are working together to taste and then analyze the ENTIRETY of the dish, all the elements to see the balance of flavors and textures.  still figuring out if this has become a blessing or curse.

 

Carter's of Moseley

2c St Mary's Row, Wake Green Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 9EZ, United Kingdom

http://cartersofmoseley.co.uk/