Juniper Restaurant

[Andy Lynes]

OK, I understand the point now. Kitching does seem to be trying to do something totally nonderivative here. Although some of this food sounds utterly bizarre, that doesn't mean Paul Kitching is illiterate in a culinary sense. I won't repeat myself but will refer you to this post I made a couple of years ago.

[Kropotkin]

I’ve just come cross this thread and have been quite shocked by the vitriol poured upon Juniper and Paul Kitching by some of our steak-loving cousins from the US. I’ll therefore report my visit to Juniper for a tasting menu two months ago to balance the score a little more...

We were only planning a lunch en-rote to a function, but when we saw an eight course taster menu (at an extremely reasonable 45 quid) we plumped for this option. For this we had a genuinely good meal, but a great restaurant experience. Let me explain: I thought the food compared very favourably with one-star standard and pushed two-star levels in places, however, what was uniquely special was the brio and verve of this menu. We had no idea what was coming, but from the playfully-florrid descriptions that accompanied their arrival through to the mixtures of textures, tastes and flavours we encountered, we simply enjoyed these dishes enormously.

This performative aspect to Juniper has been mentioned before on here and in the press, but the menu really did seem to acquire its own exciting momentum as each dish brought new surprises which were always stimulating, often extremely good, occasionally OK, but also, and at best, riotous fun. For those looking for classical but slightly innovative cuisine executed within established culinary contours perhaps this isn’t the place; but I you're happy to try something different and playful, then this will be worth your time.

I can't recall the exact detail of our dishes (not least because the descriptions arrived with the dishes), but I do remember an excellent turbot concoction (although this didn't have the lemon tart, as mentioned above). We enjoyed a combination of beef and lamb greatly; and I also remember the scallop and Welsh rarebit dish as being particularly good. The deserts, though, were especially memorable. The first was based upon the flavour of chocolate buttons and was enormously entertaining (this dish is a particular favourite of the serving staff, we learnt). The bucks fizz sorbet was also a blast, while the lemon tart (here rather than with beef or fish), was very good. The petits fours were also impresssive and throughout, the service was very warm, friendly and attentive.

Looking back three things strike me:

- First, the place was empty that Saturday lunchtime –one other couple– so it’s difficult to know what the atmosphere might be like when it's full.

- Second, despite eight courses, we didn't encounter any of the more outlandish presentation and combinations that are mentioned elsewhere on this site. Again, was this due to a slow lunchtime? Or, is Kitching heeding the criticism that he is sometimes just too wacky, and reigning in his wilder side to focus more on the quality? I'd be interested to hear of anyone else's experiences this summer.

- Third, how would Juniper fare in London? Would it be rumbled (as its detractors would argue) or feted (as many food-critics seem to suggest)? I'd tend towards the latter, but for selfish reasons, I really hope he stay put - as we're still smiling about this place two months on.

[Jon Tseng]

- Third, how would Juniper fare in London?  Would it be rumbled (as its detractors would argue) or feted (as many food-critics seem to suggest)?  I'd tend towards the latter, but for selfish reasons, I really hope he stay put - as we're still smiling about this place two months on.

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One thing to consider: the prices would probably have to double...

[RDB]

I visited Juniper the week before Christmas for lunch, as I had not been there for about a year. Juniper has always been a favourite restaurant of mine, as my first visit there five years ago blew my mind. I have returned many times in the past and introduced numerous people to Paul’s cooking.

When we arrived the restaurant was empty, and remained so throughout lunch. This was probably being due to the time of year. So needless to say service was pretty good. It usually is anyway I think Katie and her team have this area sewn up.

As always I went for the 8 course gourmet menu, which in the past has never meant 8 courses, in my experience it has ranged from 14 to 28. In a previous post on the board it was mentioned that Paul had reduced the number of courses he sent out and numbers of course may correlate with his mood. If the latter hypothesis is true he must have been in a reserved mood the day I visited.

Artichoke cream, white chocolate and minced cookie:

I have had versions of this dish before and do enjoy it. The cookie has a nice combination of salt, and sweetness, and a lovely chewy texture. The cream was good but hard to detect the artichoke.

Fillet of trout, dried banana, dates and vanilla glaze:

I really think one of Paul’s strengths is his treatment of fish. This little piece of trout was sublime, perfectly cooked and seasoned. I am not a fan of dried fruit in food, but the dates and bananas worked well, with the vanilla being quite subtle, but warming.

Carrot, cinnamon, chick and lentil soup:

Presented as three different coloured layers in a shooter glass. This was a real comfort dish, soothing in the mouth and well spiced. Probably more of a dhal dish than a soup. ‘Curry’ spices feature a lot in many of Junipers dishes.

Chicken Boudin Blanc, crispy black pudding, grated cauliflower and broccoli and curry sauce:

This dish went too quickly. The boudin was a little bland I thought, could have had a bit more depth. The black pudding was miniscule, literally paper thin and a centimetre long, would like to know how he did that, it was crisp and tasty nonetheless. The cauliflower and broccoli really had a couscous appearance and texture to it, with curry sauce making another appearance.

Fillet of beef, mange tout, French fries, choc tart and truffle glaze:

I slight variation on Paul’s fillet of beef and custard tart, albeit with the addition of chocolate. This dish is I suppose similar to Heston’s snail porridge in the reaction it evokes, fillet of beef and tart!!!! Is it that crazy? In Italian cuisine crema fritta (fried patisserie custard) is served with savoury dishes, such as meat stuffed olives, meat and fritto misto, and works very well. Whether this is Paul’s line of thinking I am not sure but it does show his ability to match ingredients intuitively and without a lab. Now after eating the dish you would not be converted as such to have custard or choc tart every time you have a steak, but it does work and is fun. Special mention to the one French fry that arrived pre salted and vinegared which was absolutely fantastic, but not enough!! Truffle glaze was too much in the background for my liking.

Cheese:

Best cheese board in the North of England, too many to mention, although remember a really good cheese from Sauternes. Good home made oat cakes.

Mango Lasse:

Continuing the Asian theme, this was a mango lasse, nothing more.

Praline and lemon, rosemary crème brulee:

Decent brulee in texture and design, taste wise it was good but got a little too reminiscent of toilet cleaner. Not that I have tasted toilet cleaner but I think it was lemon and rosemary produced a pine effect.

Choc Tart:

Haven’t we met before? No excuse for serving a main dish ingredient and then using it for dessert. It has to be one or the other or none. The salted chocolate crisp was delicious

White Choc pink peppercorn sorbet:

….and back to the start. Very similar to the white choc cookie but refreshing all the same.

If I am honest I have had better meals at Juniper, and that may not be down to objective analysis of the dish, but down to memories attached and the element of surprise. I was disappointed I only got eight dishes, not because I felt short changed, as it is well worth the £50 (?), but because I have been spoiled so much in the past. The joy of seeing dish after dish coming out, not knowing what would arrive next or when it would all end, creates an amazing dining journey. It was like receiving lots of Christmas presents, one after the other. If Paul’s mood was reserved on the day then that is fine, but he has to take some responsibility for me being a spoilt brat

[Jon Tseng]

Fillet of beef, mange tout, French fries, choc tart and truffle glaze:

I slight variation on Paul’s fillet of beef and custard tart, albeit with the addition of chocolate. This dish is I suppose similar to Heston’s snail porridge in the reaction it evokes, fillet of beef and tart!!!! Is it that crazy? In Italian cuisine crema fritta (fried patisserie custard) is served with savoury dishes, such as meat stuffed olives, meat and fritto misto, and works very well. Whether this is Paul’s line of thinking I am not sure but it does show his ability to match ingredients intuitively and without a lab. Now after eating the dish you would not be converted as such to have custard or choc tart every time you have a steak, but it does work and is fun. Special mention to the one French fry that arrived pre salted and vinegared which was absolutely fantastic, but not enough!! Truffle glaze was too much in the background for my liking.

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Chocolate is not infrequently matched with heavier/gamier meat dishes. Vension and chocolate is one combination (there's a good recipe for this in the first Gordon Ramsay book). Mexican mole poblano (sp) with turkey and lots of spice is the other one that springs to mind.

In that context chocolate and fillet steak, while not classic, is not as unusual as you might think.

I believe the rule of thumb is that if you chuck in chocolate you shouldn't be able to taste the chocolate standing out. It should be a whisper and nothing more.

J

[ginger chef]

a cadburys wispa

[ajnicholls]

I've chosen Juniper as my parent's first introduction to Michelin-starred cuisine at the end of next month. I've always loved the place and the value is extraordinary considering the quality of the cooking. Paul's souffle's are the lightest and most amazing I've ever eaten.

Adam

[Infrasonic]

I really think one of Paul’s strengths is his treatment of fish. This little piece of trout was sublime, perfectly cooked and seasoned. I am not a fan of dried fruit in food, but the dates and bananas worked well, with the vanilla being quite subtle, but warming

Couldn't agree more on the fish front. One of the reasons I always look out for fish themed Tuesdays @ £30ish a head. If you've never been to Juniper, these events really do represent amazing value.

I

[camdan]

I was pretty unimpressed by Juniper to be honest. Maybe because the only thing I could make it to was a Tuscan night, and I don't enjoy Tuscan food very much, but it all seemed pretty dreary to me. Certainly, it's no Fat Duck. I hope my meal at Anthony's next month is better.

What are peoples' opinions on Anthony's vs Juniper? I'm surprised not to have seen more debate about it given their similarities.

[thom]

I hear they have a "care in the community special menu" on Fridays and I am aiming to do my bit for the less fortunate by taking a couple of hairy-palmed social inadequates from eGullet along there this very week*.

Plastic cutlery and supersize bibs all round me thinks. I'll report back on how it all goes.

Cheers

Thom

*As long as work doesn't make my head explode in the meantime.

[Bails]

I have been to Juniper twice (the last visit being just over one year ago) and I must say I enjoyed it both times...though to a lesser degree the second time. However I firmly put this down to having such a brilliant experience during my first visit that the sense of expectation and excitment was colossal and couldn't be equalled. Some dishes are unbelievably brilliant in all areas of taste, texture and presentation, though I would agree with some earlier posts that they tend to (or at least tended to?) be a bit repetitive. Quite a few dishes always had a background tatse that at the time I remember being very soy sauce-like so it doesn't surprise that in an ealier post a background taste of 'marmite' was mentioned. This appeared a bit too frequently for me.

That said I have never left a restaurant (including The Fat Duck) with such a sense of giddiness as the first time leaving Juniper, in that it does challenge and surprise so much. And I don't know if it still is the case but the anticipation of what was coming next, be it sweet, savoury or both was fantastic. As someone with a very unsweet tooth it also broadened my appreciation of desserts, and pre-desserts..and pre pre desserts...and pre pre pre.....

[Gary Marshall]

I hear they have a "care in the community special menu" on Fridays and I am aiming to do my bit for the less fortunate by taking a couple of hairy-palmed social inadequates from eGullet along there this very week*.

Plastic cutlery and supersize bibs all round me thinks. I'll report back on how it all goes.

Cheers

Thom

*As long as work doesn't make my head explode in the meantime.

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you know i could have stayed in france another day but no, i'm coming back just for lunch at juniper, and as inexplicably the 2* treat i had planned for my last night is closed on wednesdays i'm very much looking forward to a good feed.

Obviously the chances of me having any money left are minimal so i hope bapi once again has collected his rent before we go.

[Bapi]

you know i could have stayed in france another day but no, i'm coming back just for lunch at juniper, and as inexplicably the 2* treat i had planned for my last night is closed on wednesdays i'm very much looking forward to a good feed.

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Please don't feel there is any need to rush back- not unless you are in possession of something leather ,which one would carry or wear in one's trousers. I am of course talking about your (rarely seen) wallet and not the Red Nose day cod-piece you seem to think is suitable attire of an evening. Bloody freak of nature.

Very much looking forward to the meal, but not the company obviously. If I may, I have one slight reservation which RDB alludes to and that is the slight predeliction towards "curry spices" on the menu. As a chap from Bengali heritage (i.e. parents from West Bengal, India as opposed to Bangladesh); I am slightly scared. Only because, the cooking I grew up with of that region, dicates a very judicious use of spices to produce a dish and so similar flavours reappearing, may challenge me somewhat. Then again, I happily look forward to being proven wrong.

[Gary Marshall]

i also have a slight reservation, about bapi's ability to stick to plans made months ago.

scared of rolling with the big dogs are you?

[thom]

scared of rolling with the big dogs are you? 

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I think he's more of a lap dog to be honest.

Cheers

Thom

[Bapi]

i also have a slight reservation, about bapi's ability to stick to plans made months ago.

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Just you wait till you have kids and see how easy it is.

All sorted now- I will be there.

[Gary Marshall]

good news, much as i'm looking forwards to returning to the UK for our lunch i'm not sure that the view from juniper can match where i'm having lunch tomorrow!

http://restaurant-alpette.com/index.php?ac...e&sujet=setting

[BertieWooster]

<mumbles to himself>

it's like the Three Stooges

</mumbles>

[thom]

Why I oughta'...

Cheers

Thom

[Infrasonic]

So chaps, how was it on Friday?

I

[thom]

Loooooooong...

And all in all very enjoyable. Or at least what I can remember was mostly enjoyable.

Rather frantic here right now what with the show and the awards next week (Northern Restaurant and Bar exhibition and the Northern Hospitality Awards - plug plug) so a proper write-up is beyond me for the moment...

That said, one of the nerdier amongst us did request a copy of the menu so I can only imagine they are planning to do a blow by blow, definitive, 'painting pictures with words' style writeup of the gastronomic experience that was Juniper.

Over to you then Bapi.

Cheers

Thom

[Infrasonic]

Rather frantic here right now what with the show and the awards next week (Northern Restaurant and Bar exhibition and the Northern Hospitality Awards - plug plug) so a proper write-up is beyond me for the moment...

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Oh yes, that tatty market stall thingy at G-Mex you run once a year....

<running away very fast..>

I

[Gary Marshall]

Loooooooong...

And all in all very enjoyable. Or at least what I can remember was mostly enjoyable.

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i left home at 10 am, i returned home at 4 am the next day.

I think that is a record 'lunch' for me.

so you're asking the wrong person for a detail review, i have 2 pictures on my phone of the first starter a layered tomato-ey caviar dish which was very good and the main course a lamb/beef/chocolate tart combo, which was an interesting combo.

liked the feel of the place and thought the wine list decent value, which i blame entirely for the lack of memory. house champagne was very good, and the chassagne - montrachet and volnay did the trick though unusually we had more white than red.

[thom]

Oh yes, that tatty market stall thingy at G-Mex you run once a year....

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Thank goodness it is only once a year...

See, I'm even too busy to engage in mild banter.

Cheers

Thom

[RDB]

If you visit the website http://www.juniper-restaurant.co.uk/ and look under the news section you can see a bit of Juniper and the genius that is Paul Kitching in action.

Why Juniper and Paul Kitching are not nominated in the Northern Hospitality awards is beyond me Saying that I am not sure how the entrants are chosen. Unless of course, Paul is up for the lifetime achievement award