Bacchus, Shoreditch

[TheBacchus]

Thanks David - yes the review was great just what we needed. Now we just have to improve our game and of course get the consistency right. ('just' he says )

As requested, for your viewing pleasure, and no doubt sadistic deconstructions, i will post our current menu and pics

carte menu

Cinnamon rubbed pork tenderloin cooked at low heat, pureed leeks, mangosteen, wasabi and rose froth, wild rocket and salty caramel

Warm codfish and wild mushrooms each cooked in their own juices. Fresh soybeans, lemon puree, spicy seaweed powder and ginger ale spray

Roasted pear financier, dolce latte ice cream, pear syrup, black pepper oil and lemon compote

[Matthew Grant]

Still no blue veins in the ice cream I see

[TheBacchus]

Still no blue veins in the ice cream I see

←

its trickier than we thought - we can get the veins in but it overpowers the ice-cream.

and no strawberry's on the salmon too you'll be pleased to see mate

[jayrayner]

If I was you I would replace the section headings with those old stalwarts starters, main courses, puddings before some smart arse restaurant critic comes in and whips yours arse for it. Entirely unreasonably of course.

[circeplum]

If I was you I would replace the section headings with those old stalwarts starters, main courses, puddings before some smart arse restaurant critic comes in and whips yours arse for it. Entirely unreasonably of course.

←

just beat me to it

[Charlie O]

Still no blue veins in the ice cream I see

←

its trickier than we thought - we can get the veins in but it overpowers the ice-cream.

and no strawberry's on the salmon too you'll be pleased to see mate

←

When we were in, we didn't have the salmon but another table raised an eyebrow about strawberries in Oct - can't have been you though,, Matthew

[naebody]

If I was you I would replace the section headings with those old stalwarts starters, main courses, puddings before some smart arse restaurant critic comes in and whips yours arse for it. Entirely unreasonably of course.

←

just beat me to it

←

Yup - I'd third this recommendation, albeit from the perspective of a punter rather than a critic.

In fact, I'd be tempted to edit down the menu descriptions a bit and allow the serving staff to do some of the explaining of ingredients and methods. Your average punter should already know they're not doing to get Cesar salad and curly fries, so there's no harm in providing a few surprises.

For example:

Starters

Tuna with cherry tomato sauce, wild rocket and crostini

Calamari linguini with squid ink paella and lemon spugna

sweet potato veloute with spice cake and lemon tarragon tuille

Languistine and pork terrine with mango puree and green tea powder salad

Mains

Cod with mushrooms and soy beans, ginger and seaweed polvere

Pork tenderloin, slow cooked with mangostine and leek veloute

Wild mushroom and seasonal root stufato, with herb dumplings and flowers

Halibut in a breaded cod crust, poached, with carrots, orange and chervil

Sirloin steak, sealed and slow cooked, with roast beets, spinach and truffle potato mash

Desserts

Polenta cake with roasted apricots, buttermilk sorbet, orange-flower honey and cava gelee

Chocolate snowball filled with port and quince, with vanilla yogurt, peanut and fig praline

Green apples two ways, with gingerbread and lemongrass bubble bath

Roasted pear financier and dolce latte ice cream, with pear syrup and lemon compote

Cheese selection

Looks v. good though. I'll certainly be visiting before you get reviewed and jack the prices up.

Edited October 12, 2006 by naebody (log)

[ravelda]

All looks fantastic, I will be heading there shortly! Not wanting to jump on the bandwagon, but I would also agree about the menu alterations (both of them) as you can guaranteee someone will pick on it for being a bit twee, and by simplifying the menu it leaves something for the waiters to do to ensure they know the dishes, but also it leaves a level of anticipation. It is always nice to order a dish and find little features that you had not anticipated (as long as they are good and add something to the dish other than fuss!)

[Matthew Grant]

I agree with Naebody, lose the "paint" and other flowery descriptions.

How's the beef coming out? I'd be concerned with the 60 degree sirloin, I appreciate that you are trying to break down the fat a little but it still seems a little warm to me i.e in the realms of getting on for well cooked.

Blumenthal (who I understand you are not) likes the slow cooking process to produce meat that is rare but without the usual bloody characteristics that traditional cooking might produce, I personally think that a low temp sirloin at that temperature might go against the possible benefits of cooking sirloin in this way. For what its worth I think Sirloin is a poor cut to choose for this method. Are you generating any maillard reaction in that dish at all?

Edited October 12, 2006 by Matthew Grant (log)

[naebody]

I agree with Naebody, lose the "paint" and other floury descriptions.

... although make sure you keep "lemongrass bubblebath". That's not flowery, that's poetry.

[Gary Marshall]

looks and sounds great, agree re the menu titles but i've had grief for this myself so what do i know

I like the dish descriptions though, when you're putting a lot of work into the garnishes you want to tell the punters about them not hide them, until you get to pierre gagnaire level or you have a resto full of understanding punters that know they will get more than just the description!

[algy]

"pre-fixe" is presumably post modern irony.

[TheBacchus]

Does this look better?

[ravelda]

Much, much better - well done for being so responsive!

[Matthew Grant]

That sounds much better, I reckon my other half would like it now

[muichoi]

Definitely better-codfish usually refers to salt cod, is this what you mean?otherwise 'cod' is much better. There's also no justification for 'twenty-four pounds' as opposed to 'twenty four pounds'!

[ravelda]

Definitely better-codfish usually refers to salt cod, is this what you mean?otherwise 'cod' is much better. There's also no justification for 'twenty-four pounds' as opposed to 'twenty four pounds'!

←

Other than that twenty-four pounds is the correct spelling of course!

[muichoi]

No it's not!

[TheBacchus]

No it's not!

←

Cant find much to go either way but came across this. Dont think its too much of problem anyway is it?

twenty-four seven (also 24 / 7) adv. (informal) twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (used to mean ‘all the time’): He’s on duty twenty-four seven.

Oxford University Press

[ravelda]

Twenty-four is absolutely the correct spelling - check the OED

[muichoi]

If indeed it is a correct usage, then I apologise. It nevertheless seems self-important.£24 is more normal. What about 'codfish'?

[TheBacchus]

If indeed it is a correct usage, then I apologise. It nevertheless seems self-important.£24 is more normal. What about 'codfish'?

←

For crying out loud!

cod 1 (kd)

n. pl. cod or cods

Any of various marine fishes of the family Gadidae, especially Gadus morhua, an important food fish of northern Atlantic waters. Also called codfish.

[Middle English.]

Free dictionary

[naebody]

For crying out loud!

cod 1  (kd)

n. pl. cod or cods

Any of various marine fishes of the family Gadidae, especially Gadus morhua, an important food fish of northern Atlantic waters. Also called codfish.

[Middle English.]

Free dictionary

←

I'd suggest we've descended from friendly advice into the world of pedancy. If you keep listening, you'll end up calling them cod pieces.

The menu redraft looks excellent, by the way, and has convinced me to visit either tonight or tomorrow. Be sure to throw another log on the circulator.

Edited October 19, 2006 by naebody (log)

[muichoi]

But why not 'Halibutfish' or the more common 'Tunafish'? I accept that it's pedantic, but why else ask for feedback? Codfish, as I say, has another shade of meaning and is normally used to describe the salted article. Just seems a bit silly and pretentious, that's all.

[Mrs Woman]

As a professional pedant (I'm a proofreader), I think cod would be better but if it's in the dictionary as both, then either is perfectly acceptable.

At least there are no spelling mistakes, I LOATHE spelling mistakes on menus - it shows a very slapdash attitude! It takes nothing to run something through a spell checker or get someone else to have a look at it for you.