Modern wine bar
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| Slipsole |
Noble Rot is a restaurant and wine bar in between Holborn and Russell Square tube station, it has been recently refurbished over the winter. I got to admit, the only reason I have decided to visit the venue is because of Stephen Harris, the chef owner of the much framed 1 Michelin starred The Sportman in Kent, he oversees the menu along with head chef Paul Weaver who has previously worked at St John and The Sportman. The menu at Noble Rot is short and simple, with only four mains to choose from. I rather enjoy the decor of the venue, it has a rustic but yet tidy feel to it with classy paintings surrounding the restaurant.
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| beef carpaccio |
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| crispy pork belly salad |
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| Ox Cheek, Swede & Purple Spouting Broccoli |
My starter of Slipsole was rather average, mild sweetness from the soil, but the smoked butter was underwhelming, and at £9 a dish it was not value for money. The crispy pork belly with watercress however, was excellent, it had the perfect seasoning and texture plus the skin was crunchy and robust. The star dish of the night by far was the halibut braised in Oxidised 1998 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, not that I have any idea of what the wine tasted like on its own, but the sauces were silky smooth and rich which worked so well with the moist fish, this dish is easily Michelin quality. The well cooked venison offered a great combination of earthiness and sweetness, plus I especially enjoyed the juniper giving the dish a touch of bitter undertone.
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| halibut braised in Oxidised 1998 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru |
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| venison, cavolo nero and juniper |
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| lime cheesecake |
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| buttermilk pudding |
While Noble Rot was far from perfect, some dishes can be exceptionally good, the strong selection of wine by the glass is also a bonus. Not a bad glass was served by our waiter for the night (even thought we were making some very odd request such as a none sweet wine for our dessert). The chill out relaxing environment makes this place a good choice for an after work drink. Not many wine bars can deliver quality food so Noble Rot is one of the few rare gems in London, with the lack of direct competitions in the area, this place might well on its way to become one of the hottest hangout joint in 2016.
Food 3.5/5
What I paid:
£66 per head with 2 glasses of wine
Average cost without drinks and services:
£40
51 Lamb's Conduit St, London WC1N 3NB
http://noblerot.co.uk/wine-bar
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