James South Street - 21 James South Street - Belfast

It took me three weeks to manage to get a booking in James Street South Bar. After several failed attempts we decided to plan ahead and to jump of the offer of a table at 9.15 on a Saturday night.

As we walked in, we were instantly greeted by the manager and guided to our table. The whole place was buzzing: couples, friends and large parties.

After ordering our wine, we started perusing the menu which first struck me as unpretentious, surprisingly short and straightforward in its way to describe the food. We were both intrigued. It was hard to know if the cuisine would be very simple or if the menu was purposely elusive.

After a while, we decided to share the duck rillettes and a side of truffle fries for starters. There are no words to describe the heavenly association of flavours and textures. The rillettes literally melted on the tongue. They came with a side of whipped goat cheese and honey providing a beautiful balance to the dish. Each mouthful was magical. Goat cheese and honey always work nicely together but it was a great surprise to discover how they perfectly completed and enhanced the duck.

As for the truffle fries, what can I say: I am a sucker for truffle. It is such a precious ingredient; even the slightest touch of it can metamorphose a simple dish. The fries were hand cut, thin and crispy. Every bite brought a wave of truffle and finished on a beautiful taste of aged Parmesan. I had never eaten anything like that before and I think this is a signature dish that has to be sampled if you decide to go to James South.

Then, for the main courses, Damien picked the macaroni with roast chicken. Once again, the very basic description didn’t quite describe the quality of the food. The homemade pasta were fondant, served in a light creamy sage infused sauce with crispy pancetta. The delicacy and the creativity of this dish were absolutely unbelievable.

My own main course was in every way as delicious. I had ordered a wild mushroom risotto. I have a passion for risottos and I am quite hard to satisfy when it comes to that particular dish but this one was from far the best I had ever had: creamy texture but without being too rich, exploding with strong mushroom flavours and finished with a touch of tasty pecorino cheese. I was amazed.

I don’t know how we were still hungry after that but we did indulge ourselves with desserts.

Damien had the vanilla crème brulee that was as creamy as expected, with a sweet hint of vanilla and a nice crunchy golden brown caramel layer. A classic brilliantly mastered by the chefs.

I had opted myself, for the apple pie and custard. The pastry was deliciously buttery and the apple filling had a nice kick of cinnamon to it. The warm pie contrasted surprisingly well with the cold custard. I particularly enjoyed it.

All in all the whole evening was perfect; the food couldn’t have been better or more creative. The atmosphere was great and the surroundings stylish and trendy. The service was efficient and very professional in a relaxed modern way. I just can’t wait to go back there!!

Harlem Cafe - Bedford Street - Belfast

Last Saturday, against all odds, we managed to squeeze in a booking for two in the very busy list of the Harlem Café. I had wanted to go there for a while. I usually look at the menu first when I try to find our next spot for a nice dinner out; but I must admit that it is the style and the decoration that really attracted me this one time.

When you step in the Harlem Café, there is a lot to take in. Every single detail, every piece of furniture has been carefully selected: it is a whirlwind of black and white photographs, oil paintings, antique frames, tables and armchairs, imposing vases, all brilliantly orchestrated in order to create a unique and enchanting atmosphere.

The place was packed and buzzing with excitement, which didn’t stop the service from being fast and efficient. While waiting for our table to be ready, we ordered a crisp and dry Chardonnay from Chile that was presented in an impressive and elegant silver bucket.

The menu was quite simple but really appealing. We decided to share as a starter the “Harlem’s tiddly bits surprise” described as the chef’s choice of mouth watering treats! We didn’t regret our choice when the waitress brought to our table a wooden board offering a creative selection of curry popcorn, green and purple marinated olives, garlic, chilli and curry infused oils with warm toasted sourdough bread to dip in as well as a scrumptious sundried tomatoes tapenade and some crispy fried puff pastry slices. It was a real delight and we devoured everything. I had never tried something like curry popcorn before and loved the experience. The mix of texture and flavours was astonishing.

As for our main course, we couldn’t resist the temptation of the Harlem’s Big Smoke Steak Burger. Believe me, it was massive and we definitely over-indulged but it tasted so good!! The patty was full of fresh herbs and seasoned to the perfection. It was smothered in Applewood cheese, which gave a nice smoky kick to the whole burger. A crispy and lightly battered onion ring brought a lovely touch to the dish. The Posh Burger from the Alley Cat definitely got itself some competition and I haven’t even mentioned yet the side of chunky chips. I wondered if those were the famous triple cooked chips I heard so much about. I am more of a French fries kind of person usually but these chips were unreal, thick but crispy, beautifully golden, they couldn’t have tasted better.

The only criticism I have about this lovely evening concerns the temperature in the café. The way the Harlem is designed results in a lot of people being gathered in a rather small space and that creates some serious heat! Despite the front door being open and the cold weather outside, we were rapidly roasting and it is just not a good feeling when you are eating. It certainly put us off our food a bit and we renounced ordering a dessert which was a shame knowing that the Café is famous for its delicious cakes.

Except from that, we had a great time and I would recommend it without a second thought!