21 Social - The new menu

I have been working for the past two months on my project to open my own cake business in Belfast and it has been so intense and exciting that I got slightly delayed in my usual blog writing. Here I am though, ready to post about at least three of my most recent culinary experiences.

I will start with 21 Social. As you know, I had been there before. However, a friend, as passionate about food as I am, informed me that 21 Social had drastically changed their menu for impressively higher standards.

As Damien’s brother and partner were going to visit us, we couldn’t find a better opportunity to go back and sample the new food.

It was on a Saturday night, the restaurant was packed but the service as fast and efficient as I remembered. The menu looked incredibly appealing and full of exciting promises.

Damien and his brother started with the goat cheese fritters. These delicate crunchy bites were served with paper-thin slices of white and red beetroot and a creative seasoning that enhanced the rich flavour of the cheese. It was both surprisingly good and artistically dressed on the plate.

Stacey picked the three-way pork terrine, which came with a poached egg and a burnt applesauce. The texture of the terrine was fabulous and the egg perfectly cooked. I thought the combination of the runny yolk with the stronger taste of the terrine and the acidity of the applesauce was magical!

As for me, I had opted for the lemon and dulse crispy squid, following my friend’s recommendation. I was not disappointed, the squids were coated in light, fluffy batter and extremely tender. The nut oil seasoning was absolutely stunning and so creative. I would have never expected it to go so well with the seafood.

For the main courses, the men chose the pork belly. Again, the food was beautifully presented and equally delicious. The truffle gratin was fantastic and the cauliflower puree was perfect with the pork. The meat was fabulous, with caramelised edges and a melting in the mouth, fondant texture.

Stacey had ordered the chicken breast. I am usually not keen on chicken when I eat out. I tend to think it tastes better when it is homemade but this time, the chef proved me wrong! The breast was moist with a golden crispy skin, as it had been first poached then roasted. The same gorgeous goat cheese fritters we had had for starters and some braised gem hearts elegantly complemented the dish. I had never tasted cooked lettuce before but I really enjoyed it.

I had asked the pan-fried sea bass, which was a real epiphany. The fish was prepared on the skin and was cooked to the perfection. It came with juicy, buttery scallops served on crispy slices of black pudding: heavenly combination! There also was “cockle popcorn” and potato bread fries. Those two elements literally blew me away. The cockles had an incredible texture and were presented in such a creative way and the potato bread fries were gorgeous and such an original alternative to regular chips. Finally, the béarnaise sauce was sublime, the kind that brings you back to childhood and makes you want to lick your fingers the way you did with the chocolate cake batters leftovers in the pan.

All in all, we had a fantastic experience. We couldn’t fault the food. Everything was perfect: presentation, flavours, and originality! I would highly and confidently recommend it to anybody and I am planning on going back myself to sample more of this amazing food!