Sat Bains' two Michelin-starred restaurant is, by now, a fine dining veteran, having opened its doors a staggering 25 years ago and retained its second star since 2011. But time is a beautiful thing, and if Sat Bains was great then, it’s outstanding now, sharpening its sword over the years to become a gleaming, powerful weapon of a restaurant.
One look at chef Sat’s Instagram bio, which heeds the quote ‘I am an artist that uses food as a medium’, will give you an insight into the type of cooking you can expect here. His menu is brave and unique, but it’s also filled with comforting things that celebrate the joy of eating. Crusty, hot treacle bread served with heavily salted homemade butter, for example.
Each course is bursting with concentrated flavour and mouthwatering textural combinations, like flaky crab meat in an umami bisque elevated with the crunch of paper-thin peanut brittle. A velvety potato dish, one of our favourites from the menu, marries contrasting textures with salty kicks, from parma ham to raw truffle to big bites of fluffy baked potato.
The cooking is intricate and clever, but it’s also filled with fun surprises. Mid-course, we’re led from our table to a greenhouse in the restaurant’s kitchen garden, where one of the chefs crafts bubbly, wood-fired flatbreads in an effortless 60-second demonstration. These are finished with parmesan cream and verdant herb oil, then served still steaming with a crisp beer. Come on! Another dish entitled ‘the crossover’, which functions as a bridge between the savoury and sweet courses, pairs mellow sweetcorn ice cream with olive oil, miso caramel, popcorn and passion fruit in a melee of tang, salt and citrus. Sat challenges the diner constantly, like when infusing creamed rice pudding with truffle, but the execution is always spot on. Needless to say, we didn’t want the meal to end.
A considered wine pairing features bottles from some of the best winemakers across the globe, meandering from mineral-rich whites to berry-heavy reds, to sake and sweet wines. ‘We wouldn’t put a bottle on the menu that we wouldn’t want to drink ourselves’, explains Sat.
As for the setting? The dining room feels like a countrified home, with large tables, red brick walls and uber-cosy lighting, fake candles and all. 10 courses are £199. 15 courses are £275. Sat Bains is a destination restaurant for sure, but this truly is food of the finest pedigree.