Walk On The Wild Side / The Wilderness
I like it… like it, yes I do
Despite lockdown being officially lifted today, I seemed to have become an introvert agoraphobic over the last 14 weeks and have no particular desire yet to eat out… so it’s another ’fine dining at home’ meal tonight.
This will be our third such experience in the last few weeks; and given ‘Stu Deeley at Home’ and ‘Peel’s on Wheels’ have been undoubted lockdown highlights, tonight’s ‘Walk On The Wild Side 1’ from The Wilderness is under some pressure to deliver. They’re certainly raising the bar with five courses, but with that coming in at a heftier price point, expectations are raised too.
If you’ve eaten at The Wilderness, you’ll know they put themselves out there—and deliver—on what they call ‘Rock n Roll fine dining.’ The food never takes itself too seriously; it’s got attitude, but more than often playful and always puts flavour front, back, centre, top and bottom of every dish. In some respects, it’s not at all a gamble but I do wonder how much of its magic comes from the fabulous décor and energy that makes it Birmingham’s swankiest restaurant. There is at least the option of playing The Wilderness soundtrack on Spotify.
We’re following our fine dining at home ‘tradition’ and have agreed a 7 o’clock start with drinks, aiming to start the main event at 7.30. Again, it’s a rare shave for me and an ironed shirt; the table is laid; flowers fetched from the garden; and from the cellar I bring up a Hugel Reisling 2010 and a Super Tuscan in the shape of a Venerosa Tenuta Ghizzano 2015.
The gorgeous Hugel Riesling 2010
First up is the ‘snack’, a warmed through potato terrine whose delicate layers deliver such a bullseye hit of onion-ladened cheese it has you working out a strategy to make this feeling last as long as possible. There’s also what seems to be flaky pastry in amongst the action, but I can’t quite work out if this is just a perfect illusion or a simple reality... who cares? Then, the gently smoky hit of caviar spreads the workload onto other taste buds, tickling along as it goes. It’s the perfect amuse bouche.
Snack… Pomme et fromage a la Greggs with smoked caviar
The Return of The Big Mac is a ‘Wilderness Classic’ so we’re straight into their hits. We watch through the ‘how to video’ and get stuck into the task, first mixing in the shallots, gherkin, coal oil and soy caramel leaving that for fifteen minutes to lightly cure the tartare of beef—from retired dairy cow. Assembling on the plate, we pipe on smoked cheese custard, add shimeji mushrooms—pickled in soy, mirin and sesame oil, pickled shallot rings and finishing with a chickpea wafer.
The return of ‘The Big Mac’
It’s a magical mix of textures, working across all taste points or more accurately, taste sensations. With my bouche having already been amused, it is now being fully entertained… this is ‘Rock n Roll fine dining’ indeed. And after 45 minutes with The Wilderness soundtrack we feel we can lose that prop, without fear of anything being taken away.
Tenuta di Ghizzano DOC Terre di Pisa Venerosa 2015
Next up is red prawn tom yum with sweetness from Isle of White tomatoes pickled in a vinegar and vanilla marinade; sour perfection from a green coconut mojo made with lemongrass, lime leaves, coriander; and quiet heat from the sriracha in the broth.
Red prawn tom yum
The ‘main event’ is Iberico char siu—slow-cooked pork cheek with confit fennel, soy caramel apple and slab of slow cooked pork belly, fried crisp before being basted in butter. The soy caramel apple is the dream accompaniment, not only for the pork both ways, but also against the saltiness of the char siu hoisin sauce oozing fermented soy and a five spiced kick of anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns. If I was dining alone I would lick my plate clean.
Iberico char sui
We pause ahead of dessert leaving me to ponder the tragedy of being out of dessert wine, but we’re all in absolute agreement the meal has not dropped a single beat. Our house vegetarian has been equally effusive with praise… with barbecued swede replacing the tartare in her Big Mac; extra tomato replacing the red prawn in the tom yum and her favourite so far is the carrot char siu, cooked in carrot juice and then barbecued. Served with a sweet carrot ‘sauce’ that harmonises with the smokiness of fresh curd. I would happily have this as my own main.
BBQ carrot char sui
The dessert continues in this rich vein of form; a ‘nest’ of white chocolate and elderflower cremoux, into which we add strawberries macerated in a strawberry consommé and Thai basil, finishing with a green peppercorn sable crumb. The strawberry and white chocolate combo will always be a winner but it’s the subtly contrasting flavours that make the dish; each staking a claim for prominence in every mouthful before that dream duet takes control. It’s every bit as good as what’s gone before it.
Strawberry & white chocolate chemoux with green peppercorn sable crumb
The ‘Happy Ending’ comes in the shape of a sriracha and honeycomb chocolate truffle; a sweet bomb of deliciousness with a lovely last bite at the back of the throat.
Costs-wise it’s £65 a head… but easily the best money I’ve spent on food in lockdown. Absolutely nothing has been lost transporting the quality and essence of The Wilderness’s food from the restaurant to the fine dining at home experience. We’re already looking forward to ‘Walk on The Wild Side 2’ in a few weeks.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
27 Warstone Lane, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham B18 6JQ
