Any trip to Newmarket racecourse is a great excuse to visit Midsummer House in Cambridge, the two Michelin star restaurant of Daniel Clifford, especially with the 14yo in tow! We’ve written about Midsummer House before, so I shan’t regurgitate all of that detail again…
Since we last wrote, Mr Clifford has sold one pub, bought another, and acquired a farm which will supply the restaurant, as well as housing a farm shop and delicatessen. Inevitably perhaps, this means that it doesn’t feel as though the restaurant is his main focus at the moment. The FOH were charming, the staff very attentive {though there was a lull during the height of service}, and the routine very well polished. The food itself is accomplished, though I don’t believe it’s of the calibre of our last visit. Whilst dishes stood up well individually, the ‘journey’ didn’t seem to have any obvious umami crescendo, despite the extensive use of onion and mushroom etc. This is a definite contrast to our last meal, which felt very ‘tight’ and structured.
Midsummer House is a great restaurant, and we’re absolutely certain that once Daniel’s other ventures are bedded in, Midsummer will return to its usual glorious form.
Addendum: Keen-eyed readers may spot a couple of dishes which resemblance those of Massimo Bottura’s Masterchef 2015 menu… Yes… We thought that too ;0) Hey, we’re all inspired by others, and chefs are no different.
- Gin and tonic amuse, with diced cucumber
- Mackerel tartar amuse, on crispy fish skin
- Chicken liver parfait amuse, avocado mousse
- Brillat Savarin eclair, with a citrus gel in a crispy shell
- English asparagus, burnt onion, potatoes, sauce hollandaise
- Smoked haddock, pickled onion, grilled cheese
- Roast veal sweetbread, pink grapefruit, pistachio and turnip purée
- Beetroot baked on open coals, quinoa, goat’s cheese, mizuna
- Beetroot baked on open coals, quinoa, goat’s cheese, mizuna
- Hen’s egg, with a Jerusalem artichoke velouté
- Brill, with caviar and oyster leaf
- The smoked hen eggs, that accompany the pot roasted chicken, leeks, mushrooms {sadly not photographed, me being the vegetarian!}
- Fillet of red mullet Rossini, Grelot onion and oyster leaf
- Pousse café
- Yorkshire rhubarb, Bramley apple, vanilla cream, apple caramel
- Chocolate dome with coffee, almond and mascarpone
