For a year Cannon Court’s Piccalilli has been making its name with a menu packed full with unique takes on the British small plate. We went to see what the fuss was about…
It’s been just over a year since Piccalilli opened its doors. It’s hidden up an alleyway just off the Market Square, in a premises previously occupied by Japanese restaurant Kushi Ya and vegan trailblazers Alley Café. Both of those set high standards for cuisine and good vibes and it’s a pleasure to see that this trend has continued.
Once you’ve navigated your way in off the streets you enter a lovely period building with simple, rustic and warm décor. The main dining room is cosy, offering seating for about thirty people. It’s overlooked by both the bar and the kitchen; with head chef Dan Coles and his team on a raised platform; both on show and overseeing. Diners, waiters and chefs alike; everyone is in the same room.
Many people like me will have eaten British food for most of their lives, but perhaps never quite like this before. Viva Piccalilli!
Coles previously worked for Larwood and Voce in West Bridgford when they won the title of Best British Roast Dinner 2015. He also worked at Iberico World Tapas, World Service and the Michelin-Starred The Pipe and Glass Inn in Yorkshire. This is his first solo venture and it’s clear the vision is an accumulation of everything he’s learned so far.
The food is British-inspired small plates, which include some unique and remarkable flavour combinations. In total, including desserts, there are about twenty dishes on the menu, plus specials, and they all range from £5 to £15 each. You probably need to order three or four of those per person and if you come in a group of five or more it’s worth considering ordering at least one of everything. The dishes then come out in stages, starting with snacks and starters and leading up to your fish and meat mains and desserts.
We started off with treacle-baked ham with the eponymous piccalilli. The ham was succulent and it appeared that its very-British accompanying condiment was infused with aniseed - divine! We followed that up with brie, roast carrots, plum chutney and walnuts - another combination of flavours you wouldn’t think to put together but it really works.
From the fish menu we shared both the cured chalk stream trout with quail eggs, salad cream and pickled cucumber and the scallops with parsley velouté and fried soda bread. The trout was diced up and tasted like fine salmon, while the scallops were succulent and were my partner’s favourite dish of the evening.
We finished the savoury course with two offerings from the meat menu. First, roast venison with beetroot, pickled blackberries and juniper. This was my favourite dish of the night, the steak was cooked perfectly and the flavour combinations of the berries and beetroot add an unexpected sweetness. We also had the lamb scrumpet with braised red cabbage, parsnip and capers. I’ve not really come across scrumpets as a dish before, but pleasingly it looked like a massive fish finger with pulled lamb inside. Safe to say it tasted amazing too.
For dessert we went for the parsnip cake with salted butterscotch and cream cheese ice cream, which tasted like a sticky toffee pudding infused with carrot cake. Alongside it, from the specials board, we try the treacle tart with quince ice cream. Two proper British favourites, both done differently and brilliantly!
When you think of British food the mind gravitates towards hearty portions of Sunday roast, pie and gravy meals etc. But perhaps small plates have been dominated by Spanish and Chinese cuisine for too long? Many people like me will have eaten British food for most of their lives, but perhaps never quite like this before. Viva Piccalilli!
Find Picalilli at 1a Cannon Court, Long Row W, NG1 6JE
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