Last Saturday my mother invited me along to a pop-up restaurant event at Ballyholme Yacht Club. I presumed it was some sort of charity event where I would be offered a bowl of stew and a fifteen – turns out I was WRONG! Apparently my mother is hip and happening and had sussed out a new venture – Underground Dining by Gary Bell
When she sent me the menu for the evening I realised I was on to a winner – scallops, sorbet and spring lamb DELISH! I got to googling and found Gary’s website. It states ‘We host monthly dinner parties which consist of a group of strangers or friends, who gather together to share their passion of gourmet food, good company and interesting conversation.’ – sounds like a perfect evening to me!
We arrived and were seated on two long tables covered in crisp white linen with a gorgeous aspect over Ballyholme Bay. The layout of the tables really encouraged conversation with our neighbours. We waited in anticipation of our amuse bouche. In the meantime, some live guitar music started up which certainly added to the relaxed atmosphere.
Lightly Smoked Mackerel with Wasabi Flying Fish Roe, Brunoise of Veg,
Noilly Prat Mousse
This was served with a saucer over the top which, when removed, revealed a misty vapour scented of smoked mackerel – everyone loves a bit of drama with their dinner! The mackerel was beautifully smoked and the accompanying sauce and vegetables complemented it superbly.
Next up was our soup course:
Spring Pea Soup with Goats Cheese, Crisp Parma Ham,
Onion & Chive Bread Roll
The pea soup was deliciously sweet and fresh and was supplemented by the tangy goats cheese and parma ham. The bread roll was the perfect size – not too large to fill you up, but plenty to dip in the soup. Also provided was butter served in marrow bones – so clever!
After we had all scoffed that course, came the one I was most looking forward to:
Baked Scallops with Baby Spinach, Shallot Bechamel Sauce, Alsace Bacon Lardons
As a lover of Coquilles St Jacques I was hoping this would have similar characteristics. I was not disappointed. Although, in a quirky twist we were initially presented with a bag of hay. Yes, HAY! We were then asked to make it into a nest type shape…
I briefly wondered if this was some sort of strange entertainment between courses but willingly obliged, and soon after the scallops were presented in the shell and set on top of our nests.
Next came the fun part – wine chillers had discreetly been placed on the table and once everyone was served, it was suddenly like we had been transported to a misty beach! The haze got everyone excited and chatting, and needless to say all the smartphones were out snapping away – myself included!
The scallops were scrumptiously sweet with a rich, intense sauce. I really enjoyed this course!
Next up came a palate cleanser of:
Lemon Sorbet with Absolut Citron
This was a lovely, mouth-watering sorbet which was extremely refreshing after the strong flavours of the previous course.
Then came our Main Course of the evening:
Braised lamb Shoulder, Crisp Lamb Belly, Wild Garlic Puree,
Spring Pea & Asparagus Salad, Warm Baby Pototoes, Pickled Shallot
The lamb was exquisitely cooked and so tender. It was accompanied by a cool salad of peas and asparagus, some warmed potatoes and a delicious wild garlic puree. I really enjoyed the warm lamb with the cool salad – it made me think of a lamb in a field (is that weird?!). The wild garlic was a lovely touch. It had a very intense flavour which complimented the lamb so well. It also gave me an idea of what to do with the wild garlic I have stumbled across recently – aside from throwing it in to a salad!
Finally came our desert:
Prosecco Strawberries, Basil Mascarpone Cream,
Pistachio, Chocolate Popping Candy
This was a lovely light and sweet end to the meal. Cool sweet berries with crunchy pistachio, creamy mascarpone and a fun POP! A heavy tart for example, would have been far too much after indulging in so many exquisite courses. The chocolate popping candy added such a fun touch and I know I wasn’t alone in making various members of my party listen to my mouth popping… I blame the wine!!
The cost per person was £35 – That is not a typo! £35!!! For this particular event, you were able to purchase wine from the bar, however many events are bring your own – meaning an evening of fabulous food and wine of your choice without the usual restaurant prices. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
The menu changes each month and makes full use of what is in season and at its best. As well as these monthly dinner parties, Gary can host private dinner parties. You can sign up to receive notifications of events here or ‘like’ their Facebook page to be kept up to date with events and menus. I shall certainly be attending his future events!
A x
bellefastlife 