CONFIDENTIAL PROMOTION
ARTISAN have given their menu an overhaul and they've very pleased with the results. Try it and you can't fail to be converted. All your favourites like wood-fired pizzas, classic steaks and their signature burgers remain, but there are plenty of exciting newcomers too.
This isn't a cock-up in the kitchen, this is socarrat – the sign of a great paella
They've really gone to town on their new sharing plates which create a real buzz about the place. All that sharing is such a sociable thing to do, it encourages conversation and even on a grey lunchtime, the restaurant was busy and upbeat.
We ordered a seafood paella and so many small plates that if sharing encourages chatter, we must be the talk-show queens.
The seafood paella had that smoky wood-fired taste and was absolutely packed with juicy prawns, mussels, peas and cherry tomatoes. It was such a colourful dish that you could taste the sunshine even if, sadly, it was nowhere to be seen. The rice had stuck to the pan leaving a crispy golden crust. This isn't a cock-up in the kitchen, this is socarrat – the sign of a great paella.
Small plates are a tempting exploration of the Med, North Africa, the Middle East and further afield but my favourite dish was the chorizo with roasted garlic and cherry tomatoes. The sausages were rich and smoky. Paired with the garlic which oozed delightfully out of its skin and slapped atop crisp crostini, it was the perfect mouthful.
Across the table, the crispy beef lettuce wraps were a big hit. Light yet filling, the flavours of sweet, sour and spicy mingled together in a delicious umami sensation. Topped with a mountain of crispy vermicelli, this dish tasted as good as it looked.
Moroccan spiced baked eggs were unlike anything I've ever had before, but I'll certainly order them again. Golden-yolked eggs were baked in an aromatic and subtly spiced sauce and then mopped up with flatbreads – soldiers, Moroccan-style.
Salt and pepper fried chicken was served in a circus-striped tub. With killer slaw, chipotle mayo and lightly breaded chicken, it really was all the fun of the fair.
There's a great selection of small plates and they start from just £4 so you can build your own banquet and have a real blow-out or just enjoy a light snack with friends. Be warned, the menu is so tempting you may be forced to order more..
See Artisan's menu here
Book online here
