Service: 8/10
Food: 9/10
Recommended For: Group Meal
Home started life as a pop-up restaurant on Callender street, the predecessor to the now-renowned Bubbacue. Proving itself to be so popular, the guys of the Mourne Seafood Bar decided to open a fully-fledged restaurant in a prime city-centre location.
On entering the restaurant, I was dismayed to see that one of the front doors had been boarded over, somewhat ruining the finely polished exterior. Inside, the restaurant (much like the pop-up) is still adorned with mismatched ReFound furniture - unique second-hand, refurbished pieces which can be purchased, as can the pictures by local artists peppering the walls. Overall there is a wonderful home-ly feel, befitting of the name. The interior is split into two sections, the first is a grab'n'go deli section with a variety of delicious salads and pre-made sandwiches, the second is the more formal, table-service seated area. We arrived in a large group to a prepared table and were greeted with menus within moments. Our drinks orders were taken and all were delivered but one, which had gotten lost along the way.
Trying to decide what to order from the menu was a challenge in itself, but I finally opted for the Salt n Chilli fried squid with asian slaw, chilli jam and mayo with a side of the polenta fries. The squid was perfectly cooked and wonderfully seasoned and although I had only ordered the smaller portion, the bowl I received was packed, incredible value for money. I hadn't tried polenta fries prior to this and so wasn't quite sure what to expect. They definitely weren't 'fry' shaped, which somewhat threw me off, but they had the most interesting texture - I can see the reasoning for drawing parallels to potato-based sides, as it had a similar starch-y taste, but the polenta fries were much more brittle. Overall, the food was spectacular - the pea risotto and very reasonably priced half-lobster were notably good. Everything had strong, stand-alone flavours and were complimented well by their accompaniments.
Salt n Chilli fried squid with chilli jam and mayo and polenta fries
Apart from the minor blip at the beginning with the drinks order, the service was great - handling a group of ten with ease and extremely promptly. The food is well priced for the quality and portions and the menu is extensive - even offering a full vegetarian menu. In a short period of time, this has become one of Belfast's staple restaurants, earning its spot with consistently good food and service. Hopefully it stays on the scene for a long time to come!
Home Restaurant
22 Wellington Place, Belfast
028 9023 4946
No comments:
Post a Comment