Food review: Cast
Well, I say starring... I suppose, "appearing" is a more accurate description.
For those of you uncultured enough to have missed my stage debut, I'm one of the terrifically talented community choir assembled by Nottingham Playhouse for their recent show The Caucasian Chalk Circle.
And my taste of fame has left me hungry for more. Or just plain hungry, actually. It's taxing work, being a sleb.
Luckily, Nottingham Playhouse is adjoined to what is arguably one of the best theatre restaurants in the country – Cast. I say arguably because I haven't dined out at many theatres. But then, I haven't really wanted to. Theatre restaurants are an odd genre. The dining experience is often relegated to an appetiser for the main event – the play. Some fling a few chairs in their grand circle and call it a "restaurant", even though you're perched amid a tide of programme-wavers washing into the auditorium. Neighbouring restaurants have spied the chance to capitalise with "pre theatre menus". None of which were much good for me last week since many didn't start serving until 6pm. And my warm-up call was 6.45pm. Darling.
In my opinion, Cast is the best option in Nottingham if you've a show to see. The pre-theatre menu – of £10 for two courses and £12.50 for three – starts at 5.30pm and the quality is comparable to its non-theatre counterparts.
You don't even feel like you're in a theatre restaurant.
The interior feels more like an ocean liner. Two decks of row-by-row tables line the room, spaced wide enough for you to feel uncrushed.
And the menu sounds more five star tucker than Starlight Express, full of inventive, modern grub.
My fan and I whistled past chicken liver parfait and duck leg with aromatic red cabbage. I alighted on salmon and crab fish cakes with a sweet chilli sauce for starter. My fan went for spring rolls that were filled with little strips of red pepper, courgette and goat's cheese. We also asked for water.
"Tap water?" asked the waitress. Bless her.
The dishes were very easy on the eye. Everything nestled together, couched amid lolling green leaves (no token salad here) and swirls of chilli sauce. My fish cakes were a comforting mush of potato and parsley snips and the crab vanished a little amid the chilli. Across the table, the fan was squeaking, "I didn't think this would be so nice!" Her dish was, she said, piping hot, the filo crispy despite being served on a tapenade.
And she adored her main – seabream served on an emerald bed of parsley mash with salsa verde, the plate jewelled with tiny roast parsnips, tomatoes, carrots and baby onions.
"A bit more seasoning in the mash maybe," was her only, tentative criticism.
Occasionally the cooking didn't quite match up to the conception, as with my main – toasted brioche with wilted spinach, shredded wild mushrooms, a poached egg and hollandaise. It was rich and oozy but slightly on the cold side and the brioche was too well done.
Puds arrived with a lemon tart for me and a raspberry parfait for her.
My lemon tart was fine. Its surface had been blowtorched to a crisp. It came with a zesty mascarpone but could probably have done with a few more raspberries to contrast flavours.
The parfait, on the other hand, sang with raspberries. We were supposed to share it but the fan seemed reluctant to pass it over. It had a lavender cream that did not taste excessively floral – but then who wants a perfume aftertaste?
Sadly, Cast's toilets were a little Venetian – by which I mean temporarily under water.
But over all, the fan was impressed with the place. The pressure now switched to me to make the show just as good. For once, a theatre menu that's no mere curtain-raiser.
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Starters: Fishcake: £2.50. Spring roll: £2.50.
Main course: Brioche: £7.50. Seabream: £7.50.
Puddings: Parfait: £2.50
Lemon tart: £2.50
Total (with drinks and service, no wine): £29.48.
Cast, Wellington Circus, 0115 852 3898.
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JENNIFER SCOTT
Starring role Cast offers inventive, modern food priced at £10 for two courses or £12.50 for three.
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