I hadn't really heard much about the new Fire Lake restaurant & cocktail bar which has recently opened at the Radisson, following the hotels new £3.5 million refurbishment (someone's splashing the cash). However when I casually mentioned to a friend I was invited to dine at the new swanky joint, her eyes lit up as she excitedly told me how good this new place in town was suppose to be. Needless to say my stomach had been rumbling all day, until I finally got to enjoy the delights which awaited me.
The new restaurant is virtually unrecognisable to anyone who has previously dined, drank or slept (hopefully in a nice warm bed...not the bar) at the Radisson. The new space is warm and welcoming, taking on an Indian American influence whilst proudly remaining connected to the home of Yorkshire. Pretty cool collaboration. The theme not only reflects in the décor but the in the cooking, where as many dishes as possible are flame cooked or wood smoked to create unique flavours whilst ensuring all ingredients are sourced locally.
The unique collaboration of mixing the mid-west with the Yorkshire also extends its self through to the cocktail menu, where the bartender whipped me up a rather tasty whiskey based "Ilkla Moor Baht' ah" cocktail.
After a guided tour around the dining area and kitchens, where I got the meet the fabulous, witty, team of chefs and a chance to make my own donuts...they was delicious. It was time to put my rumbling stomach out of its misery and finally sample the food. Apparently by Radisson standards this literally translated to ALL THE FOOD.
Up first was the fillet steak, which unfortunately got demolished before a photo opportunity, however when steak is cooked flame grilled, pink in the middle and cuts like butter, I'm sure you can all forgive the blogger faux pas.
We were treated to a whole host of dishes including, line-hooked sea bass, corn fed chicken, pulled pork steam buns, lobster served with fat fries and of course Yorkshire puddings didn't go a miss. I'm not going to sit back and say it was the most coordinated of meals I've ever eaten but my god was it all good. The sea bass and pork buns were particularly delightful.
When the deserts finally arrived I would of liked to have thought I would have perhaps, well, stopped eating. However when presented with a board of the finest five cheeses from Yorkshire, and well, I love cheese. It would of been simply rude to the host not to devour it all right?
Accompanying the cheese selection was a selection of "favourites" including ginger cake and liquorish ice cream. Personally I'm not a liquorish fan but the ice cream had been the hot topic of conversation for a large proportion of the night, I felt obliged to taste the now famous liquorish ice cream. Even from a liquorish-hater the ice cream is pretty unique and delicious, but I suggest this is something you need to try yourself.
A huge thank you to the Radisson for inviting me to dine with them for the evening and a special thank you to the hotel manager Sarah, who is quite frankly a pleasure to dine with.
SAMMIE
