The chef Chris McClurg, with his partner, Alice Stewart, had long wanted a restaurant with rooms, but he knew it would need to sustain itself on more than just hotel guests. So when the couple took over Regency House, a boutique hotel in Belfast\u2019s Queen\u2019s Quarter, in June, the dining area was the focus of an eight-week renovation. The breakfast room was stripped back to its shell, extended into a courtyard and enclosed under a glass dome. In went banquette seating, while the gym was transformed into a cellar and private dining space.<\/p>\n
In order to attract as many diners as possible \u2013 McClurg says the majority are locals \u2013 it was out with a tasting menu and in with something luxe but flexible and fun. Snacks and starters are as usual (olives, oysters, a pasta or tuna tartare), then mains are to share. That decision \u2013 to offer a chicken with morels, or red-curry monkfish tail for two \u2013 was, McClurg says, a \u201cpretty ballsy move. We wouldn\u2019t be known for our willingness to share, the folk of Northern Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fortunately, guests have got on board, and cooking fewer mains means the team is able to give more attention to everything \u2013 including the side that\u2019s already stolen the show: a potato cake. In between two thick layers of potato r\u00f6sti is a slow-cooked lyonnaise onion compote and a savoury cream cheese; those looking for a little more indulgence can upgrade it with caviar or black truffle. McClurg says it looks \u201clike a cake emoji\u201d. It\u2019s a flex from a kitchen with serious culinary skills, working with great ingredents and a sense of fun.<\/p>\n
Photograph by Rachel Taylor<\/p>\n
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A dispatch from The Observer\u2019s kitchen table \u2013 from Nigel Slater\u2019s recipes to interviews, features and hot tips.<\/p>\n