| Restaurant Review by the Citizen 2004:
The historical docks in Gloucester are a focal point of activity with a massive redevelopment programme in full swing, and Foster's on the Docks has not missed out on this. Situated on the water's edge, January 2004 saw a complete makeover of the first floor restaurant and the ground floor bar. The brasserie and wine bar in the Kimberley Warehouse now offers tipplers and diners an experience quite unlike anywhere else in the area.
The working partner and head chef is 27-year-old Jonathan Butler, who took over Dr. Foster's, as the restaurant was then named, with the financial support of his business partners in 2002. "When we saw the property we knew we could do something with it" said Jonathan. "It's a fantastic building in a brilliant location, but was desperately in need of work, care and attention to bring it alive. There was a great deal to do, but I love a challenge."
The refurbishment began in October last year. "Just to give it a cosmetic makeover wouldn't have been enough" recalled Jonathan. "The whole place had to be redesigned and it had to be right. Anyone can see from the changes that a huge investment has been made, but the biggest investment of all was in the new kitchen, which customers don't see".
A key element of the upstairs restaurant refurbishment was to keep the character of the fine, Victorian building, while blending this with contemporary fittings and furnishings. The 130 seater restaurant is now light and open with a modern bar and brasserie ambience. "It's a mix that works well and is in keeping with the food here" commented Jonathan, who started his career as a chef when 15 years old, then went on to university in Bournemouth and Sheffield from which he graduated with a BSc.
|
So how would he describe the food? "It's a little bit different. Our menu is an international fusion of flavours. That came about because I worked with a chef from the Caribbean who introduced me to the fruits, vegetables and spices used in that style. Then I gained experience and started to bring in flavours from Thai cookery and the Mediterranean ."
Is there a dish he's particularly proud of? "Our Jamaican spiced lamb, marinated in spices and rum with a plantain crust is very popular with customers. And another one is our chicken breast Italian style, stuffed with mozzarella, olives, tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs wrapped in Parma ham.” "I love duck, so a personal favourite is our guava and five spice marinated duck breast filled with ginger, mango and orange coated in guava jelly. But we cater for people of all tastes, of course, it's not all highly spiced - and there are excellent steaks supplied by a local butcher on the menu too. The truth is that if it's on the menu, it's because I like it".
The wine list is as special as the food, as Jonathan explained. "You won't find any of our wines in the shops. They're all estate bottled and mostly from Australia , Chile and South Africa , although there are French wines too. But I think the younger, bolder, New World wines suit our style of food well".
(Courtesy of The Citizen )
|
