Three different levels, three different atmospheres, one venue. Those Black Dog and Liars Club guys have high ambitions! Cane and Grain has been open nearly 12 months but for some reason is one of those places I don’t visit very often. Thankfully they invited me back in to try their new menu and to see what I have been missing.
The first floor bar and rib joint was our home for the evening above the busy skater style bar. The speakeasy style is a particular favourite of mine and it was lovely and calm compared to downstairs. Taxidermy decorates the walls whilst leather plush seating is contrasted with copper tables and stools. Slightly different to the norm around these parts but certainly welcomed.
Bourbon is the favoured spirit here but, not being a huge fan, I chose the Bloomsbury Tale to start. Served in a dainty tea cup was Tanqueray 10 gin, citrus, tea and ale syrup, rhubarb and clove cordial. The flavours are much more delicate than they sound and this is a beautiful drink to sip whilst perusing the menu.
Speaking of the menu there is an American theme with ribs, burgers and wings as the main features. It doesn’t really fit the style of the bar for me, not as well as the cocktail menu does that’s for sure. Not perturbed we ordered and patiently waited.
The spam fries came served in a spam can which I thought was a fun quirky take and tasted surprisingly good. I’m not a fan of spam in general but these were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Fatty salty goodness. The rib tips BBQ sauce was delightful. Sticky and rich, just the way a good rib sauce should be. The tips themselves were juicy although there was a fair bit of gristle to work through which isn’t the most ladylike way to eat a meal. That said, when was eating any kind of rib ladylike.
Speaking of ribs my friend ordered the beef variety and was slightly horrified by the addition of a crispy onion topping. This is the guy who can find the tiniest bit of diced onion in a burger so this was a lot for him and his onion phobia to take. Unfortunately the menu hadn’t stated that onions were part of the dish and it certainly wasn’t something I was expecting. Not being one to complain and thankful for a thick layer of bourbon sauce he managed to scrape most of it away to get to the meat. Once there he found it falling off the bone and tender yet slightly dry. The chips were the same. Slightly overcooked so dry inside but nothing a dunk in the rib sauce wouldn’t sort. The bourbon sauce was great, sticky and rich with a gentle kick.
I went for the deep south burger. The southern fried chicken was juicy and soft, perfectly seasoned partnered with jack cheese and spiced slaw. The brioche bun added a needed sweetness to the burger which worked really well. My fries were also slightly overdone but that’s to be expected when ordering together!
The stars of this show were the sides. The tater tots with their creamy mash centre were hard to leave even when full. The truffled mac and cheese had a lighter sauce than others I’ve tried but this worked really well. Large truffle shavings gave a lovely earthy flavour that can sometimes be lost where too little is added. A big thumbs up from me!
Overall we had a lovely meal and the drinks are first class. I’m just not sure if the two go together or if the food menu is unique enough for the location. The ground floor bar has more atmosphere with an impressive ale selection and the second floor has it’s own identity with the Liars infamous tiki vibe. The first floor is a genuinely welcome calmness, it just needs to find its identity. I’m sure it will with a few tweaks, don’t miss out. It is just behind a secluded door on the left as you walk in. Escape the hustle and bustle for a while…
1 Comment
You had me at taxidermy or rather, you didn’t O_o I used to love fried spam strips as a kid!