When it comes to going out for food, I am most definitely guilty of being a creature of habit.
Enter Blank - Belfast’s restaurant without a menu.
While I’m constantly rounding up the country’s Michelin Guide accomplishments, I had never actually gone to a fine dining experience or a tasting menu before.
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Blank is a chic restaurant located in an old townhouse on the Malone Road.
Its concept is simple yet brilliant - diners do not get to look at a menu, but rather a list detailing the ingredients of the tasting menu and where they come from.
So I was going into Blank truly blind, both to what would be set down in front of me at every course and what to expect from my first fine dining restaurant.
My sister and I headed down on Thursday evening- the whole atmosphere was very relaxed yet almost intimate.
Christina and the team were some of the most attentive and passionate staff I have had the pleasure of being served by, taking the time to explain everything from the concept of the ‘blank list’ to the significance of the wine pairings to every detail on the plate.
They made the menu much more of an experience than just heading out for dinner and I couldn’t wait to see them come back and dive into what we were seeing, smelling and tasting next.
I could talk about every course and everything I ate that night in pain-staking detail (which numerous friends have been subjected to already) but I wouldn’t want to ruin the element of surprise, which is such an important part of the Blank experience, for anyone planning to get down and taste this set of ingredients.
Instead, I’ll touch on some of my favourite elements of the meal so as to not spoil anything for those lucky enough to be booked in soon.
Blank is all about promoting Ireland and the fantastic suppliers and ingredients from both sides of the border - a cool added element to the whole experience knowing that everything being placed in front of you was from this island, something you would maybe never think about going for a regular night out.
My sister also opted for the signature wine pairing while I sipped on cocktails as I don’t know that much about it and felt the significance of the pairings would be lost on me.
A menu, or lack thereof, like this forces you to be adventurous because you don’t have a choice in what is placed on your table.
As mentioned, I am a creature of habit who would much rather order the same thing because I know what to expect than push the boat out and try something new.
The menu started with three small taster plates which consisted of a seasoned tea to warm the mouth before the courses, spinach bread with the most gorgeous black garlic butter which was so moreish I could have eaten it off the plate and a little serving of pâté.
I was so impressed by just this that I knew we were going to be in for something special.
The five courses consisted of a pasta plate, a fish dish, a meat course, a pre-dessert (yes dessert BEFORE your dessert) and a sweet to finish off.
Both my sister and I gave each other a nervous glance when told the menu would include meat that was cooked pink and would we have any issue with it. We said no issues despite reservations and my goodness we were glad we did.
The Angus beef was the most beautiful cut of meat I have ever eaten, cooked to absolute perfection with the knife simply gliding through it before melting in the mouth.
When asked at the end of the night what course was my favourite, I really struggled to pick out just one element that impressed me the most - I can put my hand on my heart and say it was the best dining experience I’ve ever had.
I do have to mention the fresh pasta on a bed of pesto that was served as the first course.
If I could have hooked the pesto to my veins I would have and it really made me chuckle to think back on many a night of throwing store-bought jars into supermarket pasta just around the corner in my student days.
While their menu may be left blank, every other box was ticked in my book and I recommend anyone looking for a celebration meal, a different gift or just wanting to treat themselves to good food to get booked in.
The five-course tasting experience was £75 per person with my sister's wine pairing being an additional £40 (she’s still talking about the chilled Pinot Noir) and cocktails coming in at £13 each.
Yes it may be more pricey than a usual restaurant trip but Blank isn’t a usual restaurant trip - the quality of the food, the quality of the service and the atmosphere and experience is worth splashing out for a special occasion.
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