The Curious Tavern can be found hidden away inside the Mercure Hotel in Nottingham’s city centre. During a recent stay we decided to check out this restaurant offering, and we’re very pleased we did. The Curious Tavern has been beautifully designed and holds a wealth of character. The décor really is impressive and we had no trouble making ourselves comfortable in one of their booths where we were warmly greeted and introduced to the menu.
The menu offers gastro pub style food, including a selection of oysters and hand stretched pizzas. To start our evening , we began with a couple of cocktails from the restaurant’s impressive selection. I chose the English Rose, which saw Hendricks gin shaken with rhubarb liqueur, pressed apple juice, lemon and fresh raspberries; and my partner opted for the Dram Fashioned, which was a blend of Monkey Shoulder Scotch and Drambuie with an extra helping of English honey. Both were perfectly prepared and wonderfully moreish and left us in great anticipation for what was to come.
For our starters I chose the BLT, which saw grilled chicken and bacon with gem lettuce, seasonal leaves and house dressing. This salad-take on the classic sandwich provided the perfect lighter option for a starter, and was simple, yet delicious. My partner chose the Skinny Salad, which consisted of quinoa, beetroot, bell peppers, garlic croutons and harissa dressing. This salad was tasty, with a plethora of fresh vegetables complete with a distinct harissa kick.
“The cocktails are good, the food is great and the service is prompt and friendly.”
For our main courses, the highly anticipated pizzas - I chose the Steve McGarrett, which saw a tomato base topped with pineapple, ham, jalapenos, mozzarella and wild rocket. My partner chose the Damien, which also consisted of a tomato base, topped with pepperoni, harissa, fresh chilli, red onion, jalapenos and mozzarella. The pizzas certainly did not disappoint. I always believe that the test of a good pizza is the base, and in this case it was perfectly thin and crispy and authentic.
We finished our evening with another cocktail each. This time I went for the classic Bramble cocktail, which saw a blend of Hendricks gin, fresh lemon and crème de mure, whilst my partner went for a Green Grass with Zubrowka shaken with apple juice, mint, chamomile and a dash of lime. These cocktails provided the perfect end to our evening.
We would certainly recommend The Curious Tavern should you find yourself looking for a casual meal in Nottingham. The cocktails are good, the food is great and the service is prompt and friendly.
The Bill: £47 per head
