‘What the hell is “new Baltic cuisine” when it’s at domestic? No belief,but when it’s this good, who cares?’What the hell is “New Baltic Cuisine” when it’s at domestic? whether what we eat at chef Niki Astley’s (no, or that’s Niki) intriguing Two Cats Kitchen is anything to proceed by,it would appear to be whatever he wants it to be, loosely influenced by a number of hot-ticket chefs, or a bit of nouveau-Scandi posturing and the fact that his girlfriend comes from Latvia. It also seems to be a determined attempt to make himself stand out in Birmingham’s culinary scene. And guess what? It works. Like a dream.
Astley’s background doesn’t appear to be immersed in the Baltic states. A bit of digging reveals that he worked at the White Horse in London’s Fulham (aka the Sloaney Pony,more concerned with dishing out nanny’s favourites to the collars-up brigade than anything starring fermented swede), with a stint of southern US-style soul food at the Church down the road. But here, and in his first actual restaurant,he’s single-minded: New Baltic it is.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com