Dinner / ££ / 9/10

Since I have started writing reviews I have become a lot more opinionated on where to go, if I get the chance to combine a night out with friends and write a review I will take it. That sometimes means steering decisions towards places I haven’t been before. When trying to organise a get together I relinquished all decision making to my friends and one of them suggested The Air Hostess in Tollerton. ‘YES’ I replied, I had heard good things about it for a while but it never came to mind and if it wasn’t for their suggestion I would probably still not have gone for another couple of years.

It was the crappest evening of cold wind and rain in December and I grumbled a little as I realised there wasn’t a car park, after a short dash from the road into the pub though I was knocked down by the warmth and buzz of the place. On a wednesday night in early December it is not hyperbole to say it was rammed.

Every table was occupied and I was glad I booked a week in advance. Despite a lot of soft furnishings the buzz did sometimes border on oppressive, this may be down to a number of bigger tables out celebrating.

We decided to share some sourdough bread and whipped butters for starters. The bread was warm and the butter had a potent kick of each flavour advertised (Sweet chilli, basil pesto and marmite). Aside from my personal rule that you should never pipe anything brown, it was a great start.

My two friends ordered fish and chips and steak, the portions were generous and had the reassurance that they were made in house. An impressive feat for a menu that contains over 20 options, the kitchen must be a hive of efficiency. I don’t think the place could have been much busier but both the service and the food were prompt.

I had ordered the Halibut loin with braised leeks, new potatoes and a lobster bisque. While I was waiting for it I was worrying. ‘The fish might not be fresh’, ‘Can they get through enough fish here to keep standards high?’. When it arrived I was reassured, the loin was massive and meaty. It was a little overcooked on its side but I will take that anyday over a slimy, undercooked centre. It is one of the best fish dishes I have had in Nottingham and to get it in a reasonably priced pub dining room on a Wednesday impressed me. Well seasoned and rich with the butter that had been used to cook the fish I chastised myself for worrying. The potatoes and braised leeks were silky and smooth under the bisque which was light on flavour but as a result didn’t overwhlem. The dish left me on such a high I decided I needed a pudding to make sure this wasn’t all a fluke.

The Air Hostess know how to decorate for the festive season so I decided to embrace it and go for a crumble. Redcurrents tossed aside, I wondered if it looked a bit……. anemic and hoped that the taste of raw flour wouldn’t be the lingering memory. It wasn’t. The crumble was buttery and delicate with a single layer of fruit underneath it and a beautiful custard that was a fulcrum between thick, sweet ambrosia and disappointing, runny creme anglaise.

The Air Hostess is a triumph and has left me thinking I worry too much and I should let my friends chose the venues more often.