Cleaver & Wake: MasterChef professional says Nottingham restaurant's spring menu 'pushes boundaries'

A fine-dining restaurant that overlooks Nottingham's canalside has announced a fresh new menu for spring.

Curated by the restaurant's head chef and Masterchef: The Professionals alumnus Hira Thakur, Cleaver & Wake's new spring menu shines a spotlight on British produce and "pushes boundaries".

New lunch dishes include wood-roast beetroot and goat’s cheese, fillet of Cornish hake, English asparagus risotto, and a selection of dry-aged grass-fed British steaks, alongside a choice of butter leaf and radicchio salad or spring greens.

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Finishing the menu off in style is a selection of sweet treats including a banana Eton mess and a chocolate and rosewater cremeux. A selection of artisan cheeses is also available for those with a more savoury palate.  

Cleaver & Wake’s spring à la carte menu presents a comprehensive and exciting dining experience for those spending their evening along the canalside.

Standout dishes include the cannon of Cornish lamb, perfect for the spring months. Other mains include slow-cooked belly pork, butter-poached fillet of halibut, and wild garlic & ricotta agnolotti. Dry-aged steak, whole plaice and Dover sole are also available. 

Other standout dishes include a selection of fresh and inviting starters such as South Coast crab macaroni, BBQ mackerel, beef tataki, and salt-baked celeriac.

Meanwhile, to finish, Cleaver & Wake’s desserts have also undergone a spring re-imagining with diners able to choose between dishes such as baked custard tart, trileçe, and a selection of cheeses. 

Head chef Hira Thakur said: “Our new spring menu is really an expansion of the unique offering we have at Cleaver & Wake. Our dishes showcase the Cleaver signature creative and bold flavour pairings that diners have come to expect from us, while offering them that extra special dining experience we pride ourselves on.  

“We’re always really passionate about championing the very best produce the British Isles has to offer, while fostering more sustainable practices through only sourcing ingredients that are in season.

"As such, our menus change regularly with each season to make the most of the ingredients that will not only be at their prime but can also be secured with a lower carbon footprint. The growing focus on seasonality is an aspect that has been and will continue to be incredibly important to the landscape of the culinary industry.

"For myself and my team, this has allowed us to continue to push the boundaries with our menus while treating diners to some truly delicious food. And, our new spring menu is certainly no exception.” 

New menu, new opening times

Both Cleaver & Wake’s new spring lunch and à la carte menus are now available, with its lunch menu offering two courses for £37.50 and three courses for £45.  

The new spring menu comes hot on the heels of the introduction of Cleaver & Wake’s new supper menu which offers three set courses for just £45 every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The new streamlined supper menu rotates regularly to offer something new with every visit, showcasing a range of ‘home cooked’ classics with a creative Cleaver twist, and offering diners even more options for how they can dine at the popular fine dining establishment. 

Another change at Cleaver & Wake this season includes the arrival of extended opening hours. The lunchtime option is now available from Wednesday afternoon, while the restaurant will be open for dinner from Tuesday evening, where a new ‘Tuesdays at Cleaver & Wake’ set menu is available, with two courses for £37.50 or three courses £45.  

Book a table here.