Spoiler alert – I found my happy place
I was very late to the party knowing that Lost in Lanes existed in my home city but, as soon as I tuned in to the buzz about this fabulous spot, I booked for a long, languid lunch. Known for its ridiculously good brunch and lunch menus, it lived up to the hype and I was instantly enamoured by the twinkly lights, delicious food and divine cocktails – I coveted a return visit.
Can you covet a restaurant? Well – you can if it looks like LOST. Parisian-esque glass frontage, stylish seating, warm and pleasing decor, buzzing staff and chefs in the open kitchen creating wonders right there in front of your eyes. The aesthetics of the space match the great-looking dishes and owner Natalie is ever the ‘hostess with the mostest’ welcoming all like a long lost friend.
Learning that the restaurant is now open in the evening – from Thursday to Saturday – I seized the opportunity to introduce my friend Jenny to that LOST feeling. We ventured out on a Thursday night, excited to feast, chat and maybe have a couple of those mighty fine cocktails.
Evening all…
In April Lost in the Lanes opened its doors for evening service, keeping the same model of seasonal food, local produce and plates to share. Greeted warmly by manager Emanuele, we were seated in a comfortable corner with a view of the whole restaurant. Around us were all kinds of groups, big and small, with people celebrating birthdays, on dates or out with friends. It was vibey but not too busy and the Lost team seemed relaxed, the kitchen abuzz but not slammed.
We started with a cocktail each. I had the Cherry Sour (should your first drink of the evening really contain Whisky?? I say yes.) Whisky, cherry brandy, with lemon and vanilla notes topped with an egg white foam – this is not one to down. I wanted a cocktail to savour and this beauty did the trick.
Jenny also didn’t shy away from the hard hitters, ordering the Pink Paloma – a glorious concoction of tequila, grapefruit, raspberry, chilli and lime which got her taste buds tingling from the get go.
Small Plate Symphony
Jenny and I are sharers, which is perfect for LOST’s primarily small plates menu. There are larger plates too if sharing isn’t your bag.
I love the elongation of service which small plates provide – pretty little dishes of delicious food obscuring the table top. You might panic that you have over or under-ordered but here the team is brilliant at suggesting the perfect amount to suit your appetite. We chose one large dish and 5 small to share. This may seem modest for two, but we had spied the dessert menu and were motivated to save space.
You Say Tomato, I Say Heck Yeah Tomato!
Up first was the evening’s special of fresh Nutbourne Heritage Tomatoes with shallots and vinaigrette alongside a basket of pillowy fresh focaccia to dip. We keenly soaked up all the fresh tomato juice. An elevated tomato is my idea of heaven and these were easily a match for those normally only found on a Mediterranean holiday. Keep an eye on the blackboard for these seasonal additions to an already gorgeous menu.
The next flurry of plates included Bedlam Farm Asparagus with Hollandaise which brought freshness and bite and an elegant Salmon Crudo with Citrus and Jalapeño. The Ox Cheek Ragu & Rosti creation with Parmesan and Chives nearly knocked me over with its divine aromas. The large plate of Lamb Lemonato, with Rosemary Potato and Spring Greens completed the feast.
With an element of habitual behaviour, we manoeuvred round the dishes in a kind of starters, main course progression…the Salmon Crudo first – little forkfuls of this delicate fish dish made us feel dainty and sophisticated, despite the silent yearning to devour the ox cheek rosti in one. We quickly dropped the pretence and got forkfuls of each dish on our plate and some directly into hungry mouths.
One Potato, Two Potato
Before we arrived, I’d banged on at Jenny about LOST’s crispy potatoes (our Celtic heritage makes us big fans of the humble spud) so having two dishes with tatties was heavenly. The rosemary potatoes under heaps of succulent lamb were moreish, however, the Rosti was the ultimate winner in the LOST potato championships (IYKYK)
Did we have favourites? – well of course we did. The Lamb Lemonato, succulent and bursting with flavour with bites of crisp asparagus, was Jenny’s favourite forkful. The Ox Cheek Ragu on Rosti seemed made for me and the taste lived up to that initial, lovely whiff. Juicy meat with a huge depth of flavour, paired with cheesy, crispy, potato-y goodness – a total dreamboat of a dish.
Totally satisfied and slurping down the last of our cocktails we could have easily headed off home, happy to have finally had that overdue girls’ night out…but the lure of the desserts was just too strong.
If Créme Diplomat is on the menu then no matter how full I am, I have to have it. Luckily this dish was a Choux Au Craquelin…not too indulgent right?! It was light and delicate – the perfect way to round off the evening without feeling like too much of a greedy piggy. Jenny, on Emanuele’s recommendation (but not exactly needing her arm twisted), had the Chocolate Panna Cotta. Wobbling to perfection with an oat crumble, this dish was finished with a simple twist of genius – a dash of olive oil and sea salt.
Lost Evenings – You Had Me At Hello
Head Chef Sophie Taverner, Chef de Partie Fran and the team have skilfully delivered on all things dinner…which is of course no big shock to anyone who’s been paying attention. Just the food makes dinner at Lost in the Lanes a must – but add the atmosphere, the real feeling of being welcome, the fabulous staff who seem to genuinely love their job, the great music (I was shazaaming between mouthfuls) and those warm twinkly lights and Lost Evenings is surely one of the hottest bookings in the city…and my happy place. At LOST, we’ve found the sweetheart of The Lanes.
