Mollis — Restaurant in Nottingham

Has to be said before anything else: the chicken was underdone. I'd have assumed my judgement was off were it not for the fact each of my three chicken pieces were different shades of pink inside (unfortunately, I only realised this after I'd fully consumed the pinkest of them). The texture in each case was slimy and unappetising, and after my first bite I spent the rest of the meal feeling nauseous and concerned. I didn't get food poisoning, so perhaps it's safe in that form - regardless, it's not at all enjoyable.

To make matters worse, the sauces on our two chicken dishes were problematic. The sea buckthorn variation was actually inedible, and I don't say that lightly; it was so oversalted and overpowered by fish sauce that it made me wince. The charcoal butter chicken was better, but had the opposite problem - it had no trace of the richness associated with butter chicken curry, barely making an impression.

I will say the batter was nicely crispy, and would've been the saving grace had the other problems not been so fatal.

The fries were well cooked, maybe a little overseasoned; the parmesan on top formed an interlaced blanket that made it a messy and unbalanced eating experience, however. The house salad and pickles were just fine.

What makes all that even more disappointing is that the drinks were exceptional. The banana whisky concoction might have been the best cocktail I've ever had, and the strawberry and basil soft drink was similarly delicious.

A couple of smallish gripes: the cocktails aren't named, which makes ordering more difficult than it has to be, and recommendations and reviews tricky. They also don't have a mocktail range, which seems an oversight for a cocktail bar.

Contrary to some of the negative reviews, I didn't mind the decor, and had no issues with the tables or presentation. If I had to point out one flaw with the setting, I'd say the lights were a bit too bright above our table.

The service was a mixed bag. They were very kind and accomodating when we told them we'd be late for our reservation, which was appreciated. Our server was good, but I wish they had asked if we wanted to order sauce to accompany our fries. When we can to pay, it seemed they were having some technical issues that meant bills were being tallied in a more primitive way; this resulted in us being charged almost double (!) due to the previous table's orders being added to our own. They were quick to resolve this when confronted and moderately apologetic, but comping us a drink would have been the decent thing to do at that point.

Overall, I find it hard to recommend Mollis. I'd suggest going just for the drinks, but at 12 quid a cocktail you're not going to make a night of it. Ultimately, there are just too many good restaurants in Nottingham to put...

Mollis Fried Chicken has garnered a reputation that, unfortunately, doesn't quite match the reality of the dining experience. 👎😞 Despite its hype, the flavor profile of their chicken tends to fall flat, lacking the robust seasoning and depth of flavor that one would expect from a top-tier fried chicken joint. 🍗 We ordered the Thai-Pesto Saty wings🇹🇭, Salt and Pepper w/Hot Honey tenders🍯, Nashville Hot Oil Sandwich + BBQ & Miso Ranch loaded fries 🍟

One of the most disappointing aspects is the texture of the chicken itself. Instead of the crispy, golden exterior that tantalises the taste buds, the chicken arrives at the table soggy and overly moist. 🌊🤢 This lack of crispiness not only detracts from the overall enjoyment of the meal but also leaves you angry that you’ve paid over 10 British Pounds for soggy fried chicken😢 🍗 We understand chicken thighs are the juicier portion of meat but this was not enjoyable at all

The pesto🌿 inspired garnish was incredibly disappointing. One would expect a burst💥 of vibrant flavours from the adventurous pairing but instead was met with bland 🥱and earthy impression that lacked the fundamental taste of the chicken itself! The promise of a fragrant Thai pesto & Satay infusion was certainly lost in translation🗣️❌

Unfortunately our disappointment extended to the salt and pepper tenders. Far from being the iconic salt and pepper flavour you expect from good Chinese cuisine🥢🥡… instead once again a bland flavouring that lacked any taste of chicken at all🍗🕵🏼‍♂️. What’s more is we found ourselves fishing the soggy tenders from a bath 🛁 of an oil and honey - subsequently losing any crisp or crunch the coating seemingly once had?❌

Same story again with the Nashville Hot Oil Sandwich. You cannot pick the burger up without it falling to pieces as the bottom of the bun disintegrates from the soggy oil!! 💦

One positive that can be taken from the meal was the BBQ & Miso Ranch loaded fries 🍟Surprisingly the fries were crispy while still managing to hold up the heap of sauces and bacon bits!🥓

Given the considerable anticipation surrounding Mollis Fried Chicken, it's disheartening to find that the reality doesn't match the expectations🫠. The overrated nature of the establishment became apparent as one realises that the culinary experience falls short of the lofty praise often heaped upon it by its close connection with Alchemilla. 🔗🫂

In conclusion, while Mollis Fried Chicken may have its fervent supporters, for those seeking a truly exceptional fried chicken experience, it may be best to look elsewhere🗣️❌. With bland flavors and soggy texture, this restaurant fails to deliver on the promise of an unforgettable dining...

We had a fantastic experience at Alex Bond's new restaurant right next door to the incredible Alchemilla.

The Atmosphere: You are greeted by a graffiti covered front door recessed into an old stone wall with no exterior sign giving the restaurant a speakeasy type feel. Inside are simple tables and chairs with a few 6 person American diner style booths and a long padded bench along one side. All four walls have some really cool custom street art and the music is Hip Hop and R&B. All of this makes for a really cool feeling casual atmosphere and pairs really well with the food.

The drinks: we had three outstanding cocktails; the Eucalyptus Gin, the Chamomile Tequila and the banana and miso rum. The third of which was the most intriguing as I have never tasted anything like that in a cocktail before. A great combination of sweetness, umami with a slight salty twang paired fantastically with the soft serve ice cream. Many of the cocktails include some sort of vinegar, which I really didn't expect but really made sense when you taste the food. The rich buttery flavours of the chicken and sides really benefit from balancing out with sharp acidity which the cocktails provide.

The Food: Let me start by saying this is the best fried chicken I have ever had by a country mile. The chicken itself is so tender and juicy with just the right amount of batter. We had the butter chicken and cauliflower cheese truffle chicken. Both were excellent, rich full of flavour, crispy coating and generous portion sizes. The sides were also excellent, we had the hash browns, charred brassicas and a portion of fries with parmesan. All three were incredibly tasty and were excellent accompaniments for the chicken. In some ways the star of the show was the soft serve ice cream. We tried them all but the stand out was the Kombu, honey cake with koji vinegar, such a surprise as we nearly didn't order it but it was fantastic, bursting with umami flavour and a super sweet surprise in the honey cake at the bottom.

The meal was around £50 per head which I felt was excellent value for what we had to eat and drink, especially considering the quality! An easy recommendation and straight into my top 10...