Review: Flame

I haven't eaten for six hours when my starving senses easily guide me to the door of Flame on Belfast's Howard Street, just around the corner from the Grand (Old) Opera House.

A restaurant and cocktail bar of at least four designs and of up to seven menus, Flame seamlessly entwines what looks like Victorian, jazz club, New Wave and contemporary urban décor with a nice cosmopolitan atmosphere, friendly staff of all ages and nationalities, Tandoori ovens and a custom built 10 foot Argentinian grill which emits the titular flame. This grill, I am told, gives the locally sourced produce in the restaurant its special taste.

It's all quite impressive, and I'm already feeling rather special when I take my place in the classically styled seating area at the back of the restaurant. There are dinner menus that cater for children and graduates as well as the more traditional a la carte, but as tonight's the night for theatre – both in the Opera House and the Lyric, incidentally – the pre-theatre menu it is.

And Flame have sought to prepare us all for the stage with a calm prelude, the chicken, fish, meat and vegetarian options on the menu emitting a feeling of welcome familiarity. It's right in line with a chilled out, and sometimes even comedic, vibe, where the personable nature of manager Sarah Jane has clearly rubbed off well on her jovial staff.

But on to the food. With neither the chicken liver pate (eurgh - more on that later) nor another tuck into salt and chilli chicken tempting my taste buds, I'm left with the soup of the day - a carrot, ginger and coconut broth that I'm informed is very popular among customers. And it's not hard to see why, the sweet tasting carrot and mild spices inducing a lovely aftertaste and warm feeling. Arguably too warm, as I burn my tongue on the second spoonful, even after having tasted the thinly buttered bread. A minor complaint, though.

By now I've spotted an "allergy key" on the menu – each dish has been specifically marked as one to be wary of were you to possess a particular allergy for certain ingredient(s). How clever and thoughtful! Fortunately, I have none, at least not for fish and dairy - two of my favourite things! - so the pan fried salmon, poached salmon and pea mash, with samphire and lemon cream on the bottom, is an absolute no brainer.

What a reward lies in store for me: the heat and texture of both the salmon and potatoes is just right, with the absolutely delectable cream sauce as the cherry on top. (Okay, on the bottom.) We have a winner here, folks. Although if I had to nitpick with my choice of side order, I'd say that the chorizo didn't go together quite as well with the potato gratin as I hoped it would - but that's on me.

Then... what on earth is a not-to-my-taste pate (eurgh) doing in front of me? I thought I ordered a chocolate brownie for pudding! Luckily, I laugh it off, for it's a grand night for drama (at least down the road) and the staff have done so much right on the night you can forgive the waitress for being a little absent-minded. It's amused me, at least.

So, a hot chocolate brownie (burnt tongue warning again, if you're not careful) with vanilla ice cream satisfyingly finishes off the evening's meal after all, ensuring that the positive memories of this Flame will never extinguish in the mind of this customer - and hopefully never in the minds of the people of Belfast and beyond, either.

Simon Fallaha

Flame on Howard Street is open from 8 am to 3 pm and 5 pm to 9.30 pm from Mondays to Saturdays, and 1 pm to 9 pm on Sunday. For more information check out flamerestaurant.co.uk.