Many restaurants will select a prominent position, hoping for the occasional passing trade. The Muddlers Club doesn’t. So, it’s somewhat fortunate that it needs no such custom. Instead, it’s tucked away down a labyrinth of alleys in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
Named after a 200-year-old secret society, you get the feeling it wishes to remain just that; a secret. If that is the aim, it’s making a rotten job of it because those who know, know; if you know what I mean?
The Banksy-esque wall art, as you approach, will do little to dampen any anxiety visitors might have down dark alleys; and heaven forbid that you catch a glimpse of ‘HATE’, tattooed on the fingers of your chef for the evening, before your presence is acknowledged.
Fear not! All that trepidation will be swept away in an instant, when you’re greeted by some of the friendliest servers in Belfast.
This is hipster territory, to be sure; purposely so. Like many of the best city restaurants, there’s a vogue in being unassuming and styled like pop-up eateries in industrial units. Seemingly, with little effort made to disguise the fact. It is the way of things - and I like it. Clearly others do too.
Despite the industrial and cool raw vibe, the food is prepared with a deftness and delicacy of touch that demonstrates anything but; and makes any such declaration almost comedic. Food like this is prepared with love; and nothing less.
I’ve heard The Muddlers Club described as ‘OX with chips’, intended as reference to its more relaxed style; but just try those chips! Thrice fried in beef dripping, they’re something to behold. In fact, Head chef and owner, Gareth McCaughey, formerly plied his trade at OX, before venturing out on his own, which may explain the comparison, to some degree.
“A contemporary twist on traditional Irish fare” is a phrase repeatedly applied to a number of modern, high-quality Belfast restaurants; and not without good reason. However, within that broad description, each must bring its own personality; and Muddlers certainly does that, in spades.
The open kitchen provides a sense of theatre, as you watch chef transform the local produce into serious food. There’s a similar devotion to vegetables, which is evident at OX, but you get a firm sense that meat and fish are the main event.
Whilst the presentation of starters and mains could - not disparagingly - be called ‘rustic’, the desserts are most certainly not. Indeed, they adorn the plates with a prettiness that throws your surroundings into sharp relief.
There’s the ever-present “carefully considered” wine list and an extensive cocktail menu, as you’d expect, which are excellent, it must be said; but Muddlers is about the food and the faultless way it’s cooked and served.
I have two teeny critiques of Muddlers, although regular readers will know that the first - a hard wooden bistrot chair - is a critique in more than one eatery I’ve reviewed on here, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing for most people, just me. (And I understand that with my butt I shouldn’t need cushioning, but this gal likes comfort eating - in more ways than one, clearly).
To be fair, the aesthetic just wouldn’t work with big spongy chairs either though, so as they say in Belfast, ‘I’m just sayin’’.
My second ‘critique’ - if you can call it that - is that the cheeseboard has been a bit slim on the ground on some of my visits. Maybe I should only enjoy a slither with my glass of port and be done with it, but this gal loves her cheese, and there just wasn’t enough. (Anyone spot a trend here? ;-))
Seriously though, if Muddlers’ motto is to ‘leave them wanting more’, they’ve certainly achieved that. Cheese or no cheese. [Or just a little bit of excellently tasting cheese, as it happens].
Some might say that The Muddlers Club is too casual to warrant a Michelin star; but if street food stalls in Singapore are good enough, then The Muddlers Club is a dead cert, in my opinion. I believe it’s just a matter of time before that first star appears, notwithstanding the fact that it’s only recently celebrated its 4th birthday.