Alimentum

This was a great treat — really interesting tastes that did not break the bank (we took the lunch menu). The staff were really helpful and friendly and there were lots of nice touches such as canapes, warm bread rolls and petit fours that made the experience a little bit special. Would whole-​heartedly recommend Alimentum!

IT’s not bad, just not great.
I hyped myself up for this place since the first time I drove past (my first drive into cambridge) and I mis-​read the sign and had a full wolverine geek out.
The good was okay, but not good.
I like the odd balancing cutlery, but the whole decode inside was way to arm… harsh?!
The service was very good. Makes this review more about unmanaged expectations. If you go to this place expecting good food, good service, great wine. fab, just don’t go in there thinking it will be amazing, you will be disappointed. :(

Excellent culinary experience that is matched by the service. For the price conscience, the fixed menu during the week on off peak times, is an excellent value for money option.

Extraordinary. There are many fabulous things to say and I couldn’t possibly come up with a negative.
Service was absolutely top shelf. We fancied a couple Corpse Revivers #2, which weren’t on the menu, and the bartender obliged in style. They were masterfully done.
The amuse and pre-​dessert portions were fascinating creations combining a variety of flavours I wouldn’t expect. The chef is clearly inventive and experimenting and successful.
As a vegetarian, my choices were limited, but not badly so. On both the prix fixe menu and the a la carte menu I had attractive and appetising choices. To be fair, a «mushroom risotto» is not exactly inventive. (You’d be surprised at how often vegetarians eating in fine restaurants have that as their lone option). But morel mushrooms? What a delight!
You can believe that if I’m in Cambridge again with a chance to go to Alimentum, I’ll jump at the chance.

I don’t have much to say about Alimentum.

I maybe at odds with the current reviews however I have so far not been brave enough to go back. Here are the reason why: visited soon after this restaurant opened and generally it looked good. Stephen Hawkens was also there. However the first put off was the arrogance of the owner/​manager who swanned around doing very little, not friendly and did not impress me at all… Starter came and I had pigeon with chick peas micro herbs and a froth… Tasteless is an understatement! Other dish was ok, mains crab canaloni… looked good but was FULL of shell :-(…slow cooked pork belly was good, deserts were great but the cheese board could have been bought from Tescos, served on a long narrow plate with about 3 crackers and 3 tiny bits of cheese… Disgraceful! All said not a great meal especially for the money… I would expect that it may have been a one off but when you aim so high you have to at least get the basics right…

Amazing food, great service, and nice décor and toilets, everything you want from a restaurant, the only reason for not giving 5 stars is that for a couple, the atmosphere doesn’t feel very warm and cosy.

This is one of the best restaurants in Cambridge although slightly out of the city centre.
The menu is short but a good mix of fish and meat and a lovely balance of flavours.
The quality of the food was excellent and the extra pre courses are a nice touch and quite experimental.
The is a good selection of wines and cocktails.
It is quite pricey but its worth it for something special.
Atmosphere is very relaxed and enjoyable.

To start off. Let’s just say that 1992 called and wants their cocktail menu back. And the guy in corner actually ordered an Appletini. Oy. Plus the décor felt a bit like a second-​tier hilton hotel restaurant in a major city. Hmm. After a hastily gulped down and too-​sweet negroni, we were seated in the just inches away from another couple, which felt a bit too intimate, given only a quarter of the tables were seated.
Fortunately, aside from this wobbly start, the rest of the evening was fanastic. Had the 7 course tasting (really was 9 courses, with the amuse & petit fours) with the wine pairing. First of all, the wine pairing! Such a steal for £35! Very generous pours, and very good, off the beaten path, and very nicely paired. Standouts were a white rioja with the Quail, the 2008 Darling Cellars Pinotage with venison and a Château Cantegril Sauternes.
Food was modern, playful, and quite consistently good. No bad dishes, though I’d have preferred a cheese plate instead of the brie bon bon, which was a bit heavy. The plates were nicely composed, with evident attention to detail and flavor combinations. Nothing out of the box or awe-​inspiring, just solid delicious upscale food.
Service was quite good, unobtrusive, but always there when we needed them.

I’ve been to Alimentum twice now, both in the evening for the very reasonable fixed price menu, and it’s been pretty fantastic both times. £20 for 3 courses is fantastic when you consider both the quality of the food, and the relative prices of other Cambridge establishments.
The first time I went I had an incredible smoked sea-​bass starter with a soy jelly and wasabi purée I believe. The best bit however was that it was served in a bell jar of swirling smoke. Talk about attention to detail. Second course was some very nice slow cooked blade of beef. Tender as hell. The second time I went there was some pretty good chicken ravioli starter followed by slow cooked pork belly (again, fantastic).
I’d highly recommend going if you’re around Cambridge. It’s not exactly in the centre of town, but it’s worth the trip and is easily a step above most other Cambridge restaurant, except perhaps Midsummer House. But for the price, unbeatable.
Pros: Good value (at least with the fixed price), I have no experience of the taster menu, but it looks nice. Good service in general (though there was a largish group the 2^nd time I went so it wasn’t that personal). Great tasting food. Good wine list (extensive but expensive). Excellent sage and onion rolls.
Cons: Odd location, décor is a little weird, sadly too business-​y and slightly too trying to be modern, but it masks the odd location (the main road outside) well. Service can suffer if other large groups there.

I wouldn’t think of this as one of the top restaurants in the COUNTRY, but it is definitely very good. The three course set menu on early evenings and all night on Mondays and Wednesdays is definitely the way to go. I was a little put off by the interior layout, as it didn’t feel very «intimate», but instead seemed like a bunch of tables were just randomly scattered in a big open room. Other than that, good value for nicely prepared, high quality food and pleasant service. Will be back again!

We have visited Alimentum twice and I can only say that on both occasions it was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. The first time we went, it was our wedding anniversary and we were treated like VIP’s. The food was outstanding and the service was second to none. We enjoyed champagne and cocktails in a relaxed yet sofisticated atmosphere and the whole evening made our anniversary an exremely memorable one.
The second time we went there was while visiting our son, and although it wasn’t for a special occasion, the dining experience was equally as good as the first time.

Wow! I read about Alimentum in the NYT but wasn’t sure what to expect from a restaurant in Cambridge. I am happy to report that it can easily hold its own against fancy restaurants in London. The food is a cut above most other restaurants in Cambridge and on par with a good restaurant in any big city. Yes, it’s a bit pricey but if you’re concerned then I recommend going for lunch instead. Prices are very reasonable (£15−20 for the lunch menu) given the quality of food you’ll be getting.
We showed up over half an hour late due to bus issues (I know, I know, please spare me any rants on the buses in Cambridge) but they were still happy to seat us. Of course it was the middle of the afternoon by then so the place wasn’t too busy — about half full.
Service was friendly and efficient — efficient in a good way, not overly effusive or friendly (I don’t need to know your name). For lunch they have a 2– and 3-​course fixed price menu. For the two of us we got the 2 starters, 2 mains and split the dessert. Everything was fantastic! I usually let hubby finish my dishes but not this time! Of course I did let him taste my dishes but I selfishly finished them off. They were sooo good! And the portion size was reasonable for me. After dinner we got two coffees (not included in the fixed price) which came with petit fours (they read my mind!).
The location is a little out of way, down past the train station. But not that difficult to get to from town — a nice walk down Hills Road.
The décor is modern but a little too business lunch-​y for my personal taste.

If you are a footballer or his wife, a twenty-​something with a girlfriend wearing high heels and a dress that is inappropriately short for a first date, or simply someone who wants to watch footballers, their wives, and girls with inappropriately short dresses, then I imagine this is probably a place you will want to try at least once.
But there’s absolutely nothing that would make me want to go back again.
The atmosphere, despite what some say, is flat, and there is nothing special about the décor. It looks like one of those pumped-​up five star business hotels (or the eating area in a posh gym, I can’t decide which), and as AA Gill put it, «looks like Kirstie Allsopp spent half an hour in Habitat with £2,000».
My food was great. You have undoubtedly heard the food is good. I won’t bother you with the details.
But I simply couldn’t help the underlying feeling that the restaurant was trying to be something that it was not. This kind of thing really bugs me.
As for the reviewer who states it is «showcasing the latest culinary trends and displaying a high level of gastronomic skill»… I have no idea what that means. I think it’s something to do with the fact they squidge a load of coriander jus blobs around the edge of the plate.
Also, in the ‘info’ section of this restaurant’s Qype entry, I couldn’t help noticing that the restaurant supposedly «serves modern French cuisine complimented by an extensive wine list». I can imagine that wine list paying a great few compliments to the modern French cuisine. (Who writes these things and why can’t they spell?)
This is why I’ve given it a 3-​star review. In reality most would consider it a 4-​star restaurant.
Cambridge has very little to offer by way of superb restaurants; this one may do it for you, it may not. If you are a resident, you should probably eat there once, but if you are visiting Cambridge for the first time then try somewhere a little more ‘Cambridge’.
Oh, and the espresso stinks. Don’t order a coffee. What a horrible way to end an otherwise okay evening.

The out laws took us out to dinner here shortly after it opened. It’s not in a pretty part of Cambridge but once you’re inside that won’t matter. Although a great place to go if you are travelling from the train station. Excellent quality food, wine and service and stylish surroundings. The out laws still go on a fairly regular basis so I have no doubt that the standards have remained high.

Cambridge has been blessed with some decent new restaurants in the last few years and none are better than Alimentum — the ethical fine dining bar and restaurant.
Forget the gastric-​system sounding name and get over the fact that it’s in a boring new development on the edge of town, because inside the service is warm and attentive, the décor is cool and smooth and the food is just fantastic.
It’s mid to upper-​end dining but not astronomically out of reach. In fact, for the complexity, the level of detail in each dish and the presentation it’s value for money. Portion size could cause grumbles to some, however I found it just right. If you want the real value then come on Tuesdays for the Jazz night with meal deal and maybe indulge yourself at the bar with interesting cocktails.
Where Alimentum really earns it’s 5^th star from me is the vision — when you pay more for food you should all be paying for more ethical, less cruel sourcing — and here that’s the case. The chef was even one of the world’s firsts to serve the rare natural foie gras (no force-​feeding) and of that I approve VERY highly.
You’d have all of heard of Alimentum by now if it wasn’t for its sad location on the edge of Cambridge — it would’ve been a shoe-​in for a Michelin star if it was anywhere else. It certainly impressed my mum.

Alimentum is ultrasleek, ultrachic and ultracool — the bar and restaurant are part of Cambridge’s latest luxury development and the interior red and black décor reflects the same aspiration without being uncomfortably cold.
The set menu of modern British cooking offers around four choices for each course. The food was of exceptional quality, showcasing the latest culinary trend