Haggis with a taste of the East

Feb 14 2008 By Paul Fulford

THE link between Scotland, India and France isn't that obvious.

But bite into the haggis pakora that's on the menu at Pascal's restaurant in Edgbaston and it becomes clear.

The chef is James Hardy, a Scotsman who carries with him some of the influences of his native country. Thus the haggis.

The Indian link is obvious - pakora, a street food on the sub-continent, is found in virtually every curry house this side of Mumbai.

"I thought it was a cheeky little slant on the idea given the Asian influence in Birmingham," says James. And the French influence is clear in James's mastery of classic techniques to create a well balanced dish that is light, multi-textured and layered with flavours. There are other fascinating combinations on the menu - foie gras, poached duck egg, brioche and a jus given an extra dimension by HP Sauce, for instance.

Or sea bass served with a pearl barley risotto.

Previously a classy Scotch broth served with haggis tortellini has appeared.

It's a menu that gives a hint of James's many years of experience as a chef.

But it was not a career he initially planned.

As a teenager he planned to study architectural engineering in his home city of Glasgow, but got a part-time job in a bakery, fell in love with catering and went on to study cooking.

Now 36 and settled in Bromsgrove with his fiancée, he's worked at restaurants the length of the country, including Michelin starred establishments. James is delighted that Pascal's was last month awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand - given to restaurants judged to provide great food at a great price.

"I wasn't expecting that so soon. I'm thrilled," says James, who joined the restaurant just before Christmas.

Previously he spent three years on the Formula One motor racing circuit, travelling the world cooking for the likes of David Coulthard, their teams and guests.

His philosophy on food is simple. "I like to cook food that I like to eat. I don't like to over-complicate," says James.

It's an approach that clearly impressed the guys from Michelin.