Chef Babak in Stafford offers a refined yet welcoming dining experience, blending European culinary traditions with contemporary flair. Helmed by chef Babak Taherkhani, the restaurant reflects his training under renowned chefs Clare Smyth MBE and Claude Bosi. The interior combines rustic charm with modern elegance, featuring exposed brickwork, ambient lighting, and a warm colour palette that creates an inviting atmosphere for both intimate dinners and family gatherings.
The menu showcases a diverse range of European dishes, emphasising fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Signature offerings include trumpet to porcini – fresh tagliatelle with black truffle paste, French trumpet, and Italian porcini mushrooms in a light cheesy sauce - and sea bass talks French, featuring a crispy-skinned sea bass fillet served with marinated spinach and French champignon beurre blanc sauce. For those seeking heartier fare, the cannock chase presents venison fillet cubes cooked with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and shallots, served over fresh tagliatelle.
Pasta enthusiasts will appreciate dishes like tagliatelle alla carbonara, combining smoked pancetta, shallots, egg yolk, pecorino, and white cream sauce, and risotto siciliano, a mildly spicy mix of beef and chicken cubes with cherry tomatoes and hot chillies. The pizza selection includes classics such as the quarto, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, chicken, and ham, and the capricciosa, featuring tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, ham, and mushrooms. Vegetarian options are also available, ensuring a variety of choices for all diners.
Desserts at Chef Babak are crafted with the same attention to detail. The tiramisu con savoiard offers layers of mascarpone cream and savoiardi biscuits soaked in coffee, while the salted caramel cheesecake features a knobbly crunch base topped with vanilla ice cream cheesecake and the creamiest caramel sauce, decorated with milk chocolate shards and toasted buckwheat for added crunch.