The Cricketts Inn
Burton Road, Acresford, Swadlincote DE12 8AP
From the outside this is a nice looking pub, clean, tidy, well kept and set in beautiful rural surroundings. Inside it is a fairly standard looking country pub, rustic and welcoming, if a little bit on the scruffy side.
I arrived early and sat at the bar to have a couple of drinks, despite the pub not being particularly busy, the bar clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly in some time and had become very sticky and was giving off a smell of stale beer. Being a Marston’s affiliated country pub I was expecting a reasonable selection of ales, disappointingly they only had two ales on tap, one of which was Pedigree and the other was Lancaster Bomber. I ordered myself a pint of Pedigree and took a long swig the beer was definitely off, it tasted of nothing but sulphur, I didn’t drink the rest. I mentioned it to one the girls serving, she seemed not to care at all and didn’t do anything to rectify the situation, again this was somewhat disappointing.
After about ten minutes they called us through and we were seated, I ordered a starter of black pudding bhajis. When they were brought out they were nicely presented and looked freshly cooked, I cut into them they were still hot and nicely crisp. They had a very pleasant texture and taste though they didn’t seem to contain an awful lot of black pubbing, which being black pudding bhajis, was a bit of a let down.
Shortly after the starters had been cleared away they started bringing out the mains, I had ordered a 16oz ribeye steak, chips and grilled mushrooms, I asked for the steak to be cooked rare. I was glad to see the chips were not frozen chips and had definitely been hand cut, they were nice but nothing spectacular and the portion size left a lot to be desired. The steak was what really let them down in my eyes, it was nowhere the size or thickness that a 16oz should be, I would put the size somewhere between the 10 and 12oz mark. When I cut into it, it was definitely not rare, it was quite dry and after the first bite I could tell it had not been seasoned at all. Because of how my earlier issue had been dealt with by the staff, I chose not to raise it and continued to eat. Fortunately one of the group I was with had a pot of black peppercorn sauce and was willing to share, this actually improved the meal enough for me to finish the plate.
Some of the group chose to have deserts, I decided not to as nothing on the menu really appealed to me and I had been a little bit put off by how disappointed I was by the rest of the meal.
Unfortunately I had heard good things prior to eating at The Cricketts Inn, coupled with the fact that menu read very well and the prices weren’t particularly cheap, I went in with high hopes and I think this is partially why I was so disappointed with my experience. The food itself wasn’t actually that bad but it also wasn’t particularly good, it was disappointingly average.
Showing posts with label Ale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ale. Show all posts
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Review: The Wheel Inn, Ticknall
The Wheel Inn
50 Main St, Ticknall, Derby DE73 7JZ
Having passed through Ticknall many, many times I have often thought what a lovely, inviting looking pub this place looks. As I was planning on spending some time walking locally, I thought it would be an ideal place to stop for lunch and start my walk from. Inside the place is gorgeous, clean, tidy and very nicely decorated, making good use of its many period features.
Despite there being many free tables, none of which were reserved, I had to wait to be seated. Unfortunately there is no real area set aside for waiting so your choices are standing around in the bar area, where people are sitting eating, or standing in front of the main entrance. I opted to stand awkwardly in the bar area, where I could at least get a drink.
Generally in a country pub of this style and supposed level of quality I'd expect to see a reasonable range of beers on offer, besides the usual awful lagers, unfortunately this is not the case, the beers on offer here are so run of the mill they're not even worth mentioning.
After a brief wait of 10 minutes or so I was taken upstairs to a, largely empty but very well decorated, dining room and shown to my seat. Looking over the menu the food choices seemed of a slightly higher end than other places I've visited locally and obviously the prices were higher to match. I ordered battered cod with hand cut chips and minted mushy peas, then sat back looking forward to what should be a very nice meal.
After about 30 minutes my food was bought out and my first reaction was one of disappointment, the fish was absolutely tiny and the portion of chips, though clearly hand cut and fried, was very small. I shrugged it off, opting for the mind set of "if the food is good quality then this could still be a very nice meal." The chips did not disappoint, they were lovely, crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and tasted exactly how proper chips should taste. Unfortunately the same could not be said about the fish, not only was it very small, but the batter was quite thick, not at all crispy and didn't have much of a flavour at all. The fish its self had that fishy smell and taste that speaks of it being not particularly fresh, that said it was perfectly cooked. The peas were quite simply forgettable, slightly over cooked and over minted.
Overall not the best experience ever, not entirely great service, a lacklustre beer selection and food that simply did not live up to the price tag. There are better, cheaper places to eat in the local vicinity, though apparently it closes early on a Saturday.
50 Main St, Ticknall, Derby DE73 7JZ
Having passed through Ticknall many, many times I have often thought what a lovely, inviting looking pub this place looks. As I was planning on spending some time walking locally, I thought it would be an ideal place to stop for lunch and start my walk from. Inside the place is gorgeous, clean, tidy and very nicely decorated, making good use of its many period features.
Despite there being many free tables, none of which were reserved, I had to wait to be seated. Unfortunately there is no real area set aside for waiting so your choices are standing around in the bar area, where people are sitting eating, or standing in front of the main entrance. I opted to stand awkwardly in the bar area, where I could at least get a drink.
Generally in a country pub of this style and supposed level of quality I'd expect to see a reasonable range of beers on offer, besides the usual awful lagers, unfortunately this is not the case, the beers on offer here are so run of the mill they're not even worth mentioning.
After a brief wait of 10 minutes or so I was taken upstairs to a, largely empty but very well decorated, dining room and shown to my seat. Looking over the menu the food choices seemed of a slightly higher end than other places I've visited locally and obviously the prices were higher to match. I ordered battered cod with hand cut chips and minted mushy peas, then sat back looking forward to what should be a very nice meal.
After about 30 minutes my food was bought out and my first reaction was one of disappointment, the fish was absolutely tiny and the portion of chips, though clearly hand cut and fried, was very small. I shrugged it off, opting for the mind set of "if the food is good quality then this could still be a very nice meal." The chips did not disappoint, they were lovely, crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and tasted exactly how proper chips should taste. Unfortunately the same could not be said about the fish, not only was it very small, but the batter was quite thick, not at all crispy and didn't have much of a flavour at all. The fish its self had that fishy smell and taste that speaks of it being not particularly fresh, that said it was perfectly cooked. The peas were quite simply forgettable, slightly over cooked and over minted.
Overall not the best experience ever, not entirely great service, a lacklustre beer selection and food that simply did not live up to the price tag. There are better, cheaper places to eat in the local vicinity, though apparently it closes early on a Saturday.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Review: The Staff of Life, Ticknall
The Staff of Life
7 High St, Ticknall, Derby DE73 7JH
Firstly this is a truly gorgeous pub, set in equally gorgeous surroundings, I loved the place before stepping through the door.
The inside is just as nice as the out, clean, tidy and tastefully decorated. The pub is separated into several cosy rooms, each furnished with chunky, rustic furniture that suits the pubs country ascetic. Only having a fairly small bar the pub has a limited selection of beers, however the ones it does have are good quality and well kept.
We went on a Sunday afternoon so I chose to have the 2 course set menu, I had soup of the day starter followed by a roast beef dinner. The soup was spiced parsnip and it was beautiful, nicely seasoned with a rich creamy flavour and served with warm bread and butter, genuine comfort food. The roast beef was served with roast potatoes, a large homemade Yorkshire pudding and plenty of proper beef gravy. The beef itself was locally sourced and really good quality, the potatoes were crisp but still nice and fluffy inside and the Yorkshire pudding was clearly homemade and just purely epic. The meal comes with a side of seasonal veg, which unfortunately was disappointing as it was overcooked, a bit flavourless and slightly cold.
Whilst the pudding menu looked amazing I was far too full to actually try one. Overall the experience was excellent, the food was good and the atmosphere in the pub was very welcoming. I am looking forward to going back during the week or on a Saturday to enjoy the standard daily menu.
7 High St, Ticknall, Derby DE73 7JH
Firstly this is a truly gorgeous pub, set in equally gorgeous surroundings, I loved the place before stepping through the door.
The inside is just as nice as the out, clean, tidy and tastefully decorated. The pub is separated into several cosy rooms, each furnished with chunky, rustic furniture that suits the pubs country ascetic. Only having a fairly small bar the pub has a limited selection of beers, however the ones it does have are good quality and well kept.
We went on a Sunday afternoon so I chose to have the 2 course set menu, I had soup of the day starter followed by a roast beef dinner. The soup was spiced parsnip and it was beautiful, nicely seasoned with a rich creamy flavour and served with warm bread and butter, genuine comfort food. The roast beef was served with roast potatoes, a large homemade Yorkshire pudding and plenty of proper beef gravy. The beef itself was locally sourced and really good quality, the potatoes were crisp but still nice and fluffy inside and the Yorkshire pudding was clearly homemade and just purely epic. The meal comes with a side of seasonal veg, which unfortunately was disappointing as it was overcooked, a bit flavourless and slightly cold.
Whilst the pudding menu looked amazing I was far too full to actually try one. Overall the experience was excellent, the food was good and the atmosphere in the pub was very welcoming. I am looking forward to going back during the week or on a Saturday to enjoy the standard daily menu.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Review: The John Thompson, Ingleby
The John Thompson Inn & Brewery
Ingleby, Derby DE73 7HW
Another gorgeous pub in gorgeous surroundings. I was using this as a starting & finishing point for a country walk and thought it would be rude not to call in and have at least a pint before setting off. From the outside the pub looks like a proper country pub and I'm happy to say the inside is equally as charming and rustic. The pub actually has its own brewery so has a reasonable selection of small batch brewed beer available on tap, I opted for one of the pubs own brews and found it to be very pleasant indeed.
Ingleby, Derby DE73 7HW
Another gorgeous pub in gorgeous surroundings. I was using this as a starting & finishing point for a country walk and thought it would be rude not to call in and have at least a pint before setting off. From the outside the pub looks like a proper country pub and I'm happy to say the inside is equally as charming and rustic. The pub actually has its own brewery so has a reasonable selection of small batch brewed beer available on tap, I opted for one of the pubs own brews and found it to be very pleasant indeed.
Review: The Exeter Arms, Derby
The Exeter Arms
Exeter Pl, Derby DE1 2EU
This place is a diamond in the rough, the surrounding area of this pub is run down and somewhat grotty, please do not let this put you off. Step inside and you're almost in another world, this is an old, well loved and beautiful building with big old oak beams, open fires, cast iron stoves and gorgeous, chunky rustic furniture. Warm, friendly and bustling, yet somehow there's still an air of relaxation about the place.
The bar is small but well stocked with a decent selection of real ales, the staff really know how to keep bar, the beer is excellent. The food is second to none, the prices are ever so slightly higher than some of the other places in town, but trust me the quality of the food you're getting for your money is well worth it.
My friend and I shared 'The Chip Tank' chips topped with cheese, bacon, sausage, chorizo, black pudding and jalapenos, between us and we were both blown away. This is a massive portion of chips, that are clearly home made and are absolutely incredible. The toppings aren't just a small scattering on top of the chips, they're mixed in throughout, every chip is almost guaranteed to have some topping with it.
I am seriously impressed with this place and I really can't wait to go back and try some of their main menu and sample more of their ale, definitely, definitely worth a visit or several.
Exeter Pl, Derby DE1 2EU
This place is a diamond in the rough, the surrounding area of this pub is run down and somewhat grotty, please do not let this put you off. Step inside and you're almost in another world, this is an old, well loved and beautiful building with big old oak beams, open fires, cast iron stoves and gorgeous, chunky rustic furniture. Warm, friendly and bustling, yet somehow there's still an air of relaxation about the place.
The bar is small but well stocked with a decent selection of real ales, the staff really know how to keep bar, the beer is excellent. The food is second to none, the prices are ever so slightly higher than some of the other places in town, but trust me the quality of the food you're getting for your money is well worth it.
My friend and I shared 'The Chip Tank' chips topped with cheese, bacon, sausage, chorizo, black pudding and jalapenos, between us and we were both blown away. This is a massive portion of chips, that are clearly home made and are absolutely incredible. The toppings aren't just a small scattering on top of the chips, they're mixed in throughout, every chip is almost guaranteed to have some topping with it.
I am seriously impressed with this place and I really can't wait to go back and try some of their main menu and sample more of their ale, definitely, definitely worth a visit or several.
Review: The Forge, Derby
The Forge Bar & Gourmet Grill
1-6 Blacksmiths Yard, Sadler Gate, Derby DE1 3PD
The restaurant itself is a little hidden away so wasn't overly busy for a Friday night. Inside it's clean, bright and nicely laid out with a good number of tables for a fairly small place. The menu isn't overly priced and has a a fairly wide variety of items, including a couple of vegetarian options. The beer menu is impressive, though don't be surprised if they don't have your first or even second choice of drink.
After ordering, the food was brought out to the table fairly quickly. The food itself was of good quality, the chips were all clearly hand cut and nicely seasoned, the burgers looked to be hand made, had a really nice flavour and a decent texture. I personally prefer my burgers a little pink in the middle and although the burger wasn't pink, it wasn't overcooked either.
I'd personally recommend The Forge as a nice place to get a decent quality, not overly expensive meal and would happily visit again.
1-6 Blacksmiths Yard, Sadler Gate, Derby DE1 3PD
The restaurant itself is a little hidden away so wasn't overly busy for a Friday night. Inside it's clean, bright and nicely laid out with a good number of tables for a fairly small place. The menu isn't overly priced and has a a fairly wide variety of items, including a couple of vegetarian options. The beer menu is impressive, though don't be surprised if they don't have your first or even second choice of drink.
After ordering, the food was brought out to the table fairly quickly. The food itself was of good quality, the chips were all clearly hand cut and nicely seasoned, the burgers looked to be hand made, had a really nice flavour and a decent texture. I personally prefer my burgers a little pink in the middle and although the burger wasn't pink, it wasn't overcooked either.
I'd personally recommend The Forge as a nice place to get a decent quality, not overly expensive meal and would happily visit again.
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Hoppy Christmas - Part 3
So I’ve been a little lax in writing my reviews, it’s now boxing day and I feel as though I should do what I intended and finish writing. This is part 3 of my Hoppy Christmas calendar reveiw and it covers the 14th right through to the 24th of December. Please watch part 5, 6 & 7 of my unboxing videos on the links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exhCXQgTtj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8CChg_Diqg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx5eGpy7ux0
No.14 I Sea Santa - Brains - A dark brown beer, smells of spices and treacle with a hint of citrus.
No.15 Xmas Chaos - Anarchy Brew Co - A seasonal Christmas beer with a distinctly Christmasy flavour, rum, raisins and spices.
No.16 Earl Grey PA - Atlantic Brewery - A cloudy IPA with a citrus flavour and a hint of bergamot.
No.17 Calypso - Siren Craft Brew - A citrus heavy flavour with a bitter hoppy kick.
No.18 The Honey Ale - Hiver - A gorgoeus deep brown ale with honey sweetness and a slight hoppy bitterness.
No.19 Pils - Fourpure Brewing Co - A German pilsner style beer, floral smell with a crisp refreshing flavour.
No.20 London Pale Ale - Meantime Brewing - A traditional pale ale with a decent amount of bitterness and a citrus flavour.
No.21 Hix’s Darkside - The Unseen University Boathouse Brewery - A very smooth oatmeal stout, complex flavours with a decent amount of sweetness.
No.22 DOA IPA - Los Muertos Brewing - A hoppy IPA with plenty of bitterness and floral notes, just the right amount of sweetness to make it balanced.
No.23 Easy IPA - Flying Dow Brewery - A light, flasvoursome beer with a citrus taste and a light spicyness.
No.24 Red Nose Reinbeer - Cotleigh Brewery - A seasonal beer, deep copper coloured, richly flavoured with hints of chocolate and a toffee sweetness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exhCXQgTtj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8CChg_Diqg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx5eGpy7ux0
No.14 I Sea Santa - Brains - A dark brown beer, smells of spices and treacle with a hint of citrus.
No.15 Xmas Chaos - Anarchy Brew Co - A seasonal Christmas beer with a distinctly Christmasy flavour, rum, raisins and spices.
No.16 Earl Grey PA - Atlantic Brewery - A cloudy IPA with a citrus flavour and a hint of bergamot.
No.17 Calypso - Siren Craft Brew - A citrus heavy flavour with a bitter hoppy kick.
No.18 The Honey Ale - Hiver - A gorgoeus deep brown ale with honey sweetness and a slight hoppy bitterness.
No.19 Pils - Fourpure Brewing Co - A German pilsner style beer, floral smell with a crisp refreshing flavour.
No.20 London Pale Ale - Meantime Brewing - A traditional pale ale with a decent amount of bitterness and a citrus flavour.
No.21 Hix’s Darkside - The Unseen University Boathouse Brewery - A very smooth oatmeal stout, complex flavours with a decent amount of sweetness.
No.22 DOA IPA - Los Muertos Brewing - A hoppy IPA with plenty of bitterness and floral notes, just the right amount of sweetness to make it balanced.
No.23 Easy IPA - Flying Dow Brewery - A light, flasvoursome beer with a citrus taste and a light spicyness.
No.24 Red Nose Reinbeer - Cotleigh Brewery - A seasonal beer, deep copper coloured, richly flavoured with hints of chocolate and a toffee sweetness.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Friday, December 18, 2015
Monday, December 14, 2015
Hoppy Christmas - Part 2
We're now over halfway through December, Christmas is getting ever closer and this is part 2 of my Hoppy Christmas advent calendar. Part 2 covers the 7th through to the 13th of December, please watch parts 3 & 4 of my unboxing videos on the links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMr7Y5XMsT8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iJsq86yG9Y
No.7 Talisman - Alechemy Brewing - A hazy pilsner style beer, plenty of flavour with a slight toffee sweetness.
No.8 Railway Porter - Five Points Brewing Co - A classic London style porter, smells of chocolate and coffee. Rich and flavoursome with a bitter sweet caramel edge.
No.9 Cwtch - Tiny Rebel Brewery - A traditional Welsh Red Ale, plenty of citrus flavour with a decent amount of hoppy bitterness.
No.10 Op & Top - Brouwerij De Molen - A cloudy English Bitter style ale. Caramel sweetness with citrus flavours followed by a floral hoppy bitterness.
No.11 Gentleman’s Wit - Camden Town Brewery - A Belgian style Witbier, has a distinct Earl Grey / bergamot orange flavour with a lemony sweetness.
No.12 Schiehallion - Harviestoun Brewery - A craft lager with a fruity, citrus smell. Tastes of grapefruit with a slight honey sweetness.
No.13 Dark Lager - Freedom Brewery - A craft lager reddish brown in colour, with a bitter sweet flavour like burnt toffee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMr7Y5XMsT8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iJsq86yG9Y
No.7 Talisman - Alechemy Brewing - A hazy pilsner style beer, plenty of flavour with a slight toffee sweetness.
No.8 Railway Porter - Five Points Brewing Co - A classic London style porter, smells of chocolate and coffee. Rich and flavoursome with a bitter sweet caramel edge.
No.9 Cwtch - Tiny Rebel Brewery - A traditional Welsh Red Ale, plenty of citrus flavour with a decent amount of hoppy bitterness.
No.10 Op & Top - Brouwerij De Molen - A cloudy English Bitter style ale. Caramel sweetness with citrus flavours followed by a floral hoppy bitterness.
No.11 Gentleman’s Wit - Camden Town Brewery - A Belgian style Witbier, has a distinct Earl Grey / bergamot orange flavour with a lemony sweetness.
No.12 Schiehallion - Harviestoun Brewery - A craft lager with a fruity, citrus smell. Tastes of grapefruit with a slight honey sweetness.
No.13 Dark Lager - Freedom Brewery - A craft lager reddish brown in colour, with a bitter sweet flavour like burnt toffee.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Friday, December 11, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Hoppy Christmas - Part 1
It’s December, the Christmas count down has begun and that can only mean one thing… Advent Calendar! This year my lovely lady, has got me, possibly, the best Advent Calendar in the world ever! The Hoppy Christmas craft beer advent calendar by Ales By Mail (http://www.alesbymail.co.uk), 24 Christmas themed craft beers from every corner of the country. Over the next moth I will uploading weekly videos showing each beer as they come out of the box and posting a weekly blog post briefly describing and reviewing each beer.
No.1 Figgy Pudding - Hardknott Brewery - Dark, strong and very seasonal. It smells like Christmas, it tastes like Christmas, it’s basically everything you could ever want in Christmas beer.
No.2 Silures - The Celt Experience - A Pale unfiltered ale. Cloudy with a malty sweetness and a fruity, almost citrusy, edge.
No.3 Bledlows Silence - The Unseen University Boathouse Brewery - A Classic IPA. Smells of pine trees, earthy with a citrus edge. Tastes almost exactly as it smells with a gentle lingering bitterness.
No.4 Chocolate Lager - Hogs Back Brewery - Smells and tastes almost exactly as you’d expect it to, as soon as you open the bottle you’re hit by chocolate. The first mouthful tastes like a good lager, after that it gets progressively more chocolatey.
No.5 Sundown - Hawkshead Brewery - A Well hopped red beer. It smells almost citrusy with a slight sweetness to it. Tastes hoppy but with a fruity edge that curbs the bitterness.
No.6 Cwrw-istmas Beacons - Brecon Brewing - Pale chestnut coloured ale brewed with yuletide fruits and spices. It smells of Christmas, rich and warming with a hint of dried fruit. It has a deceptively hoppy taste with a bitter edge.
The videos of me unboxing the first 6 beers can be found on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/Grymourn/videos
No.1 Figgy Pudding - Hardknott Brewery - Dark, strong and very seasonal. It smells like Christmas, it tastes like Christmas, it’s basically everything you could ever want in Christmas beer.
No.2 Silures - The Celt Experience - A Pale unfiltered ale. Cloudy with a malty sweetness and a fruity, almost citrusy, edge.
No.3 Bledlows Silence - The Unseen University Boathouse Brewery - A Classic IPA. Smells of pine trees, earthy with a citrus edge. Tastes almost exactly as it smells with a gentle lingering bitterness.
No.4 Chocolate Lager - Hogs Back Brewery - Smells and tastes almost exactly as you’d expect it to, as soon as you open the bottle you’re hit by chocolate. The first mouthful tastes like a good lager, after that it gets progressively more chocolatey.
No.5 Sundown - Hawkshead Brewery - A Well hopped red beer. It smells almost citrusy with a slight sweetness to it. Tastes hoppy but with a fruity edge that curbs the bitterness.
No.6 Cwrw-istmas Beacons - Brecon Brewing - Pale chestnut coloured ale brewed with yuletide fruits and spices. It smells of Christmas, rich and warming with a hint of dried fruit. It has a deceptively hoppy taste with a bitter edge.
The videos of me unboxing the first 6 beers can be found on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/Grymourn/videos
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Happy Birthday To Me...
It was my 31st birthday at the weekend and, as usual, my lovely lady spoiled me with awesome gifts, amazing food and epic cake (which I am currently eating a sizeable chunk of). The Birthday celebration really Kicked off on the Saturday evening when my lady took me out for a meal to The Junction, a local Bar/Restaurant well know for its high quality food and pleasant atmosphere.
All I can really say about the food is that, as always, it was amazing. I started with a terrine of locally smoke mackerel, dauphinoise potatoes and horse radish with a balsamic dressing and it was delicious, there was just enough acidity to the dressing to cut through the richness of the potato and the oily fish, without overpowering the dish. The freshness of the horse radish was evident and was just enough to lift the dish and provide a hint of heat on the tongue, it was an excellent counter point to the overall richness of the dish.
I washed the starter down with a very pleasant pint of Ringwoods excellent craft ale, Old Thumper and moved on to a main course of pan fried duck breast on a bed of stir fried summer vegetables in a hoisin sauce with spicy polenta chips. The duck breast was tender and perfectly pink in the middle, whilst having a lovely sear on the skin. The veg was al dente and maintained its own flavour well in the lusciously rich hoisin sauce. The overall flavour of the dish was suitably oriental whilst still maintaining an English aspect, from the choice of vegetables and simple, but very well executed flavour of the duck. My one criticism is the inclusion of the polenta chips, whilst very nice and having an interesting flavour of there own, they seemed entirely disconnected from the rest of the dish and were largely surplus to needs. I would have preferred to have seen a portion of deep fried rice noodles in place of the chips, as this would have better suited the dish and provided a bit of crunch and an interesting textural depth.
Kelly decided to forgo the starter and instead opted to go straight for a main course of a classic hand made steak burger, with triple cooked chips and a side order beer battered onion rings. The quality of the beef used to make the burger was apparent, it was tender, flavoursome and maintained the texture of the meat very well, something that is often lost when using beef of a lesser quality. The chips were fluffy, flavoursome and crisp thanks to the triple cooking process, they had been allowed to colour giving a very slight edge of sweetness to the flavour that worked well with a sprinkling of salt. The onion rings were crisp and the batter was light, the onion inside was not overcooked and as such had not taken on too much oil giving them a refreshing bite. It is very hard to criticise burger and chips at the best of times but when done with such a level of quality and consistency as is to be found here it is almost impossible.
Given the richness of my starter and main course I chose to follow these with a refreshing pale ale, this time in the guise of a pint of Boondoggle, a crisp citrusy blond ale, again, by the excellent folks at the Ringwood brewery. Having both had our fill from our main courses we decided to split a desert, Kelly made the excellent choice of a home made cheesecake & mango jelly with passion-fruit sauce. The combination of the richness of the cheesecake, sweetness of the mango jelly and acidity of the passion-fruit sauce made for an excellent palette cleanser and a perfect end to an delicious meal.
The remainder of the evening was spent in the company of Kelly’s parents sharing a few drinks and catching up. All in all and wonderful evening spent with good company and my amazing partner.
All I can really say about the food is that, as always, it was amazing. I started with a terrine of locally smoke mackerel, dauphinoise potatoes and horse radish with a balsamic dressing and it was delicious, there was just enough acidity to the dressing to cut through the richness of the potato and the oily fish, without overpowering the dish. The freshness of the horse radish was evident and was just enough to lift the dish and provide a hint of heat on the tongue, it was an excellent counter point to the overall richness of the dish.
I washed the starter down with a very pleasant pint of Ringwoods excellent craft ale, Old Thumper and moved on to a main course of pan fried duck breast on a bed of stir fried summer vegetables in a hoisin sauce with spicy polenta chips. The duck breast was tender and perfectly pink in the middle, whilst having a lovely sear on the skin. The veg was al dente and maintained its own flavour well in the lusciously rich hoisin sauce. The overall flavour of the dish was suitably oriental whilst still maintaining an English aspect, from the choice of vegetables and simple, but very well executed flavour of the duck. My one criticism is the inclusion of the polenta chips, whilst very nice and having an interesting flavour of there own, they seemed entirely disconnected from the rest of the dish and were largely surplus to needs. I would have preferred to have seen a portion of deep fried rice noodles in place of the chips, as this would have better suited the dish and provided a bit of crunch and an interesting textural depth.
Kelly decided to forgo the starter and instead opted to go straight for a main course of a classic hand made steak burger, with triple cooked chips and a side order beer battered onion rings. The quality of the beef used to make the burger was apparent, it was tender, flavoursome and maintained the texture of the meat very well, something that is often lost when using beef of a lesser quality. The chips were fluffy, flavoursome and crisp thanks to the triple cooking process, they had been allowed to colour giving a very slight edge of sweetness to the flavour that worked well with a sprinkling of salt. The onion rings were crisp and the batter was light, the onion inside was not overcooked and as such had not taken on too much oil giving them a refreshing bite. It is very hard to criticise burger and chips at the best of times but when done with such a level of quality and consistency as is to be found here it is almost impossible.
Given the richness of my starter and main course I chose to follow these with a refreshing pale ale, this time in the guise of a pint of Boondoggle, a crisp citrusy blond ale, again, by the excellent folks at the Ringwood brewery. Having both had our fill from our main courses we decided to split a desert, Kelly made the excellent choice of a home made cheesecake & mango jelly with passion-fruit sauce. The combination of the richness of the cheesecake, sweetness of the mango jelly and acidity of the passion-fruit sauce made for an excellent palette cleanser and a perfect end to an delicious meal.
The remainder of the evening was spent in the company of Kelly’s parents sharing a few drinks and catching up. All in all and wonderful evening spent with good company and my amazing partner.
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