A splendid birthday lunch at Restaurant 22: Cambridge March 2020

Last Saturday I enjoyed an excellent lunch with two friends in celebration of a special birthday. I have been to Restaurant 22 a couple of times before for dinner with Steve and on those occasions I chose the five and seven-course tasting menus so I knew we were in for a treat. Restaurant 22 is located in a beautiful Victorian townhouse on Chesterton Road in Cambridge.   

The stained glass window in the main dining room is an outstanding feature.

As this was a celebration we had a Kir Royal as an aperitif.

Everything about this restaurant is elegant and I particularly admired these bespoke china plates.

We all loved the fantastically tasty house-baked bread and butter.

The Amuse-Bouche was a choux bun filled with smoked bacon, onion, and Spenwood cheese with a Velouté sauce poured at the table. Divine!

We all enjoyed this starter of Cornish hake, swede, lemon, and charcoal.

For my main course, I chose Burnt kohlrabi, duck egg, hazelnut, and shiitake.

One of my friends chose the Creedy Carver duck, duck fat potato, carrot, and Norfolk watercress for her main course.

I almost considered this Pre Dessert of Meyer lemon, almond, and ricotta too pretty to eat!

I chose the Clotted cream, Yorkshire rhubarb, and green tea for my dessert. 

My friends chose the dark chocolate, salted caramel, and peanut dessert.

At the end of our meal, it was a lovely gesture when my friend was given this chocolate for her birthday.

On this occasion, we chose the Set Lunch Menu (3 courses at £32.50 per person) which is excellent value for money as it included the Bread and Butter, an Amuse-Bouche, and a Pre Dessert. The freshness and quality of the food are very evident and the presentation is exceptional for the combination of colour, texture, and design. Chef Sam is a master of fine art on a plate and his dishes certainly have the WOW factor! In fact, my photographs unfortunately don’t do his spectacular and impressive plates full justice. The service is totally professional and attentive but it also manages to be friendly and informal.  This young team has obviously been very well-trained. Restaurant 22 is the perfect place for special occasion dining and I can highly recommend it. I am always happy to send other people here as I feel certain they won’t be disappointed. It’s essential to book well ahead as this is deservedly a popular and busy restaurant. A five-course and seven-course tasting menu were also available at the lunchtime service.

By the way readers, you may be interested to know that this week is the 5th anniversary of the date I started writing my food and travel blog. For those who have followed me on my journey I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you!

22 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX

Tel: 01223 351880

http://www.restaurant22.co.uk

Mercado Central, a fab new Spanish restaurant in Cambridge: February 2020

Mercado Central is located in Green Street, Cambridge

Last week Steve and I thoroughly enjoyed a meal with two friends at a new independent Spanish restaurant called Mercado Central in Cambridge. It opened its doors in December 2019 and I was keen to go as both the menu and the building looked inviting. The restaurant has undergone a splendid makeover and has seating on two floors so I was delighted to find that our table was on the Ground Floor opposite the open kitchen. Watching the chefs cook everything fresh to order reminded me of being at a similar restaurant in Barcelona. It was a mid-week early evening and the place was packed so it’s probably advisable to book as we did. Word has obviously got around that Mercado Central is worth checking out for the quality of the food and its excellent service by largely Spanish staff despite their rather high-end prices. There was a great atmosphere and I loved everything about the decor, which has an authentic contemporary Spanish feel, and impressive attention to detail. It was also a pleasant surprise to find we had large bottles of free sparkling and still filtered water and linen napkins on the table. But things got better still when I found they have my favourite beer on tap!

The fact that Mercado Central served draft Estrella Galicia beer was another plus point for me!

My dining companions chose a bottle of Spanish red wine from Cadiz to share

We started with housemade Sourdough bread 

And Pan de Cristal con Tomate (organic Tomato from Cadiz)

Accompanied by several Sharing Plates like these delicious Croquetas: Jamon Iberico and Arzua Cheese and Spinach

Both were the best plates of croquetas I have ever tasted!

Crispy Squid with Alioli was another Sharing Plate we all enjoyed. Must mention I loved the crockery too!

We then moved onto our main courses which included Seafood Paella, although it was good to see that a couple of Vegetarian Paella dishes were also available.

Steve enjoyed his dish of black rice with Octopus and tempura prawns

Another main course dish we ordered was Rabo de Toro which featured oxtail

I was disappointed in my choice of Seafood Paella as I found the baked rice rather dry, but the waiter removed the cost from the bill.

I also enjoyed a complimentary glass of Sangria

The desserts of Crema Catalana with Rhubarb and Tarta de Santiago with Orange cream looked and tasted good, but I sampled a cheesecake that wasn’t even on the menu and it was truly scrumptious.

We all really enjoyed eating at Mercado Central and it’s a very welcome addition to the Cambridge indie dining scene. What separates this place from the other tapas bars we have in the City is that it’s a contemporary Spanish restaurant offering a full dining experience and I guess that’s why the word tapas isn’t even mentioned in the menu. The Sharing Plates are a generous size and the quality and freshness of the food are very evident. Our bill came to £55 per head including all drinks and service. Different, impressive, friendly and a host of other complimentary adjectives Mercado Central is highly recommended for families, groups and date nights.

Mercado Central

24 Green Street

Cambridge

CB2 3JX

Tel: 01223 502392 

info@mercadocentral.co.uk

Valentine’s Day meal at MJP restaurant, Cambridge Cookery School

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On Valentine’s Day this year, Steve and I enjoyed a six-course tasting menu cooked by Michelin star chef Mark Poynton who has recently taken over the Cambridge Cookery School bistro on Friday and Saturday evenings with his MJP restaurant.  The Cambridge Cookery School was founded in 2008 by chef and food writer Tine Roche. In 2015 the Cambridge Cookery School premises expanded to include a café, restaurant, and wine bar, taking over the former headquarters of Rattee and Kett stonemasons, which was established in 1843 on Purbeck Road, Cambridge. For me, the premises held a special significance as my ex-husband had worked at Rattee and Kett for many years doing restoration work. It occurred to me when we were dining that we were probably sitting in what had probably been his workshop many years ago! The space is now home to a stylish neighbourhood bistro which is minimalist in style.

We started our six-course meal with a glass of fizz on arrival which was included in the Valentine’s Menu.

To start we enjoyed the Wild mushroom and truffle soup, and coffee jelly, which was served with bread and butter.

We felt that the fish course of Grilled plaice, pickled cucumber, brown shrimp and seaweed butter was rather lost when served in this large bowl for such a small portion!

This succulent meat course of Lamb rump, courgette and basil, and Anna potato with lamb jus was our favourite dish on the menu.

The Pink Champagne foam was a delightful palate cleanser!

I loved the dessert of Dark chocolate brownie and mousse, with rhubarb and ginger, which were excellent flavour combinations.

To conclude our meal we shared this selection of British cheese, onion chutney, and biscuits which we felt was rather on the small side of being satisfactory portion-wise.

The cost of the Valentine’s Day menu was £65.00 per person including a glass of fizz. The evening was a sell-out so it was a busy night for the staff, but it did make for a good atmosphere. The food was excellent as I had expected and the service was attentive and professional. My other gripe, (in addition to the portion size mentioned above which we overheard voiced by other diners), was that I arrived very hungry for my meal and we had to wait thirty minutes before the starter arrived. It would have been nice to have had some bread on the table while we were waiting but apart from that Mark Poynton at Cambridge Cookery are an ideal partnership and to be recommended for a fine dining style date night.

Wild mushroom and truffle soup, coffee jelly

For more information on future dining events check out mjprestaurant.com

MJP restaurant can be found at the Cambridge Cookery School, Purbeck Road in Cambridge

Rick Stein’s Seafood restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall was a delight!

This month Steve and I enjoyed a splendid foodie winter break in Padstow, Cornwall. It’s a long drive from where we live in Cambridge, but we were blessed with unseasonably sunny weather for January so it was well worth the journey to the West Country. The main reason for our trip was to experience dining at Rick Stein’s flagship seafood restaurant in Padstow. We took advantage of a low season deal staying in accommodation above the restaurant which has picturesque views over the harbour and Camel estuary. This special offer included breakfast and a three-course dinner on both nights which made it excellent value. The Seafood Restaurant uses quality local produce and is internationally famous for imaginative cooking of the very freshest fish and shellfish often landed on their doorstep! We were particularly impressed with the staff who gave exemplary service, – being friendly, knowledgeable and totally professional.

The Seafood Restaurant is located at Riverside, Padstow, in Cornwall. This is Rick Stein’s flagship restaurant which opened in 1975.

We enjoyed home-made bread, butter, and olives while choosing from an extensive a la carte menu which featured simple seafood dishes with classic flavours using Rick’s recipes.

PAN FRIED PUNTILLITA AND CRISPY DEEP FRIED CAMARONES with Migas, parsley, and chillies. These small squid are fried with crisp breadcrumbs sprinkled with spicy pimentón.

CHARGRILLED FILLET OF WILD CORNISH SEA BASS with a tomato, butter, and vanilla vinaigrette.

GRILLED FILLET OF HAKE with spinach and beurre blanc.

CORNISH CRAB with a wakame, cucumber and dashi salad with wasabi mayonnaise.

SINGAPORE CHILLI CRAB Stir-fried whole crab with garlic, ginger, chilli, and coriander. Very much for those who love eating with their hands and getting gloriously messy like Steve!  

By not having a starter on my second evening I had room for this delicious dessert – HOT CHOCOLATE FONDANT with raspberry marshmallow, made with Felchlin chocolate.

CHARGRILLED FILLET OF WILD CORNISH SEA BASS With a tomato, butter and vanilla vinaigrette.

This is a selection of some of the dishes we enjoyed either as starters or main courses.

After dinner on both evenings, we were treated to a delectable selection of Petit fours.

It should be mentioned that breakfast served in the restaurant was wonderful too, with a choice of speciality dishes, including smoked haddock kedgeree, poached kippers, grilled fish of the day or a classic English breakfast, and much, much more from a wide-ranging menu.

An interior view of the Seafood Restaurant which is light and attractive with a very enjoyable atmosphere. We were especially interested in the eclectic collection of paintings displayed on the restaurant walls. It transpired that all the artwork had been acquired by Rick Stein on his travels.

We enjoyed a lovely coastal walk in Padstow, which is a very attractive fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall

Padstow located on the North coast of Cornwall was traditionally a fishing port and some of its fishing fleet still remains, but now it’s primarily a popular tourist destination, especially with foodies. Rick Stein’s presence has been a terrific influence on the town and he has several other food outlets and shops in addition to the Seafood Restaurant. Tourists travel long distances to eat at his restaurant and cafes, consequently, this has led to the town being dubbed “Padstein” by food writers in the British media. We were surprised by how busy the restaurant was both for lunch and dinner service at this usually quiet time of year, and many guests like us were staying overnight and taking advantage of the special offers. As a destination restaurant for a birthday or anniversary, the Seafood Restaurant is highly recommended and you are bound to have a memorable experience. We did!

THE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Riverside

Padstow

Cornwall

PL28 8BY

Reservations Tel:01841 532700

http://www.rickstein.com

A New Year treat at Trinity Restaurant, Cambridge: January 2020

Trinity is located on Trinity Street in Cambridge

Last week Steve and I enjoyed our first date night of the New Year at one of our favourite restaurants. Trinity is an elegant eatery with excellent service and an interesting menu with a good choice of seafood dishes that has never disappointed us, so it’s always a pleasure to return. We started our evening with a glass or two of Cava whilst we perused the enticing menu. Steve chose a pre-starter of Mersea oysters served raw on ice with lemon, Tabasco and pickled shallots. I was happy to tuck into the delicious bread whilst waiting for my starter.

My starter of Seared scallops, butternut squash purée, roast squash, pickled apple, and bacon crumb was perfectly cooked.

Steve enjoyed Steamed mussels, with a Nduja cream sauce for his next course.

Followed by Whole roast sea bream, brown shrimp, caper and raisin butter sauce for his main.

For my main course, I chose Butternut squash risotto, roast pumpkin, toasted almonds, and crispy sage.

And for my dessert, I chose Orange drizzle cake, chocolate crémeux, burnt orange purée, with chocolate soil. The perfect dish for any chocolate orange lovers!

It was no surprise to me that Steve chose the Cheese Board of Boxer, Tipsy Billy, Cashel Blue, Baron Bigod, and Isle of Mull Cheddar cheeses!

Accompanied by a local award-winning craft beer.

It was a very pleasant and relaxing evening and started off our dining adventures of 2020 in fine style. Trinity is highly recommended for food and service, but prices are on the high side so probably more of a special occasion destination for dinner. We paid £126.00 for our meal with drinks, and for once Steve allowed me to treat him!

Seared scallops, butternut squash purée, roast squash, pickled apple, and bacon crumb

You will be walking in the air with The Snowman Afternoon Tea at Cafe Rouge, Cambridge: January 2020

This week I enjoyed a festive treat at Cafe Rouge in Cambridge to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Available for a limited time only for the Christmas season it was an excellent selection of sweet and savoury treats which we both enjoyed and considered to be good value at £29.95 for two people to share including hot drinks, with refills at no extra cost. I am usually cautious about sampling a themed Afternoon Tea as they rarely live up to the traditional one but having enthused about the Cheese Afternoon Tea at Cafe Rouge on my previous blog post I felt it was worth a try and I wasn’t disappointed.

The Snowman was served on a three-tiered stand with a bespoke Snowman at Cafe Rouge plate for the sweet treats. 

The top tier included a warm, spiced mixed berry crumble mini dessert, white chocolate mousse, carrot cake, and marshmallow-topped chocolate cheesecake.

On the bottom tier, we started our feast with Cafe Rouge’s delicious Croque Monsieur. There was a choice of  “Festive Croque” with a filling of either turkey or mushroom and spinach. 

The other seasonal addition was a dish of everyone’s favourite “Pigs in blankets” (Pork sausages wrapped in bacon.)

On the second tier, we enjoyed warm fruit scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream, with the addition of large Snowman white chocolate buttons.

The Snowman Afternoon Tea at Cafe Rouge is inspired by the original book and film The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. 

I will be returning to Cafe Rouge on another occasion to sample their new Chocolate Afternoon Tea which is available soon and sounds an irresistible temptation! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A splendid Cheese Afternoon Tea at Cafe Rouge, Cambridge: October 2019

Last week my daughter and I treated ourselves to a very different Afternoon Tea from the traditional one at Cafe Rouge in Cambridge. We both love cheese so this savoury menu appealed and readers on this occasion we weren’t disappointed. I usually avoid Afternoon Teas which are ‘themed’ in any way because they rarely live up to expectation but Cafe Rouge is onto a winner with their Cheese Afternoon Tea. It tasted as good as it looked and it was excellent value for money at £30 for two people because there was plenty of it. My daughter who is exceptionally hard to please couldn’t find anything to complain about with our meal and the service was prompt and efficient too. In fact, we were both reminded of the reasons why we have always enjoyed eating at this elegant Parisienne style bistro.

We loved the presentation of the Cheese Afternoon Tea which was served in three wooden boxes on a tiered cake stand.

To start we relished the Croque Monsieur with a choice of smoked ham or Portobello mushrooms with baby spinach, goats cheese and a drizzle of truffle oil. Both fillings were yummy!

While it was still warm we moved onto the Baked Camembert, served with crudites and garlic Flatbread

We completed our cheese feast with a selection of French Artisan cheeses served with water biscuits, grapes and baby figs.

To accompany our cheese Afternoon Tea there was a choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

The Cheese Afternoon Tea was a delightful savoury alternative to the usual sweet treats, and Cafe Rouge has got it just right in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Afternoon Tea at Cafe Rouge is available every day from 12pm 5:30pm. I noticed that they also offer a Kids Afternoon Tea at £17.50 for two. I shall certainly be making a return visit.

Cafe Rouge also offers this more traditional sweet Afternoon Tea which I would like to try next time I visit.

Cafe Rouge

24-26 Bridge Street

Cambridge

CB2 1UJ

Tel: 01223 364961

email: Cambridge@caferouge.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have I found the smallest coffee shop in England? October 2019

Holly Bean’s Gourmet Coffee is available in the Old Butchers Shop cafe, which is located on Main Street in the village of Carlton-on-Trent, near Newark, Notts.

Holly Bean’s Gourmet Coffee uses Stokes of Lincoln, – coffee roasters and purveyors of fine teas.

Inside the cafe, I found this interesting photo of the Old Butcher’s shop in Carlton-on Trent, which ceased trading in the mid-1990s.

On this visit, I decided to have a hot chocolate as it was a bright but chilly Autumn morning.

My friend, (who lives in the village) is a regular customer to this charming and delightful coffee shop but every time I have visited her previously the cafe hasn’t been open.

I counted eleven chairs and two tables in this minute whimsical cafe which must make it a candidate for the smallest coffee shop in England!

This charming cafe is eclectic in style with lots of interesting things on the walls and it was full of curios, most of which were for sale.

The window seat of the cafe looks onto the village Main Street in Carlton-on-Trent

This is where the magic happens! Drinks for the cafe are made here in Holly Bean’s Gourmet Coffee Truck.

I have been a visitor to the village of Carlton-on-Trent for many years and ever since this cafe opened its doors two and a half years ago I have wanted to see inside. I was lucky on this occasion to be able to check it out as its currently only open one morning a week on Wednesdays. My friend advised me to wait until members of the seated exercise class had been and gone because they meet there every week for coffee after their class in the Village Hall. I couldn’t understand why until we opened the door as it would have been too small for us to find a vacant seat! The owner Darryl was very welcoming and told us something about the history of the place. In addition to the cafe which he runs by popular demand for the villagers, Darryl operates Holly Bean’s Gourmet Coffee Truck which he has taken to many events and festivals.

FOOTNOTE: This Mobile Expresso Bar is currently For Sale. Anyone interested please contact Darryl Wells-Pope on 07843 172907

info@hollybeansgourmetcoffee.co.uk

http://www.hollybeansgourmetcoffee.co.uk

Castle Cottage Cafe, Oakham was a quirky venue for an excellent Afternoon Tea: September 2019

Castle Cottage has lots of outside seating and a very pretty garden but we chose to sit inside for our meal

Yesterday I had an interesting visit with a friend to Oakham, the County Town of Rutland. I used to live in the area over 40 years ago and my son was born in Oakham Hospital so the place held significant memories for me. It’s an attractive market town steeped in medieval history with lots of independent shops and we were spoiled for choice in the number of cafes and eateries. We had read excellent reviews of Castle Cottage Cafe so thought we would seek it out for lunch.  It’s easy to find although somewhat tucked away in Church Passage, which is just off the Market Place.

The Butter Cross in the Market Place at Oakham features the town pump and some unusual stocks.

Castle Cottage Cafe is located in Church Passage off the Market Place in Oakham.

The cafe interior is delightful with fairy lights, fresh flowers and lots of quirky vintage pieces.

Castle Cottage has lots of outside seating and a very attractive garden but we chose to sit inside for our meal.

The cafe interior is charming, quirky and shabby chic in style.

Although it was lunchtime we chose to order the traditional Afternoon Tea which was served on pretty mismatched china. We ordered a second pot of tea at no extra charge.

We were served very promptly with a splendid Afternoon Tea on the traditional three-tiered stand.

The bottom tier held a selection of freshly-made sandwiches with interesting tasty fillings.

My favourite was the smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich. The bread was soft and very fresh.

We shared a warm freshly-baked large fruit scone with fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and clotted cream.

The selection of cakes on the middle tier were home-made and absolutely delicious.

We both considered the lemon cake with lemon curd filling and buttercream topping to be light and truly scrumptious.

The cafe interior is delightful with fairy lights, bunting, fresh flowers and lots of quirky vintage pieces. The concept really worked and the food was excellent too!

The entrance to the extensive garden of the cafe, which had a marquee, a summer-house and lots of nice sheltered seating areas.

The cost of our Afternoon Tea was of exceptional value for money at £12 per person and it was probably the best I have ever come across in terms of price, quality, and quantity.

Castle Cottage Cafe,

Church Passage, Off Market Place, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6DR

Tel: 01572 757952

Castle Cottage is a real find and well worth seeking out if you are looking for somewhere to eat in Oakham.

 

Midsummer House, Michelin star dining in Cambridge: August 2019

Midsummer House is a two-star Michelin fine dining restaurant which has a modern, vibrant yet relaxed ambiance and is widely considered one of the finest restaurants in Cambridge and the UK. The cuisine is French Mediterranean and the service is friendly and efficient. Midsummer House celebrated it’s 20 years anniversary in 2018 with chef Daniel Clifford at the helm and was awarded its second Michelin star in 2005. Currently, it’s 21st in the UK on the Good Food Guide list in 2019 and I have wanted to eat here ever since it opened. I was saving Midsummer House for a special occasion so planning well in advance for my 70th birthday celebrations I booked a table for lunch for Steve and myself as a special treat.  Last month my wish came to fruition and I wasn’t disappointed because it was lovely in every way and a splendid introduction to the Midsummer House dining experience.

This lovely view was taken from the adjoining river footbridge. Access to Midsummer House restaurant is by this footbridge or by walking across Midsummer Common. 

Midsummer House is located on the edge of Midsummer Common with its own secluded garden along the banks of the River Cam. 

All the above taster dishes were complimentary appetisers served before the three-course set Lunch

Crispy pork belly, cannelloni of radish and apple, with cider pickled cockles was the first  course on the set Lunch menu

For the second course, we enjoyed stuffed fillet of sea bream, piquillo pepper, courgette and basil purée

We decided to add a cheese course to our lunch so we were offered the choice of four kinds of cheese from a delectable selection

The accompanying biscuits were home-made on-site and scrumptious

Coriander white chocolate dome, coconut and mango, with Jasmine rice for the dessert course

To complete our splendid meal we chose some complimentary Midsummer House hand-made chocolates from a selection

Granny Apples on her big birthday. Lunch at Midsummer House gave me plenty to smile about! 

We chose four kinds of cheese from a delectable selection

For food of this quality, we felt that the price of the set lunch at £50.00 per person was reasonable and the sharing cheese platter was an additional £28. (Note – when booking a reservation a deposit of £50 person is required.) Drinks are expensive but as we were celebrating a special occasion we had champagne to start, beer and sparkling water with the meal and Port with the cheese. It was the extra special little touches like the birthday card for me and chocolates to take away in a customised box which made our lunch at Midsummer House so memorable. A lot of thought and attention to detail clearly goes into every aspect of this ultimate foodie experience with that added dash of theatre to the impeccable but friendly service. 

We enjoyed the lunch so much that we are already planning to return to Midsummer House for our anniversary next year to sample the eight-course taster menu. Better start saving up now!

Midsummer House

Midsummer Common,

Cambridge

CB4 1HA

Reservations: 01223 369299

http://www.midsummerhouse.co.uk