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

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!