The low-down on some of the fabulous places to eat and drink in our region.
Food News & Reviews
Lunch at The Sun Inn in Cottesmore The Sun Inn is the archetypal picture-postcard English village pub, with whitewashed walls and beautiful thatched roof, and it always looks enormously inviting on the drive through Cottesmore. With its fire blazing, the pub hit the spot on the chilly autumn day that Rutland Advertisement Manager and I went along for lunch. There was an equally warm welcome from Christian and Gemma, who took over the pub in May 2017. The excellent hospitality extended to our waitress, who talked us through the menu and was keen to stress that if we had any food intolerances or allergies, they could willingly be accommodated. We started with a sharing platter of charcuterie, which was a huge wooden board with an enticing range of salami, ham, gherkins, tangy pickle and homemade toasted olive and rosemary focaccia. It was as delicious as it looked, and our only caution was to watch the amount we ate to leave room for two further courses. Tracy followed this with the pie of the day, which was jam-packed with chicken breast and ham in a rich, creamy leek sauce and topped with light, fluffy pastry. Delicious homemade chunky chips and a great big bowl of vegetables (your five a day in one) came too. My main was one of the specials – a sweet, succulent fillet of halibut on a kingsized bed of linguine with a scrummy, wellbalanced butternut, pea and herb sauce. This left space for lemon posset with berry compote and a shortbread biscuit. The lemon was soft and light and slipped down nicely after the substantial mains, while the tart berry sauce offset the posset’s sweetness beautifully. There wasn’t quite room for the biscuit, which went home for the kids – they were very grateful and said it was “yummy”! With its attentive new team at the helm and all the winning elements of an archetypal English country pub, The Sun Inn is a great place for a classic, hearty pub meal, and it’s brilliant for anyone with a big appetite. We enjoyed a delightful lunch and I’m planning on heading back with the family very soon (there’s a £4.95 children’s menu for a kid’s main dish plus ice cream). Words: Clare Peel. The Sun Inn, 25 Main Street, Cottesmore, Rutland LE15 7DH, 01572 812321, www.facebook.com/thesuninnrutland Our sincere apologies to The George in Ashley for the error over the chef’s details on page 25 of our October 2017 issue. As the review on this page states, owner Chris Hand is also the chef at The George.
Just a reminder that The Olive Branch, one of our favourite local restaurants, is now open all day, every day, and has increased its range to include breakfasts for non-guests, plus afternoon snacks and afternoon teas. What better excuse to head over to picturesque Clipsham! Main Street, Clipsham, Rutland LE15 7SH, 01780 410355, www.theolivebranchpub.com
Glorious gourmet at The George in Ashley Our features writer Kirstie Mitchell and Market Harborough Advertisement Manager Sosennah Every went to try the “Autumn Tasting Menu” on a gourmet night at The George. This sell-out dinner was much anticipated by all, as owner and chef Chris Hand only runs these special events with a sixcourse tasting menu and wine flight once every season. The evening started with a chilled glass of Prosecco and a convivial atmosphere. Our amuse-bouche was a beetroot borscht, a traditional Polish soup, served in an espresso cup with a hint of vodka and crème fraîche. It had a sweet and earthy taste that was a perfect palate warmer. Following was a rocket and ricotta raviolo with grilled radicchio and a white wine sauce, which all paired well with the crisp, zesty Eric Louis Sancerre 2016. The dish had a sweet and sour intensity to it due to the radicchio’s subtle bitterness and the sweet rich Italian cheese. Our third dish – a sweet-tasting poached brill with girolles, with nutty and peppery notes – was our absolute favourite. The full-flavoured sauce of fish stock, chicken jus and a slight hint of lemon juice packed a punch to our taste buds. Chris continued to delight us all with the main dish of a medallion loin of pink venison accompanied by a “Crown Prince”– a mini venison shepherd’s pie, with a rich venison jus that encapsulated all the flavours of autumn. The quarters of quince on the side added a tangy bite to each mouthful. The dish was paired with a Kim Crawford Pinot Noir, but we opted to stick to a fabulous English Pinot Blanc from Stopham Estate, West Sussex. Our first dessert was an excellent plum sorbet served on top of a warm plum and berry compote with a small slice of pistachio cake, while the final assault on our senses was a double delight of apple – this was a hot apple beignet topped with frozen crunchy apple compote and an apple crumble with a terrific shortbread biscuit base. Those on the wine flight thoroughly enjoyed the Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling 2016 with their desserts. Chris is a very talented chef who serves interesting and varied pub meals but can also push the boundaries for a wonderful culinary experience. Words: Kirstie Mitchell. The George, 21 Main Street, Ashley, LE16 8HF, 01858 565411, www.thegeorgeatashley.co.uk RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING NOVEMBER 2017
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