food & drink freshly baked bread with dipping oil. The waitress explained that this was freshly baked on site at “The Bakery” which adjoins The Trading Rooms. Interestingly, this is also run by The Piece Hall Trust, and as per the venue, all profits generated are re-invested into helping maintain a sustainable future for the site.
Delicious Our starters soon arrived, served up on heavy solid crockery and the presentation of both was fantastic, particularly my layered tower Devon Crab which was seated on an avocado and tomato tian and topped off with a Parmeda biscuit. The crab was light and flavoursome and tasted delicious. Teresa’s Pan-fried Pigeon Breast was wrapped in Parma Ham, with a Red Wine Jus and a miniature Rhubarb Pie, although smaller in portion size to the Crab, it was comparable inpresentation and she commented that the Pigeon and Pie were a winning combination, the sharpness of the Rhubarb was a great addition to the dish. Just enough breathing space was left until the mains were served up, Teresa had selected a Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, Dauphinoise Potatoes, French style Peas, Broad Bean Purée and Lamb reduction stock. She chose this dish as she knew from experience that it can be a tricky to master, and she was not disappointed at all, quoting “the Lamb was pink and tender and the crust just enough texture to make it
We were checked upon on more than one occasion and when our plates were clear, it was apparent that we could “set the pace” and choose any dessert or coffee at our leisure.
Progressed
perfect and the reduction was earthy rich and silky” As a lover of seafood, my Pan-Fried Cod Loin served with a roasted fishbone sauce (on the side) Jersey Royal Potatoes, Asparagus and Baby Watercress was a clear winner. The Cod fell apart gently, into large, delightful flakey pieces and the accompanying sauce was smooth and creamy. The vegetables were incredibly fresh and not over cooked. The side order of Roasted Vegetables appeared to be unnecessary, although they did look fantastic.
I absolutely adore a cheese board however my waistband really was feeling a tad too tight, and despite being tempted by the very indulgent list of desserts we agreed to share a dish of refreshing Iced Parfait. We were both surprised when the dish arrived, as we had expected an ice cream from the freezer however this was an oblong of home-made Parfait including three delicious flavours and a mouth tingling Spring Berry Compote topped with a White Chocolate Tuille.
Head Chef in September 2018 and swiftly progressed to General Manager of the catering operations for The Piece Hall. This gentleman has an extensive and varied catering background across the Yorkshire region, working since a teenager in his father’s butchers’ shop and progressing to v a r i e d r e n o w n e d establishments, winning awards and demonstrating his skills on the stage at The Great Yorkshire Sho w, the list is endless! He explained that all the dishes are freshly made, using the highest quality, locally-sourced produce and that menus are regularly changed, in keeping with the season. Little did we realise that a breakfast could be enjoyed, or a light lunch or simply a cheeseboard (my guilty pleasure) and a glass of wine – the venue is open from early morning until late, seven days a week and Simon is clearly very busy and extremely proud of this “offering for all”. Both Teresa and I agreed that we would look forward to returning to this fantastic venue, whether it be for business or pleasure and wish the hardworking team every success moving forwards.
Over coffee, we were delighted to be able to catch up with Simon Dyson, who started as TopicUK July2019
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