Sunday Carvery At The Blue Bell Inn, North Wingfield
Published On Sunday 19 Mar 2023 by Sticky Beak
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It’s the time of year again when The Man Bird and I are busy tidying up at Mummy Birds’ gaff. Not only does the grafting sharpen up our (already greedy!) appetites, but it means that meal times can go a bit off-kilter, depending on what we’re doing. Mummy Bird has a solution to the uncertainty though: she tells His Nibs to book a table for Sunday Roast in the mid-afternoon, when we’re usually flagging a bit energy-wise, and are getting pretty hungry.
The Man Bird did his son-in-law duty and booked us a table for 1.30pm at The Blue Bell in North Wingfield, so we finished up mowing and pruning and went inside to scrub up nice and clean. It’s been a while since we’ve driven the far side of t’Cross (Clay Cross to non-natives!) and up the hill, and blimey, isn’t there a heck of a lot of development going on??! Anyway, we went past the impressive church that is St. Lawrence’s and turned left onto Station Road, then swung another quick left into the large car park at The Blue Bell.
The car park was lively enough, but when we stepped inside it was even busier! Our table wasn’t quite ready, so we made our way to the bar, got some drinks (large Pinot’s for Mummy and me, a pint for Him) and sat at a table in the corner of the bar. Whilst we were supping, I took in the solid stone walls of this old, traditional pub that dates back to the 15th Century, and the dark ceiling beams that had sleek dome lights suspended from them.
When our table was ready, one of the team came through for us and then escorted us into the Chantry Restaurant and showed us to our table. Clearly, the Carvery at The Blue Bell is popular with families and folks of all ages, and there wasn’t a single spare table in sight! There was a nice space between each of the tables though, enough for walking frames to be manoeuvred through with ease.
We went up to the Carvery Counter, queued behind another trio of eager diners, and Chef asked what meats were wanted. All the options (Pork, Beef, Turkey and Gammon) looked delicious, so I asked if I could have a bit of everything; Chef smiled, replied “of course” and proceeded to pile really generous, thick slices of each onto my warmed plate. I spied the crackling from the Pork in a separate dish, so I popped a couple of bits on; I know a lot of you don’t like it, but Mummy Bird and I have always enjoyed crunching away at it! As well as the ample amount of meats, Chef popped a homemade Yorkshire Pudding and a square of Stuffing onto my plate, and I glanced down, wondering where on earth I was going to put my veg – and there was a good selection of those on offer.
You all know how much I love Cauliflower Cheese and, had I not got my plate in my mitts, I’d have clapped with joy when I spotted it; as it was, I contented myself with a grin that Alice’s Cheshire Cat would be envious of. It’s a good job I embrace my gluttony and have absolutely no shame, because three, yes three!, ladles of this irresistible veggie-and-cheese-sauce combo got plopped onto my dish. Before you all judge me though, I’m just going to say that I was calorie-aware *cough, cough*, and skipped the mash and roasties (I did pinch a bit of each off The Man’s plate later though). Shuffling along, I scooped trimmed Green Beans, Carrot rounds, Roasted Parsnips, and Shredded Cabbage - I omitted Peas as I wasn’t in the mood for them.
A large tureen housed the gravy and a couple of good ladlesful got deposited over the entire contents on my plate and then some Mint Sauce and Horseradish sauce joined it. Satisfied at the artistry I’d created, I walked back to our table and sat down with a smile. Inhaling appreciatively at Chef’s efforts, I took a moment to savour the beauty before me and then tucked in heartily.
I couldn’t resist the Pork Crackling pieces and, as that wonderful crunch rang out, Mummy Bird looked wistfully over at me, revealing that she hadn’t seen the golden, crisped pieces of fat. Much as I love crackling, I love my mummy more, and willingly parted with a morsel; I was rewarded with a big grin and a kiss on the cheek – definitely worth it! I love it when Green Beans have a ‘squeak’ when you bite into them and, although it wasn’t the biggest I’ve ever experienced, there was a nice friction between the beans and my teeth that brought forth the music.
When Carrots are sliced thinly (as here) it’s incredibly hard to keep any firmness to them, and I think these were the least favourite part of my meal on this occasion – the kids were shovelling them down on adjacent tables, though, and let’s face it, that’s got to be a good thing, right? Mummy Bird and His Nibs said the Peas were spot-on and you couldn’t fault the multi-tonal Cabbage at all, it was gently crunchy and beautifully sweet -tasting.
The Mash was smooth as glass and perfectly seasoned, and the Roasties were very tasty but I would’ve liked their outers a bit crisper (good job I had just pilfered a bit of one off The Man). I know not everyone likes the fragrant taste of Parsnips, but I do, and I have to say that these ones were very moreish – they may have strayed a smidge too far into squidge-dom, but this seemed to ramp up their comfort factor on this occasion, so no harm done. Top of the pile though, was the Cauliflower Cheese; this was ruddy fab! The Cauliflower was still nicely firm and bathed in a wonderfully unctuous, creamy sauce that had a perfect hint of cheese in that had my taste buds dancing with glee.
A good, homemade Yorkie can transform even the humblest meal and the flavour of the ones at The Blue Bell at North Wingfield is great: a lovely richness was provided by the egg in the batter mixture and, partnered with a superbly crisp outer, made for a very scrummy part of the roast. The Stuffing had an equally good taste to it, but I thought it was a bit too dense in texture, personally.
Now, you may notice I haven’t mentioned the meats and poultry; as the saying goes, I’ve saved the best until last. Without exception, the meats were all cooked perfectly. The Beef was tender and flavoursome, both the Pork and the Turkey were beautifully moist, and the Gammon was melt-in-the-mouth. Bravo, Chef; getting the meat right is the crux of cooking for large numbers on a Sunday Carvery, and you nailed it. I defy anyone to grumble at the amount of meat you get here; to say the portion is generous is an understatement and a half! You don’t have to have all the meats either, you can ask for one or two, and Chef will happily oblige.
Mummy Bird had got a bad case of eyes-bigger-than-bellyitis and couldn’t finish all her meat, so we wrapped the leftovers up in a napkin and brought it back for Poochie – no complaints whatsoever from the hound, as you may have guessed! So, how much will all this yumminess set you back, I hear you ask? £11.95 per person, £9.50 for OAPs, and £8 per child, that’s all!! At current prices you won’t find a carvery much cheaper and, for the quality and quantity of food you get, I think this a blooming blinding deal. We’re already making plans to return.
Throughout our meal, the team were making sure that everyone was enjoying their food (including us) and asking if drinks were needing to be refreshed. When we ‘d finished, a lovely young lass came to clear away and one of her colleagues asked if we wanted pudding – much as we’d have loved to indulge, we really didn’t have any spare capacity in our stuffed bellies, which should give you some idea of just how much food we’d had!!
Hot Wings given to this North Wingfield restaurant, how we’ve missed you so far is a mystery! Rest assured, we won’t forget you though. Booking a table for the Carvery (which is served Noon-3pm) is a MUST!! – get in touch on 01246 852146, or visit the website www.thebluebellnorthwingfield.co.uk for more details.
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