Dinner In The Three AA Rosette Gallery Restaurant At The Cavendish Hotel
Published On Sunday 9 Aug 2020 by Sticky Beak
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What’s more impressive than two AA Rosette dining? Three AA Rosette dining, of course! The Man Bird and I have recently been fortunate enough to experience both of these standards, and it is the 3 Rosette Venue that is the subject of this review; The Gallery Restaurant at The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow. For those who don’t know, The Cavendish Hotel forms part of the magnificent Chatsworth Estate in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park.
We have visited the Gallery restaurant on a couple of occasions, the last one being in 2018 shortly after Adam Harper took over as Head Chef, and were looking forward to seeing what was happening currently. In line with current government guidance regarding safety in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Cavendish Hotel had installed an automatic hand sanitiser station at the bottom of the stone steps leading to the entrance and reception desk.
As always, the welcome we got from the lady on reception was stellar – even if it was from behind a covid-safe Perspex screen! Matt was to be our server for the evening and he escorted us through the restaurant to our table; again the covid safety was in evidence as he was donning a face visor shield as well as the uber-dapper tweed jacket that all the staff members wear. After checking that we were happy to be served directly at the table (which we were) Matt took our drinks order and brought out some homemade Sage and Onion crisps, which were freshly done and still warm - delicious.
For starters we ordered the Cured Salmon with Wasabi and Avocado purée, Nori, and Pickled Grapes (moi) and Pan Roast Cod Loin with Satay sauce, Mango, Wild Rice and Coconut (Him Indoors). Our main course choices were Chatsworth Farm Rack of Lamb with Pea and Mint, Braised Shoulder, Asparagus, and Goats Cheese Mash for The Man, and Roast Creedy Carver Duck with Beetroot, Caramelised Onion, Swiss Chard, and Duck Fat Potatoes for myself.
Whilst Head Chef Adam and his team were busying themselves with our orders, Matt brought out some Gazpacho topped with Chives, served with homemade Sourdough bread and plain- and Marmite-butter for us to tuck into. Chef Harper, I have you to thank for learning a fact I never knew about my husband: in all his years, The Man Bird has never had Marmite! Never!! I was totally shocked; I mean everyone has had Marmite at least once in their lives, if only to ascertain whether they love it or hate it. For the record, I love it - and after trying it in this guise, His Nibs loves it too.
On a warm summer eve, the Gazpacho was just perfect; chilled and bursting with flavours of Tomato and Garlic, accented by the onion notes of the fresh, very finely chopped Chives. To those who aren’t convinced by the idea of a ‘cold soup’ I would just say to give it a go, you may well surprise yourself. Personally, I love a chilled soup in the warmer temperatures; and I love the ‘hug in a mug’ you get from a warm soup in winter months too.
A good Sourdough has a thick crunchy crust to it and Chef Harper sure can make a good loaf that’s for sure; this was lovely and soft in the middle with plenty of air pockets in it that gave it a light texture. Thanks to the vibrancy of the Gazpacho, the yeasty tangy notes didn’t dominate the palate – though I was surprised by just how well the flavours mingled in my mouth, I must admit!
Matt smoothly got rid of our platters and it wasn’t long before our starters came out. As you would expect, the presentation was second-to-none; my Salmon came on a very sculptural blue/grey marbled and white oval, pebble-esque server, The Man’s Cod was on a small, brown two-toned circular plate which picked up the Satay and Wild Rice colours superbly.
My trio of blush pink Salmon rounds looked beautiful against the pale green tones of the Wasabi and Avocado purée. Dramatic dark shards of crisp Nori rose majestically out of the domes of purée, reigning over the other elements and small slices of the pickled green Grapes glistened temptingly. The inherent oiliness of the Salmon was balanced superbly by the pungency of the Wasabi and Avocado purée. Now, Wasabi need to be respected; it is so powerful that it makes me sneeze when I eat it singly, but here it had been assuaged by the mild creaminess of the Avocado and made a lot more accessible.
Across the table, my companion was having an equally super time, tucking into his tower of succulent Cod Loin. Again, props to Chef Adam Harper; His Nibs was uncharacteristically lost for words, so good was this morsel. Chef, can I employ you as a 24/7 help to me please; I could do with keeping His Maj silent more often!! The Cod’s opalescent gloss was beautiful and the flesh was breath-takingly moist and sweet tasting, tempered by the spicy edge of the Satay sauce. Any temptation for the Satays’ spice to over-state its case was halted by the sweet character of the Mango and Coconut. Puffed Wild Rice added a fantastic pop of texture and I have to say that Chef Harper was a maestro conductor of this culinary symphony. Bravo!
After refilling our water glasses Matt took the starter dishes away and we waited for our mains to come. It was lovely to see that The Gallery restaurant was still well patronised during these difficult times and the tables were very private space-wise, so social distancing wasn’t an issue in the slightest.
I’ve sampled the Chatsworth Farm Lamb myself previously (and thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful), so I let His Nibs have dibs on this; when it came out though I did allow myself a little sigh of regret because it looked incredible! My regret was short-lived though when I spied my own Duck dish: the thick slices of Duck breast looked jolly inviting, I can tell you.
With no pre-amble whatsoever, we both dug into our meals and grinned at each other as we tasted that exquisite first bite. I always say that happy animals yield superb tasting flesh, and if His Nibs’ description of the Lamb was anything to go by, then the Chatsworth woollies are ‘living it large’! The (served pink) rack was soft and milder in taste than the beefier (lambier??!) shoulder that had been pressed into a circle. Both cuts were magnificently moist and succulent, draping themselves on the taste buds elegantly and lingering there nicely.
As a pop of colour Chef Harper introduced the verdant Asparagus spear, but for a further visual impact had pared the outer layers away at one end to reveal the cream inner and this created a fantastic two-tone treat. Another slash of green came via the Pea and Mint puree that had been swirled around the perimeter of the dish in perfect ribbons, and this was gorgeously vibrant in its flavour.
I had been pretty confident that the Goats Cheese Mash would be making its way over to me, but after scooping a spoonful out of the dish it was presented in and trying it, The Man declared his liking for it and my hopes were dashed. I did get to try some though and was soon under its musky spell; I love the raw earthiness that Goats impart to their meat and milk, it permeates every atom and is easily picked up by the human palate. Chef Adam Harper had whizzed the potatoes to within a millimetre of their lives to produce something so smooth you could skid on it, and it was like a silk scarf as it glided over His Nibs’ tongue.
As with The Man’s Lamb, my Duck breast was served pink and the thick slices glistened temptingly on the plate. They were absolutely bursting with flavour; lovely and rich and very satisfying in the mouth. Duck always has a nice deep flavour to it, gamey in nature, but its fat-rich skin really gives it that satisfying quality in the mouth. Matching the deeper character of the Duck were the intensely earthy pieces of Ruby- and Golden- Beetroot that had been expertly cooked to achieve a great balance of softness and firmness. Tiny spheres of golden-outered pearl Onions were deliciously sweet and were softened enough so that they yielded instantly to my bite; they weren’t oniony particularly, just gently so, and had a superb sweet caramelised note to them.
I had been expecting the ‘Duck Fat Potatoes’ to be roasted ones but instead Chef presented this element as a single round fashioned from one large Potato that was then precisely trimmed to a circular tower. There was a lovely taste from the spud itself but this was wonderfully accented by the rich fat that it had been cooked with. Perfectly wilted Swiss Chard was beautiful and clean on the palate, a fresh and optimistic component of what had been a magnificent meal.
For pudding we both bucked our usual trend of Crème Brulee and Sticky Toffee Pudding, opting instead for Milk Chocolate Tart with Almond Ice Cream and Strawberries (me) and Mojito Iced Parfait (The Man).
The Man Birds Mojito Iced Parfait was ultra-smooth textured and the Kalamansi Lime’s flavour bloomed gradually, almost like a chilli’s heat creeps up on you. Although it is exquisitely tart, the citrus is rounded rather than harsh and jarring and partners the White Rum fantastically well. Mint stays shyly in the background, adding a beautiful whisper to this dessert as it does in the alcoholic Mojito cocktail. A (not too) sweet shard of Meringue dressed one side of the parfait rectangle with a dark gold, flat, brandy snap-esque confection mirroring it on the other side. His Nibs was thrilled by his choice, and not a crumb remained!
My Milk Chocolate Tart was other-worldly, it really was. The base was a micro-crisp sensation in the mouth; it felt as if a million ultrafine layers were exploding on my tongue, bathing it in their glory. This may have been a thin base in terms of height, but it was uber-intense in taste – which it needed to be to partner the rich, indulgent Milk Chocolate layer that topped it. I was delighted to find that although the Milk Chocolate was incredibly luxuriant it didn’t leave me feeling sluggish or overwhelmed in my tummy. The Almond Ice Cream was incredible in its smoothness and creaminess; almost like clotted cream with a nutty tone to it – serious extravagance. All of this rich decadence needed to be lifted, a task admirably done by the fresh Strawberries.
With our desserts finished, Matt cleared everything away and asked if we would like coffee and petit fours to conclude. We accepted the offer, deciding to retire to the elegance of the lounge which had been redesigned since our last visit. The winged chairs had been replaced by smaller, more modern types that were extremely supportive and comfortable. I noticed that the carpet and window drapes were new too, picking up the green of the feature wall covering. Everything felt fresher whilst retaining the style and history of the Chatsworth and Devonshire estate, evident in several pieces of art and furniture from Chatsworth House itself.
The coffee was a Santos/Cavendish blend and wasn’t too rich as to put off non-coffee fans, but was robust enough for those that do partake of ‘the bean’. I liked the fact that whilst in the mouth the blend bathed the palate, but it didn’t linger beyond its welcome either. Our Petit Fours consisted of Wild Cherry Marshmallows and Mint and Chocolate cups.
The Marshmallows had a most curious feel in the hand and perhaps the most accurate description I can afford them (whilst unfortunately not being very flattering!) is reminiscent of play dough. Thankfully these minxes were nothing like play dough in taste; instead they were superbly tart, as Wild Cherries are, and Chef hadn’t overly sweetened them so as to retain their inherent taste. In complete contrast, the Mint and Chocolate cups returned us to richer climes with their intense cocoa hit. The Mint was natural, making it wonderfully rounded and not overwhelming as some artificial types can be.
All too soon it was time to bid The Cavendish Hotel and its incredible team farewell. We’d had a superb experience and it was one of those occasions that I sorely wished I had a time-travelling DeLorean at my disposal! Hot Wings unsurprisingly awarded to Head Chef Adam Harper and his team. Adam has been crucial to the venue being awarded their three AA Rosettes and, with my predicting hat on, it wouldn’t surprise me if a Michelin Star isn’t on the horizon if that’s the direction the team want to go in!
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