A Visit To Derby For The Launch Of 'Later At Bear'
Published On Tuesday 8 Nov 2022 by Sticky Beak
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His Nibs and I love supporting local businesses and, given the pandemic and the ongoing inflation issues, it’s even nicer to see when one of them is going from strength-to-strength. We first met (the very lovely) Hattie when Bear launched in Derby back in 2017, so it was wonderful not only to get her invitation to the first ‘Later With Bear’ night, but also to see her again.
Due to anticipated demand at the event, tables were allocated and we’d arrived bang on time (thanks to Trent Barton buses), so one of the team greeted us and took us over to our table. Clearly our reputation precedes us, as we got a fab spot close enough to get a clear view of the kitchen and pass! There were plenty of folks already dining and the checks were hanging across the pass like bunting; Chef and his team were certainly being kept busy and out of mischief.
Our lovely server, Caroline, got us sorted with some cocktails - we just made it in time to take advantage of the 2-4-1 offer (yay!) so we kicked the evening off with a cheeky ‘Spiced Cosmo’ served in a beautiful coupe glass and artfully garnished with an Orange pinwheel. The Later...menu is wickedly tempting and offers a great flexibility, with ‘plates’ and bar snacks mingling with pizzas, loaded fries, and burgers. You can mix ‘n’ match as much as you want to, so whether you’re grabbing a quick after work bite or intending to make a relaxed evening with friends, Later...at Bear has got you covered (and it’s just for grownups, so leave your parent personas at the door!).
With our tummies rudely reminding us that it had been a fair few hours since they’d last been filled we turned our gazes to the menu and decided to get a Pulled Beef Pizza (£14), a Dirty Burger (£14), the upgrade option from Ziggy Fries to Dirty Fries (extra £1.50) and some Charred Padron Peppers (£5, from the plates section of the menu).
Whilst we waited for our food, we sat back and took in the absolutely buzzing atmosphere; we were seated next to a couple of super ladies and exchanged some chat with them. The Man Bird spied Freedom Brewery’s lager on the drinks menu, so he ordered a pint of that, whilst I opted for a large glass – is there any other size? – of Argentinian Malbec. To while away the time we played a game of ‘is this our meal?’, drooling as we watched plate after plate of mouth-watering dishes make their way to the pass. Eventually we guessed right – always a good feeling - and smiled happily as Caroline placed our meals before us.
Bear make a range of their own condiments and pickles, one of which is the delightful confit Garlic dip that comes with the charred Padron peppers. This is a gorgeously mellow, aioli-esque dip that pairs brilliantly with the smoky notes of the charred pepper skins: guaranteed to get anyone’s taste buds skipping happily. In a very fortuitous twist of fate, my pick of Malbec went magnificently with the softened Peppers, and The Man said Freedom’s lager also hit the spot – win: win.
Thanks to the feel good vibes at Later... His Nibs and me were in the mood to play nicely and cut the pizza and burger in half, passing the other piece to each other so we could both get the best experience of the food. The combination of house pizza sauce and the smoky BBQ sauce on the succulent pulled Beef was heavenly, with the zingy tang of Pink Onions lifting things nicely in the mouth. Fresh Corianders’ distinctive bright notes brought even more taste to this pizza party, and the authentic, thin crust base just finished things off perfectly.
Later... offers smash style burgers and my Dirty version contained two beef patties, American cheese, Bear’s secret sauce, Bread and Butter Pickles (Cucumber and Onion), Lettuce and sliced Beef Tomato – all housed snuggly in a buttery, Brioche bun. There was an exquisite depth of flavour to the beef patties and they had a marvellously satisfying texture without being too dense. The sweetness of the beef Tomato was balanced by the sharpness of the crunchy pickle; this was excellent, but I have to say that my Aunty Suzie makes the worlds best bread ‘n’ butter pickles. Fact.
Gotta say that we both loved the retro style, crinkle cut fries served at Later...at Bear. These spudalicious minxes were smothered in luscious cheese sauce, Bears’ secret sauce, moreish Bacon crumb and even more of those fab pickles. Although these came as an upgrade side with my burger (Ziggy, aka salt-and-pepper seasoned fries, come with all of Bear’s burgers), they are certainly good enough to be enjoyed as a stand-alone nibble.
Whilst we were munching away, the live music began to snake its sounds through the venue; the DJ was keeping up the energy and positive feels, ushering the weekend in with unabashed enthusiasm! With such kick-ass tunes it would’ve been rude to not have another drink, but the question was, which one? There are so many quaffable options! The Man was firmly in the grasp of Freedom brewery’s lager, so he had another pint of its amber hued charm and I went for the brilliantly named ‘Cherry Maguire’. Now I’m blooming sure I’m not the only lass who’s a smidge in love with a certain Mr Cruise, but only those of us a certain age will remember him in the film ‘Jerry Maguire’ where he played the films’ namesake, an on-his-uppers sports agent.
Those who know me know that that I’m a bit ‘special’, shall we say, so this next sentence won’t surprise them, but for those of you who know me as Sticky Beak I am going to blame the combination of Cazcabel Tequila, Cherry simple syrup, Ginger beer and Lime for my next action. It really did seem a good, albeit bonkers, idea to tag @TomCruise and bring this fruity cocktail to his attention; well he did also star in another film called ‘Cocktail’! Sorry, Tom, I’m a ninny, what can I say?! The flavour of this delicious tipple did make the next morning embarrassment worth it though.
Massive thanks to the gorgeous Hattie for our invite to the launch of Later...at Bear, which will be featuring at this great Derby venue every Friday and Saturday going forward. Also thanks to all the Bear, Derby team, especially Caroline, who looked after us brilliantly well. Hot Wings happily awarded to Bear for its Later... offering, we had a blast!
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