Sunday Lunch At Wildes (formerly Van Dyk's) Near Clowne
Published On Tuesday 25 Mar 2025 by Sticky Beak
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It’s been ages since The Man and I last dined in the venue formerly known as Van Dyks, now Wildes, at Clowne, and a lot has changed! For a start, the ‘old building’ now has a massive extension to its side that comprises the hotel, gym, spa and restaurant, and there’s also a huge, new parking area, which we grabbed a spot in.
Mummy Bird had come out with us for a spot of Sunday lunch, and she was gob-smacked at the changes; it had been even longer since she had visited the area! The reception area is beautifully set out, with squishy sofas to relax on and a fast-track check-in for hotel guests if they don’t want to wait for an actual receptionist. It wasn’t particularly clear whether we needed to confirm our reservation here or in the restaurant so, whilst Mummy and I waited to speak to the receptionist, The Man went in search of a restaurant team member. Turns out that you need to walk through to the ‘Wildes’ restaurant to conform your table, and a member of the team escorted us over to our seats once we’d arrived.
The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous; spacious and modern, with pale wood, herringbone-laid flooring making a great first impression. Off to one side, near to the huge windows, there are green and white tiles laid as flooring, paired with wooden struts and beams to create a more garden room feel; the chairs in this area are also paler than the ones in the rest of Wildes. Our chairs [in the main area] were possibly the most gorgeous ones on the planet, all striking floral fabric with olive green leather-effect inner surfaces. The ones we occupied had arms to them, but some other ones at adjacent tables were more conventional high-back, armless types. Some tables were paired with warm amber/orange/terracotta banquette seating and, combined with the eye-catching foliage prints that adorned the walls, the overall effect was one of a tropical/jungle paradise.
Our lovely server soon got us sorted out with drinks: Pinot Grigio for Mummy (large, £10.50), Pinot Noir for me (large, £10), and a pint of Madri for His Nibs (£7.50). Yes, the drinks are a bit on the ‘spenny’ side, but it’s a hotel, so it kinda comes with the territory; thankfully, the food is more palatably priced: £17 for the Sunday Roasts. Those of you who don’t fancy a traditional Sunday lunch, will be very happy to hear that the regular menu is still available to choose from, which is what Mummy Bird did. Under the ‘classics’ banner was Sautéed Lambs’ Liver and Onion with Creamed Potatoes, and Bacon and Cabbage Fry (£19), and as soon as Mummy spotted that, that was her sorted! Both The Man and I wanted a hearty roast, so the only decision to be made was which meat we fancied; I chose roast Topside of Derbyshire Beef, His Nibs went for Honey and Mustard Glazed Gammon. Both our choices came with Yorkshire Pudding and Roasties, and all the roasts at Wildes come with Cauliflower, Broccoli, Swede mash, Confit Carrots, and Savoy Cabbage with Bacon Lardons. We also decided to order a side portion of Creamed Leeks to share (£5).
It's no secret that I’m a simple Bird; my mind is easily pleased. Imagine, then, my utter glee as one of the automated ‘servers’ swooshed past our table! My jaw dropped, and there *may have* been a tiny squeal from my lips as I spotted the feline ears and blinking ‘eyes’ of the ‘bot. Immediately, the A-level English student came out and I named it ‘Edgar Allen [Poe] Roe-Bot; after a quick convo with our server, it transpires that there’s two of them, named Bella. Nope, E.A.R-B is definitely one of them, it’s just gotta be! I’m not usually in favour of robots taking the place of humans, but in this instance, they are there to support the staff; whilst the IRL people bring the main plates out, all the sides and sundries (such as gravy boats) are popped onto the ‘bots to speed service up. Nifty.
Anyway, back to the food… Mummy’s Lambs’ Liver had been sliced thinly, showcasing its velvety texture and rich colour. Taking that first bite, a huge smile lit up Mummy Bird’s face, and when she could, Mummy said that the flavour of the tender Liver was wonderful. The Creamed Potato was impossibly smooth and creamy, seasoned nicely and plentiful. As far as mashed spud goes, this was the bomb. Just as smashing was the Bacon and Cabbage Fry, a deconstructed Bubble and Squeak-esque treat; in fact, if the potato had been mixed in and fried, this would’ve made some unrivalled ‘Squeak’. Mummy Bird generally has a pretty fab appetite anyhow but, blimey, she was ploughing through her plate of deliciousness at a rapid rate of Knots. Clearly, voraciousness is in my genes!
Mind you, when Beef is as flavoursome and juicy as the slices in front of me, who could blame me for wanting to get them in my belly asap?! The homemade Yorkie had that beautifully thin crust to its entirety, yielding to a pillowy bottom that had a super batter taste. As with Mummy’s plate, His Nibs and I were treated to tremendously silky mash, and the roasties were marvellous as well: golden crisp outers and soft inners that had a delicate nutty hint to them.
The Cauliflower and Broccoli were bathed in a white sauce that was completely lump-free, and a gentle Cheese crust topped it all. There’s something soul-soothing about the softness and sweetness of Confit Carrots, and these ones were glorious, they really were. Crunchy Savoy Cabbage shreds were dotted with salty Pancetta lardons that melted on the tongue, delighting the palate, and the luxurious Creamed Leeks had Pepper within them, balancing the Lardons perfectly.
There were a couple of minor niggles I had, though, with the meal: my Beef wasn’t served pink, as described, and there was no Swede Mash to be found on either plate. In all truth, they didn’t impact the pleasure that I’d had whilst eating (and my tummy was certainly filled without the Swede element), but I do like things to be as stated.
His Nibs’ Honey and Mustard-glazed Gammon was blooming fantastic, apparently. The slices seemed never-ending; just as The Man thought he’d finished, there would be more of the meaty treat hiding under something on his plate! You certainly can’t accuse the Wildes’ Chef of being stingy with his portions, and the quality of the food was certainly evident in the trio of clean plates that our server was taking back to the kitchen.
As if by magic, when the dessert menu was offered, that dedicated ‘sweet space’ in our tummies appeared! I ordered the Seville Orange Crème Brulée with sugar-dusted Shortbread round and Caramelised Orange Segments, Mummy Bird opted for the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Date Purée, Toffee sauce, Honeycomb and Vanilla Ice Cream, and His Nibs had the Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Raspberry Coulis. All desserts are £8, other than the Cheese Board, which is £13.
I felt as if all my birthdays and Christmas’s had come at once when I clapped eyes on the size of my Crème Brulée, and my delight only mounted as I took the first spoonful into my mouth. Wondrously rich and silky with a hint of Orange, and a burnt sugar crust that was both smoky and sweet, this was the real deal. Crumbly, buttery Shortbread helped me scoop up the very last bits from the terracotta bowl, and then all that remained was to eat the candied rounds of Orange. This was an incredibly moreish dessert; where the heck is that DeLorean when you need it?
The dessert fairy wish-giver was in residence at Wildes, for sure; Mummy couldn’t believe the amount of Toffee Sauce that was in the separate jug on her plate, happily larruping it all over the Sticky Sponge Pudding that she’d cut into pieces. Chef had swirled the unctuous Date Purée at the side of the plate, and its intoxicating fragrance tantalised Mummy’s palate. An intense Vanilla Ice Cream added another marvellous layer of flavour to this sweet treat, and pieces of Honeycomb provided a nice hit of texture.
Always a fan of a good tangy/sweet Cheesecake, The Man was bowled over by the delicate rose- hued minx he was tucking into. The biscuit base was perfectly firm and nicely buttery, piled wickedly with the fruity body of the Cheesecake; Chef had got the ratios spot-on. The creamy indulgence of White Chocolate proved to be the prime partner for the sharp, robust Raspberry Coulis, whose intensity had The Man scrunching his face up as it hit his taste buds!
From start to finish, the food and service at Wildes had been great, and we all said that we would happily return on a weekday evening for a family meal. Hot Wings certainly given to this excellent Clowne venue. To book a table ring 01246 387386 or visit the website www.wildesinns.co.uk and hit the ‘book’ button; you can also view all the menus, serving times and events here.
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