A Post Lockdown Dinner At The Merchant's Yard in Tideswell
Published On Sunday 2 Aug 2020 by Sticky Beak
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Good things come to those who wait they say; well, thanks to Covid-19 The Man Bird and I have been waiting a while to finally get to accept Head Chef Danny Box’s invitation to sample his creations at The Merchant’s Yard in Tideswell.
His Nibs and I have been to venues where Danny has worked on a couple of occasions: he was junior Sous Chef at The Cavendish Hotel under Chef Patron Alan Hill several years back, and more recently he was Sous Chef the last time we visited The Merchant’s Yard. Now Danny is Head Chef at The Merchant’s Yard and we were very excited to see what he would be serving up with his Tasting Menu (£52.95 per person, with an optional wine flight priced at £24.95 per person).
We managed to get parked an awful lot closer than last time we visited, a sad marker of the quieter tourist season this year, but fortuitous for us. There were separate doors for entry and exit and a very swish outside hand wash station complete with automatic soap dispenser, auto-sensor water tap and disposable roll to dry your hands on. When we’d washed our hands thoroughly (and there’s a natty sign demonstrating how to do this!) the very beautiful and lovely Elise escorted us to our table and informed us that Byron would be looking after us that evening.
The tables are all brilliantly spaced apart, but it hasn’t detracted from the atmosphere in the restaurant. I just love the mix of modern and traditional fixtures and fittings at The Merchant’s Yard; it manages to be contemporary but relaxed at the same time, and there’s no snootiness either. The level of service is beyond excellent, but the team were all attired in jeans; smart casual doesn’t mean compromise.
The menus were all set on the table ready, and we (I) couldn’t help but give a tiny squeal of delight when I saw what lay ahead of us! Byron smiled at my happiness as he took our drinks order and arranged for a jug of chilled water for us too. The Merchant’s Yard has a superb range of drinks: beers, lagers, cocktails, wines (by the bottle and glass) and it was great to see a couple of English fizzes on the bubbly section of the drinks menu.
There were a couple of families in already, with the adults taking advantage of the ‘early bird’ offer (2 courses for £15.95 or 3-4-£19.95) whilst the kids had pizzas - can’t fault them, there are some seriously scrummy morsels to eat on here! Childrens meals are all priced at £6.95, and desserts are £3.95
Before we kicked off the tasting menu ‘proper’ Byron brought us a pair of Smoked Red Pepper Crackers with Parmesan Cream to nibble at. Lovely artful curls of feather-light, Pepper-enhanced crispiness were adorned with a tangy Parmesan Cream that instantly piqued my palate’s interest. A smattering of Sunflower seeds and micro-herbs added crunch and some cleaner, brighter notes to enjoy. If this was a sign of things to come, I couldn’t wait.
We tucked into some homemade bread rolls and flavoured butter (sun-dried Tomato) next. Danny had fashioned the white bread dough so that the central round with its pillow-soft middle had crispier, comet-like tails at each end. These tails were like a revved-up version of a breadstick (only much better tasting!) which we employed to scrape up the last vestiges of softened butter. Yes, even the sun-dried Tomato butter was that good!
The mouth-watering sounding Summer Squash Cappuccino was our next temptation to enjoy, served in pristine white Espresso cups. Not only was this soup a gorgeous sunset-orange tone, it tasted equally joyous and summery and was a perfect texture: not too runny or too thick, just a sublime drinking consistency. Danny had done a white espuma to top the Cappuccino, so visually it looked beautiful too.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I love Rabbit (it is in fact my favourite meat) so I was thrilled to see the next course was a Confit Rabbit and Ham Terrine with Carrot Ketchup, Pistachio, and Pickled Onion. The terrine was lovely and chunky allowing us to appreciate the contrasting summer tones of the creamy rabbit meat, the rosy pink ham and the gentle green shades of the pistachio nuts and pea shoots that decorated the terrine.
I have to say that the rabbit was delicious; more so because I haven’t had any for quite a while, and His Nibs was cooing over the way the rich tasting ham came apart in gorgeous, gammony ribbons and bounced against the creamier flavour of the rabbit. What a revelation the Carrot Ketchup was! This had a fragrant, rich, earthy-yet-sweet concentration so characteristic of home grown carrots, and it had the perfect partner in the (right side of) sharp pickled baby Silverskin onions. Needless to say, our plates were both spotlessly clean when we finished this course.
Byron had been so attentive so far; checking we were enjoying the food, asking if we needed more drinks, noting that we’d got water in our glasses and in the bottle still for the next course; you know, the little things that make the difference between good service and great service. Someone of Byrons skill and expertise also knows the length of time to leave between courses so that nothing is rushed, but you don’t feel that you’re being kept waiting.
Next up was Roasted Orkney Scallop with Pork Belly, Piccalilli and Granny Smith Apple. Up until recently seafood in all its guises had been a no-no for The Man, something that suited me down to the ground as I love it; but alas, no more, His Nibs now likes the soft, sweet flesh of a juicy Scallop as much as me. Head Chef Danny Box had cooked the Scallop perfectly and its perfumed meat was silky soft in the mouth, as was the succulent, creamy Pork Belly piece.
Just as our palates were lazing in the easy notes of the meat and seafood, the Piccalilli was waiting in the wings to leap up and hit them with a wallop of pungency! The Piccalilli was smooth in texture and punchy without being overly hot or Mustardy. Thin slices of Granny Smith Apple gave some welcome crunch, as did ozonic Samphire fronds. Bizarrely, the tart Granny Smith Apple tasted curiously sweet when eaten after the Piccalilli – leaving my mouth (and brain!) momentarily bamboozled!
Derbyshire Lamb always tastes superb I think, and on this occasion we were served it two ways: rack and braised shoulder. The single rack was wonderfully pink (not bloody) and simply melted on the tongue, releasing its soft, sweet succulence into our mouths. As you would expect, the braised shoulder, which had been pressed into a round, was richer and deeper in flavour; both cuts were marvellous. The halved baby courgette was cooked perfectly and you just can’t beat fresh peas - they really are summer in a sphere! Zingy Goats’ Curd and crumbled Black Olive made a sophisticated pairing, and a smoky-but-sweet, charred half Shallot completed the line-up in this utterly divine dish.
Byron took the empty plates and cutlery away and came back with our dessert cutlery; the final course of this culinary odyssey was a Raspberry Soufflé with Elderflower Sorbet and Granola. There was a small wait for this minx of approximately 12 minutes (which Byron had informed us of at the beginning of the evening), but we requested an extra wait to allow the previous dishes to settle a little longer in our tummies.
When the soufflé did make its way over to us it looked wonderful, towering above its ramekin confines; I always think there’s something mesmerising about the sight of a soufflé as it balances free from its container, don’t you? Taste-wise this was a very cheeky, fairy-light dessert that had our taste buds in raptures as it frolicked over them. Superbly tart-yet-sweet, Danny’s Raspberry creation melted like a cloud on our tongues and the fresh Raspberries added to the fruity intensity. The delicately perfumed Elderflower Sorbet and simple Oaty granola paired perfectly with the soufflé, and we both sat back in contentment after putting our spoons down.
Coffee and Petit Fours brought things to an official close and the coffee served at The Merchant’s Yard in Tideswell is just robust enough to linger in the mouth a while without out-staying its welcome and leaving a stale taste. Danny had made Passion fruit Macarons to accompany the coffee, served on a bed of chocolate and almond soil. I took my time to savour the light, chewy macaron and the vibrant flavour of the Passion fruit gel housed within it. The best thing about this little treat wasn’t that it cleansed the palate brilliantly; it was that it didn’t jar against the memory of the Raspberry Soufflé which was still fresh in my mind.
I’m just going to mention an additional hygiene measure that we saw as we sat sipping our coffees. On the table next door they had finished their meal and had asked for the bill; as the bill was brought to them, it was accompanied by hand gel and then the card machine was also wiped down at the table.
Usually The Merchant’s Yard is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but during August 2020 it will be opening on those days to participate in the government’s ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme. Head Chef Danny and his team have devised a 3 course feast priced at £20 per person (you’ll pay £10, the government pays the other tenner); I’ve seen a sneak peek of it and have already booked The Flock in!! Obviously there are drinks to buy on top of this, but for 2-rosette standard food this is a truly incredible deal.
Hot Wings unreservedly awarded to Danny, Byron, Elise and the rest of the superb team at The Merchant’s Yard in Tideswell.
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