Dinner At The Hilcote Country Club, Hilcote Near Alfreton
Published On Tuesday 18 Oct 2022 by Sticky Beak
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It’s been a good old while since we visited Hilcote Country Club and so, when we were invited along by the new Chef, Carl Palmer, we jumped at the chance to go. There are masses of parking spaces at the venue, though some of the parking is ‘creative’, shall we say, so it perhaps doesn’t accommodate as many vehicles as it could if folks were a bit more sensible! We managed to bag a spot under one of the trees and walked across to the restaurant entrance, which is something new; there used to be just the one entrance, but now you can skip out the bar area if you’re just going to dine.
I absolutely love this venue; I have done since I was younger and I still get a thrill when I look up at the high, beamed ceiling and then look across at the white, baby Grand Piano in the corner. Gorgeous, velvet, blush pink and slate grey chairs accompany the tables (a nice mix of square and round ones) that are still spaced 2 metres apart. I mention the spacing for a couple of reasons: a) it gives a wonderful privacy space between diners, so you can rest assured that no-one will tab-hang over your conversations, and b) those who use wheelchairs or prams (this is a family friendly venue) will be able to navigate their way around the restaurant easily.
The nights are drawing in now that autumn has got its feet under the table but the twinkling fairy lights and glass chandeliers cast a magical glow around the dining area, creating warmth and cosiness. Another thing that will add a cosy element is the log burner in the centre of the split-level restaurant; I love to see flames dancing on cold days and nights. I also liked the miniature, pink fluted vases on the tables, they tied in nicely with the pink seating, and the white, yin/yang style salt and pepper set reflected the tranquil, elegant vibe of the setting.
I am going to indulge myself (it is my blog after all, so there’s got to be some perks, right?!) and mention the stunning, one-of-a-kind Stags’ Head that sits proudly on the balcony between the dining levels. Made from horseshoes, this unique piece is made by a friend of mine, Mr Billy Bartlett (he also happens to be our pony’s Farrier, too!) who puts his heart, soul, passion and skill into making metal artwork like this in his spare time. It looks magnificent, Billy!!
Anyhow, back to business! Dan got us settled with some drinks: a large glass of Malbec for me and a pint of Madri for His Nibs – and trust me, we needed them, it had been a stressful day! Then we got a lovely surprise when Chef himself came out to see us. We know Carl from previous review visits and he knows his stuff, having being in the ‘game’ for a couple of decades (and at Hilcote Country Club for about two months), so we knew we were in good hands.
The regular menu is really, really good; there’s plenty of choice from different world cuisines, as well as traditional favourites, a solid ‘grill’ section, classics with a twist, and a couple of sharing platters too for if you’re in the mood to graze. Price-wise they’re all very competitive, especially the kids menu which is a flat fiver! All food is cooked fresh-to-order, so bear this is mind at busy times. There’s also a specials menu, which not only contains seasonal produce but allows Chef Carl to flex his culinary muscles a bit and get creative.
For starters we had the Chicken and Spinach Risotto Balls (£6) that are served with a Mushroom sauce, and the Chorizo seared Squid with a light, Sweet Chilli Sauce and dressed Salad garnish (also £6). Whilst we were waiting one of the serving team brought out the Fish and Chips (£13) to another table; all I can say is ‘wow!’ – take your appetite, the fish is huge! The Cowboy Burger (£12) went to the ladies’ dining companion and the smell made our nostrils twitch, but we weren’t waiting much longer before our meals were placed in front of us.
On a very stylish platter was a trio of absolute Bobby (Ball) dazzlers; gorgeously golden in colour, with a crispy outer that crunched audibly when cut into. They were lovely, large balls (don’t get giddy, ladies!) and there was no trace of greasiness in my mouth as I took that first bite, just lovely clean flavours that caressed my palate. The shredded Chicken was still moist and tender, and its gentle sweet edge paired with cooked Spinach’s tang and acidity fantastically well, then perfectly seasoned, al dente rice completed the delightfully satisfying morsel. I noticed a small amount of grated Cheddar in the centre of the Arancini arrangement and, I will admit, I was a bit sceptical about how it would fit into this dish. The lesson to be learned here is to trust in Chef’s skill; the Cheddar added a superb bite that not only went well with the Risotto balls but paired nicely with the earthy character of the fine, Mushroom sauce too.
His Nibs was equally chuffed with his Chorizo seared Squid, and there was a very large portion for him to get his chops around! The plentiful chunks of smoky, rich Chorizo were the perfect foil for the tender, fragrant Squid to pop against and The Man Birds’ taste buds were jigging in happiness as the flavours burst around them. Chef clearly treats seafood with the utmost care because the rings were sublimely soft in texture and their delicate taste was preserved superbly. His Nibs really enjoyed the accompanying sauce, commenting on the fact that it didn’t over-power the other flavours within the dish. A cool, crisp salad of Mixed Leaves, Cress, Tomato, Red Onion, and Cucumber contrasted nicely, temperature-wise, against the warm Squid and Chorizo and also gave an injection of crunch. All that was missing was some artisan bread to soak up the last vestiges of the sauce!
Dan had been serving other tables and came over to ask if we were happy with our starters, smiling as we replied ”Yes, thank you”, and when we’d finished another member of the Hilcote team came to collect our clean plates. It isn’t often I have a second drink (especially midweek), but I found myself replying positively when Dan asked if I’d like another! Not to be left behind, The Man had another Madri – just a half this time though.
After a little interlude, our main courses were served to us: Slow-Braised Salmon Fillet served over a Spiced Chorizo, King Prawn, Tomato and Herb Potato Cassalt (£14.50, for me) and Cod, Smoked Bacon and Cheese Fishcake served with a Parsley and Pea Sauce, topped with Poached Egg (£12.50, for The Man).
Now, you may be thinking the same thing as His Nibs was; namely that the Fishcake meal didn’t sound the largest. In true glutton style he ordered a side of Homemade Chips (£3) to go with his dish; some lessons we never learn! The meal was more than enough without the chips, thanks to the Fishcake being the largest we’ve ever clapped eyes on. Call about a misnomer; this should be described as a Whalecake, not a Fishcake – it was mahooooosive! You can keep your M&S and Carlsberg hype; this is Chef Carl Palmer’s Fishcake and it is owning the Gastro Catwalk at the Hilcote Country Club.
Thick, luscious and hearty, this minx was the total business: not posh or fancy, just honest and tasty and piping hot. Plenty of sweet, flaked Cod was partnered with salty, rich Bacon and tangy, mature Cheese and bound together with perfectly seasoned mashed Potato to create a multi-layered taste sensation that had His Nibs murmuring praise with every mouthful he took. Now, for those of you that wrinkled your noses at the mention of Parsley let me reassure you; the sweet notes of Pea dominate the flavour profile of the Parsley and Pea sauce, tempering the grassy tones of the herb brilliantly. Trust me, The Man isn’t a fan of Parsley sauce, so when I say that he gobbled all the sauce up you can assume it’s all clear to eat!
There was a layer of nicely wilted Spinach between the Fishcake and the Poached Egg, which not only tasted lovely, it added a pop of visual appeal too. One of my bug-bears, that The Man shares with me, is when poached eggs have ’snotty’ whites: they’re a visual turn-off, they’re cold and they’re totally bloody unnecessary! Thankfully Chef gets his spot-on, leaving His Nibs to relax and enjoy the rich, creamy taste of the sunny yolk. This was an utterly mesmerising main course and I, for one, wouldn’t be sad to see it make its way onto the regular menu as a permanent addition. Oh, and the homemade chips were yummy...in case you wondered.
Chef Carl Palmer was certainly out for busting those assumptions of ours, another one biting the dust when I spied my Salmon dish. At first glance, this dish looked innocent enough: a seared fillet of Salmon nestling on a rich, tomato based, stew-esque concoction, all served in a sculptural white bowl. Very swish. Turns out that it was a monster bowlful – I swear it was one of those trick bowls that never emptied; you all know I can scoff for Britain and its reserve team, but blimey I knew I was eating this treasure! As well as a generously thick fillet of fragrant Salmon there were 7 plump, juicy King Prawns to savour, and that was before I got started on the moreish chunks of Chorizo and softened herby Potato cubes! Sometimes unremarkable ingredients can be transformed into something wondrous, and so it was with the Tomatoes on this occasion; they were fashioned into a thick, flavoursome sauce that hypnotised my palate with its quality and stole my heart, too.
Dan was chuckling away to himself whenever he passed our table: there were more sounds of satisfaction coming from us than was publicly decent, but we just had to vocalise our joy and happiness with Chef’s creations. Needless to say, there wasn’t a scrap left on either plate and our server took a pair of spotlessly clean vessels back into the kitchen.
There was no way we were passing up the opportunity to sample Chef’s desserts, though by his own admission he doesn’t make them all; there’s just not enough time! I had a good quality, shop bought Treacle Tart to conclude my meal, and The Man went for one of Carl’s own sweets: Chocolate and Raspberry Truffle. I would describe this minx as a type of deconstructed truffle, rather than the usual sphere we’re used to.
I have to say that the pastry case of my Treacle Tart was lovely and buttery and plenty deep enough to contain the lashings of tooth-tinglingly sweet Treacle, whose golden hue was beautiful to behold. This was one of those desserts that you can’t help but smile at; it takes you back to school days and those first forays into cooking in ‘Home Economics’ classes. Both our desserts came with Ice Cream AND whipped Cream and, next to the dramatic, dark tones of the Dark Chocolate Truffle base, they gave a real visual zhuzh to The Mans’ pudding.
The gently bitter, intensely satisfying notes of the Dark Chocolate disc base were beautifully contrasted by the unabashed fruitiness of the light Raspberry filling that had been skilfully piped in a swirl on its surface. His Nibs’ palate didn’t know where to begin with the symphony of flavours that cascaded over it, so he simply surrendered to its glory and revelled in each sensation that he experienced, whilst desperately trying to articulate its magnificence to me! It was one of those moments where the DeLorean would’ve come in handy but, alas, in its absence, the moment (and meal) had to come to an end.
What a blooming brilliant evening we’d had though! Thank you to Dan and the Hilcote Country Club team; you’d completely turned our day around from its awful start, and we headed home happy again. Hot Wings very happily awarded to this great local team.
If you want to sample Chef Carl’s creations for yourself (and why wouldn’t you?!) then get in touch to book your table on 01773 811248. Hilcote Country Club is closed Monday and Tuesday, but is open Wednesday-Saturday Noon-10pm (food served noon-8pm) and offers seated Sunday Roasts Noon-5pm (the dog-friendly bar area is open until 10pm).
You can also find out more by visiting www.thehilcotecountryclub.co.uk
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