As Bank Holiday Weekends go, the late May one had been pretty productive, but, by crikey, it had been hard work! Thankfully, The Man Bird had just the antidote: a 16oz Chateaubriand for us two (a Bank Holiday special, priced at £30 per couple) and whatever Mummy Bird fancied at The Galleon Steakhouse in Chesterfield 😊. It’s been ages, certainly pre-pandemic, since we last visited there, but we remembered having some good food and were eager to see if it was still up-to-scratch.
Parking on the adjacent road was a doddle (and it’s free after 6pm), so we only had a minutes’ walk back up the incline before we were stepping over the threshold and into the stylish interior. One of the team gave us a lovely warm welcome and checked our reservation details, then escorted us over to our table. As part of the Chateaubriand deal, we got a standard glass of house wine included, and Mummy ordered a large Pinot Grigio (£7); with drinks sorted, Mummy Bird scrutinised the menu to see what she fancied.
Had we not been about to chow down on a 16oz slab of meat, I think His Nibs and I would perhaps have been tempted by a starter, because there were some corkers to choose from, including Baked Nduja with Mozzarella, Tomato and Sourdough (£8.50), Seared Scallops with Corn Purée, Prosciutto and Lemon (£12.95), and Crab Cakes with Dill Crème Fraiche and Salad (£9.50). Mummy skipped the starter, and chose the 10oz Gammon with Tomato, Onion Ring and Rocket Salad with choice of Hand cut Chips, Skinny Fries, Jacket Potato or Rice (£15.95).
Clearly, we weren’t the only ones taking advantage of The Galleon’s banging steak offer, and the smell of cooking meat wafting over the restaurant from the open kitchen in the corner had our mouths watering in anticipation! It wasn’t long until our Chateaubriand was winging its way over to us, sizzling away on the super-hot volcanic stone that we’d use to finish cooking the meat to our liking 😊. A dapper chap came over with his knives and began to slice the steak for us (a nice touch, I thought) and informed us how to carry on with the hot stone - needing no further encouragement, we dived in!
Now, I will admit to being a bit sceptical about the price v quality aspect of this deal (for all of you out there that think I’m all ‘fluffy bunny’ ‘yah yah’!), but I’m always happy to be proved wrong on occasions like these. The steak’s flavour was incredible; wonderfully rich and intense, and His Nibs and I smiled happily at each other as the taste flooded over our tongues. Texture-wise, this piece of beef was a triumph too, the tender, velvety meat melting instantly in our mouths. Very often, we’ll have a sauce with our steaks, but we were glad we’d skipped it on this occasion as the flavour was so pure and delicious. Although, if we’d wanted one, they’re only £2.95 each; next time, I could be tempted by the Stilton sauce.
As with Mummy’s Gammon, our Chateaubriand came with a choice of Hand cut Chips, Skinny Fries, Jacket Spud or Rice (we chose Skinny Fries), that are served in dinky wire ‘frying baskets’ for visual appeal. I do like a classic steak garnish of mushroom and Tomato, but for £30 we weren’t expecting all the bells and whistles and, to be honest, the meat and potato were more than filling enough!
Talking of Mummy’s Gammon, she was more than a little enamoured with it! A lot of folks aren’t keen on this Porky morsel, thinking that it’s a bit tough and dried out; trust me, at The Galleon Steakhouse, nothing could be further from the truth. The 10oz Gammon steak was lusciously thick and had a deceptively mild flavour that was pleasingly unsalty but, better still, it was juicy and tender in the mouth 😊. His Nibs and I got Mummy’s massive, homemade Onion Ring passed over to divvy up (no resistance from us, funnily enough, LOL), though the grilled Tomato and Rocket Salad stayed firmly on Mummy’s plate!
It took us all quite a while, but we determinedly worked our way through the respective plates of meat until only three clean plates remained. Several members of the Galleons’ serving team had checked we were enjoying our food, and the young man that returned to clear our plates away was happy to see he’d got a light load to take back to the kitchen.
The Man Bird and I went all-in and ordered dessert; Mummy really hadn’t got an iota of room for anything else! There’s something about a good old Trifle that I can’t resist and I figured that, given how top-notch the meal had been so far, the puds were going to be just as fab, so I ordered that (£6.95) 😊. Having spied Classic Eton Mess (£6.95) and Sticky Toffee Pudding (£7.50) on the sweet menu, I really did think that His Nibs would plump for one of those, so imagine my shock when he opted for the Warm Chocolate Fondant (£9.95). The Man’s choice of pud takes up to 20 minutes to arrive for eating, but we didn’t mind as it gave us some breathing space after such a superb Chateaubriand.
Throughout the meal, the presentation of all our dishes had been excellent, but my Trifle (in its cocktail glass) took the prize on this occasion 😊. I took a moment to appreciate its beauty, and the three distinct layers of Fruit and Jelly, Custard and Whipped Cream, before grabbing my spoon and breaking the surface of the dessert. Trifle fans will know exactly where I’m coming from when I say that the squelch elicited by my spoon was certainly audible; when I was young, I used to exclaim that the trifle had just ‘farted 😊!
His Nibs was a totally smitten-kitten as soon as he clapped eyes on the dark, cocoa-rich outer of the Chocolate Fondant, but when he pierced the outer and the liquid inner unleashed its ravishing charms, he was mesmerised! It can sometimes be the case that desserts don’t taste as good as they look – and there’s no denying that that was going to be a tough job on this occasion – but the look of total rapture on The Mans’ mush told me that it was mission: accomplished 😊.
During our time at The Galleon Steakhouse in Chesterfield, nothing had been too much trouble for the friendly team; they’d fetched us water for the table, extra napkins and answered any queries we’d had with smiles on their faces and in a timely fashion. The food had been marvellous, and the venue itself is beautiful with its muted palate of greys and cream. No surprise, then, when I award Hot Wings unreservedly to this great eaterie.
To book your table ring 01246 559065 or visit the website www.thegalleonrestaurant.co.uk for menu details, opening times and to book a table online.
