Sunday Lunch At The Sitwell Arms Hotel In Renishaw
Published On Wednesday 5 Jul 2023 by Sticky Beak
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I’m holding my hands up and admitting that I’m lazy; and do you know what? I don’t care! It has just been too blooming hot lately to spend time in the kitchen cooking a Sunday roast; and Mummy Bird clearly felt the same because she couldn’t be faffed either, so she tasked His Nibs with booking somewhere 😊.
The Sitwell Arms in Renishaw has been on our list of places to visit for ages, so we were pleased to finally get there, to its Wild Boar Lounge. There’s plenty of parking on-site, which is quite unusual for a village pub, but I guess that’s due to the fact that it’s also a hotel. From the road, the venue has got oodles of kerb appeal and as we stepped inside, those positive first impressions stayed in place 😊.
As you’d expect in a popular village local on a sunny weekend lunchtime, the bar was attracting plenty of punters and this is where having a dedicated area for diners to check-in would come in very handy, because there was a good old wait to get acknowledged. One thing I really liked about the Sitwell Arms is that there were several areas set for dining, rather than it just being one open space – I also loved the spider light that stretched its ‘arms’ out over the whole area we were sat in. A magnificent open stone fireplace spanned the two areas near us, and I could imagine it in full flame on cold evenings, although it still looked pretty with its floral displays on the mantel on the summer’s day😊. Music was at a nice level in the background, providing atmosphere without drowning out conversation, and we settled in to look at the menu in detail.
The Man Bird and I had been working hard to clear an area of garden in readiness for next years’ project at Mummy’s home, so we were beyond hungry: definitely in chewing our knuckles territory! I fancied the Chicken Skewers with accompanying Caesar Salad (£5.25) to start and The Man went for Ham Hock Terrine with Beetroot Piccalilli and Toasted Sourdough (£5.95); Mummy decided to forego a starter, saving herself for the main event. His Nibs and I both selected mains from the Roasts menu: 21-day matured Sirloin of Beef (£16.95) and Rosemary and Garlic-roasted Leg of Lamb (£15.75) respectively. Mummy asked for the Battered Whitby Whopper from the Favourites selection, but was told that they’d run out of it; not to panic, though, because our server made the slickest service recovery ever and offered her battered Cod Loin instead. Doing this turned her frown upside down, and even more so when he said that it would be a little bit cheaper due to the Cod Loin not being quite as ginormous as the Whitby Whopper!
Whilst we waited for our starters, we listened to a little boy on an adjacent table entertaining his family, especially his Grandpa, who he’d designated as his watcher for later when he went on the climbing frame and swings in the outdoor play area. I suspect Grandpa wasn’t unhappy at this arrangement, seeing as the beer garden was smack-bang next to the play area and it was a hot, sunny day… you can see where this is potentially going, can’t you?!
Next thing we knew, our starters were being placed in front of us and, with the photos taken, His Nibs and I tucked in. My Chicken Skewers were delicious, the breast meat beautifully moist and juicy, and each skewer had plenty on it 😊. The Caesar salad was really nicely presented, carefully arranged rather than just slung on the plate, and each element was cool and crisp and wonderfully fresh. As far as starters go, this was the perfect choice for a warm day; light and refreshing and not heavy on the tum.
Chef at The Wild Boar Lounge certainly doesn’t skimp on his starters: The Man Bird had got a proper wedge of Terrine to savour; a job he did with relish (or should that be Piccalilli? Geddit?). Pieces of tasty Ham had been chopped thickly and pressed together to form a dense, gorgeously mottled treat and His Nibs was murmuring his appreciation with every mouthful he took 😊. A mixed leaf salad partnered the coarse-textured Piccalilli in providing colour on the plate, as well as bringing lots of flavour; the Piccalilli wasn’t the tangiest we’ve ever encountered, but it was still mouth-wateringly good.
With our starters cleared away, we all sat back and sipped at our drinks: Malbec for me, Pinot Grigio for Mummy and a pint of Madhri for The Man. Another couple came in and had an Afternoon Tea, which looked very scrummy, I must say, so maybe we’ll be back to try this in the future – we are rather partial to them, as you know 😊.
Food was flying out of the kitchen, left, right and centre; the serving team were certainly being kept busy, but they always took time to ask if sauces etc. were required, and everything was done with a smile. When our mains arrived, we all smiled; not only did they look good, but they smelled superb! Mummy Bird’s battered Cod Loin was more than a good-sized portion, so I dread to think just how large the Whitby Whopper would’ve been – she’d have been eating it for a week, I reckon!! As it was, she did manage to finish the soft, moist Cod Loin (squeezing the juice from the wedge of fresh Lemon over it), along with most of her Chunky Chips, Mushy Peas and Tartare Sauce.
At the Sitwell Arms, roasts are served with Homemade Yorkshire Puddings, Homemade Creamy Mash, Seasoned Roasties, Stuffing slice and fresh Market Vegetables, with a separate dish of Cauliflower Cheese and some extra Gravy. Both His Nibs and I had got two large slices of our chosen meats, and both cuts were juicy, tender and chockful of taste. The Garlic and Rosemary on my Lamb was very subtle; personally, I’d have liked a bit more wallop to it, but I appreciate that not everyone feels like this. As is our usual routine, The Man and I traded Parsnip and Roasties; as you know, I’m not the worlds’ biggest spud-o-phile, and His Nibs doesn’t like the intense fragrance that Parsnips have.
The mash was beautifully seasoned and smooth-as-glass and I think it’s some of the nicest I’ve had, to be fair. A medley of Broccoli, Green Beans, Cabbage and Garden Peas were all cooked perfectly to retain some firmness, and their shades of green contrasted appealingly against the orange hue of the thickly sliced Carrots. You cannot imagine the happiness I felt when I clapped eyes on the Cauliflower Cheese! A large bowl housed this favourite morsel of mine and Chef hadn’t over-cooked the delicate florets, so they were still temptingly firm to the bite and the silky Cheese sauce that bathed them was lovely and plentiful 😊.
Our original plan had been to have pudding, too, but none of us (not even Mummy, who’d not had a starter for the express purpose of indulging in dessert) had got a bit of room left! What we had had, though, we’d thoroughly enjoyed – testament to Chef’s skill and the quality of produce used at The Wild Boar Lounge at Renishaw’s Sitwell Arms 😊.
Dogs are welcome at this venue, and there were a couple of them with their humans at tables near the bar, optimistically waiting for crumbs to fall from the table! Throughout our visit, check-backs had been done at regular intervals and care taken to ensure that we had everything we needed (including water for the table). Hot Wings happily awarded to this fab venue; we’re chuffed that we finally got to visit!
Food is served Monday 5-8.30pm, Tuesday-Thursday Noon-2pm and 5-8.30pm, Friday-Saturday Noon-8.30pm, and Sunday Noon-7pm. For public bar opening times please contact the team as they can vary during busy and seasonal times. To book a table and/or get more information ring 01246 435226 or visit the website www.sitwellarms.com
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