A Celebration of Seafood and Champagne At The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow
Published On Sunday 18 Aug 2024 by Sticky Beak
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There’s no denying it; The Man and I are blooming lucky! What other way could we describe ourselves as we accepted the invitation to dine at the Cavendish Hotel’s ‘Celebration of Seafood and Champagne’. This wonderful summer event is sponsored by the world-famous Champagne House, Laurent Perrier, and is on now until 16th September 2024.
Having parked the car in the lower area, we took the time to admire the view over the fields of the Chatsworth Estate as we walked up to the hotel entrance. Inside, we were greeted warmly by a lovely young lady on reception who then escorted us through to the Garden Room to our table. Once seated, our server enquired as to whether we’d like water for the table and handed us the dinner menu.
I love the Garden Room and its stylishly relaxed ambience; the palate of deep reds, muted greens and marine blues work in harmony to soothe your soul. Rattan seating, bamboo window blinds and lush foliage add to this serene feel, as do the warm-toned terracotta floor tiles and lamps at varying heights. Quintessentailly classic, this restaurant cocoons you in its comforting embrace and we sighed in contentment as we gazed beyond the terrace and its parasol laden tables, over to the muted skies of the summer eve. The temperate climate on this particular evening made the terrace quite the ideal place to indulge in a spot of al fresco dining, and plenty of folks were doing just that.
As you’d expect, there is an extensive wine list and, not being experts, His Nibs and I decided to ask the Sommelier what he would recommend to accompany our food choices of Smoked Eel Caesar Salad (£12), Scallops Ceviche (£16), Skate Wing (£32) and BBQ’d Monkfish Tail (£30). In a flash, he’d reeled off several options and even went to fetch a glass of one for us to try – that’s the Cavendish service for you, right there! We chose a French Chablis (£55), and it was an utterly heavenly partner to our food, it must be said. I have serious trust issues, but the Cavendish Hotel at Baslow is one of the few places that I would have faith in to select a beautiful wine that would complement my meal.
My starter choice of Smoked Eel Caesar Salad was superbly presented in a pale, fluted bowl that let the colours of the shredded Gem Lettuce, Golden Croutons and creamy shards of Aged Parmesan to shine against it. Many of you would perhaps be put off by a) a smoked fish, and b) by Eel itself; let me just say that the smoke was a very subtle note and that the Eel was delicate in taste with a soft, silky oiliness at its periphery. Paired with crunchy Gem hearts (cleverly aided and abetted by Croutons), and the distinctive tang of Parmesan, this made for a light, delicious starter.
The Man Bird is now a massive fan of Scallops, so he was thrilled to see his starter presented in a dramatic, conker-brown and black mottled bowl; the seafood morsels’ pale, milky colour contrasted boldly against its confines. Served in a shell, the Scallops had been thinly sliced and paired with Sea Herbs and tiny rondelles of Cucumber before a gorgeous Chilli dressing had been carefully spooned over. The mix of textures and tastes swirled in the mouth, the ozonic herbs flirting with the fragrant flesh of the seafood. Everything married together beautifully, providing another wondrously light starter dish.
Whilst we’d been happily savouring our starters, check-backs had been done and glances as to our glass contents happened whenever a team member walked past our table. Clearly, our glasses had run a little too dry for one pleasant lady’s liking and she seamlessly refreshed our wine for us. Another example of the care and attention you expect from a Chatsworth Estate venue.
For my main course I had chosen the BBQ’d Monkfish Tail and this was a marvellously hefty piece of fish, its pearlescent flesh standing out against the sunny tone of the charred Corn kernels and darker colour of the Wild Mushroom Medley and Black Quinoa. Either side of a central bone were a pair of tail fillets that fell apart at the slightest pressure from my knife; despite being perfectly tender and moist, the flesh was actually quite firm and meaty in texture, with a lovely chew time. The sweetness of the Monkfish and charred Corn paired superbly with the earthiness of the Mushrooms, and Black Quinoa was clearly chosen by Chef Joe Bains in this dish for its sweeter, nuttier qualities. If you’re thinking “I know that Name: Bains”, you’d be right; Joe is the nephew of 2-Michelin starred Chef, Sat – culinary flair must be in the genes!
Heritage Tomatoes come in a variety of striking colours and I was expecting more of a rainbow than was served, though the ruby-red fruits I tucked into were very tasty. A scattering of micro herbs on the top of the chopped Tomatoes really let this simple accompaniment ping in the mouth, and the dark bowl they were presented in highlighted their vibrant hue. Light and fresh, this was a delightful palate cleanser.
Like my BBQ’d Monkfish, His Nibs’ Skate Wing was a sizeable beast and this made the dissection of flesh from bone a much easier task. Skate has a gorgeous ‘mouth feel’ to it, with a pleasingly firm texture; flavour-wise it isn’t dissimilar to Scallop, imparting a seductive sweetness over the taste buds. When you have such an impressive piece of fish to work with, you really don’t need to over-egg the pudding with its bed-fellows, and Chef just served a quenelle of impeccably smooth mashed Potato and wilted Chard with the Skate. A delightful Grenobloise sauce (Brown Butter, Capers, Parsley and Lemon) elevated the flavour profile without detracting from the sensitive character of the fish, making this a splendid summer choice: a celebration, indeed.
Rather thoughtfully, we were asked if we would like a small interlude before perusing the dessert menu, a suggestion we gratefully took advantage of as our tummies were more than a smidge full! When our server came back with the dessert and wine pairing menu, he informed us that the Seasonal Crumble was Apple and Mixed Berry, and the Tart of the Day was Sugar Tart: a variant of Custard Tart that resembles a Crème Brulée. In the end, I opted for Lemon Verbena with English Raspberries and Meringue (£12.50), and The Man chose Chocolate Delice with Yoghurt and Kirsch (£7.50).
My dessert came in the same pale, ridged bowl that my starter had done and it let the colours of the fruit dazzle against it. The round of Meringue was flirtily soft and silky, though firm enough to hold its shape, and the outer had been carefully blow-torched to gently burn the sugar within it. The combination of sweet and char was absolutely perfect, lifted by the exuberance of peak-season, plump Raspberries that had been incorporated into piped rounds of feather-light mousse. It would have been simple to let this be a truly sweet-treat but, Chef threw in a face-scrunching curve ball with the scoop of Lemon Verbena Sorbet that innocuously perched at the side of the Meringue. In the mouth, the veil of innocence slipped and the seductress sashayed out. This naughty minx had me gasping at its boldness, its dual Herbaceous and Citrus character grabbing each and every taste bud by its scruff, demanding respect and admiration. As a solo act, it was almost cocky in its ardour, but paired with the sweet Meringue, the sorbet yielded and purred like a kitten on the tongue. I have to say that this is one of the most enjoyable desserts I have had.
If decadence is a must-have for your dessert choice, then the Delice at the Cavendish Hotel will tick all the boxes on your wish-list. A dark chocolate biscuit base was topped with a lighter, milk chocolate custard; sumptuously smooth and soft, it wafted over the tongue as it melted in the warmth of His Nibs’ mouth. This treat cocooned the palate and lit up the brains’ pleasure centre with its depth, complimented by the lighter notes of the tang from the thick, natural Yoghurt. Deep, jewel-coloured Cherries were artfully placed on top of the delice, zhuzhed with a hint of Kirsch. Putting down his dessert cutlery, The Man wiped his lips with the napkin and then sighed a deep, happy sigh of contentment.
Having had a bottle of wine with our meal, we didn’t take up the offer of after-dinner teas or coffee, though we know from previous visits that the coffee is lovely. Throughout our evening, the staff had been super-attentive and we wanted for nothing – when you are so well looked after, it’s hard to say goodbye, but that’s what we had to do!
Hot Wings happily given to The Cavendish Hotel team again, and heartfelt thanks to Sarah for her kind invitation. The Celebration of Seafood and Champagne in the Garden Room is only available until Monday 16th September, so don’t delay in booking your table or you’ll have to wait until next summer! Ring 01246 582311 to make a reservation and visit www.cavendishhotelbaslow.co.uk to discover more about what’s on offer at the Hotel and Restaurant.
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