Dinner At The Greyhound Hotel in Cromford
Published On Sunday 24 Nov 2024 by Sticky Beak
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Recently, His Nibs and I were invited along to try the menu at The Greyhound in Cromford, under its new owners. Miraculously, we bagged a space in the car park right in front of the venue – proof that [pre] Christmas miracles do happen!
We were greeted warmly as soon as we stepped inside and, when we said that we’d got a table booked for dinner, were shown through to the restaurant and seated. There is a super selection of wines available by the glass and I opted for my perennial fave, Malbec; The Man had a pint of Cruz Campo, choosing that over the Amstel and Moretti lagers that are also on draught at the amply stocked bar.
The new owners (who also happen to own The Boat Inn in the village, too) are keen to retain the ambience of a traditional pub, so dogs are very welcome: at the entrance, I spotted some microfibre towels for wiping wet and/or muddy paws and a stack of water bowls ready to be filled as required. I was pleased to see that the décor hadn’t particularly been changed; I say pleased because the previous owners had gone to great lengths to create a quietly chic, relaxed dining environment. Muted shades of green form the bulk of the décor, complimented by an old Ordnance map of the locale on one wall. A soft, amber glow emanates from the ceiling- and wall-lights that are a warm gold tone.
Having got us settled in, our lovely server brought out a carafe of water and separate ice and slices of Lemon for us to add to the water glasses as we desired; a very nice touch, and made all the more so by the fact that we hadn’t had to request it. Whilst we sipped away, both of us studied the menu’s selection of starters. I opted for the trio of Gravadlax, £9, comprised of Negroni-, Vodka and Dill-, and Lemon and Thyme- marinated Salmon, served with Kohlrabi and Pickled Cucumber; His Nibs fancied the sound of the Beef Croquette with Port, Pearl Barley, and Mushroom, £8.
Both our starters were beautifully presented, with care being taken as to the placement of ingredients and to the crockery used. I certainly had plenty of sliced Salmon to savour, and each variety was clearly distinguished in the mouth; the Negroni’s aromatic bitterness was tempered by the sweet fish, the Vodka imparted a pop of ‘fire’ at the back of the throat, and the unmistakeable bounce of Citrus made its presence known. Contrasting marvellously with the softness of the Salmon were the super-thin slices of Kohlrabi and cubes of tangy, pickled Cucumber. A subtle nod to the marine origins of the dish was added via fronds of verdant Samphire.
His Nibs was tucking enthusiastically into a wonderfully sizeable croquette that had an impossibly crunchy outer. Absolutely stuffed with shreds of tender Beef, The Mans’ palate was flooded with rich flavours from meat that melted like phantoms in shadows on the tongue. Port had been concentrated and fashioned into a thick gel that was precisely piped into dots to decorate the plate, and the complex taste partnered the Beef excellently. Well-seasoned Pearl Barley added a carbohydrate bulk to the meal, with Mushrooms providing a gorgeous earthy note.
One of my favourite meats is Venison; in fact, I’d probably put it joint top with Rabbit – and I’d mug you for a bit o’ Bugs! Chef served up a lovely, thick steak, cut in half and served pink in the middle and a small dish of Bourguignon. Personally, I love it when Chefs serve up meat in multiple ways and you can appreciate the differing tastes of the cuts. The steak was deeper and muskier in taste, whereas the Bourguignon was softer, sweeter and more of a comfort dish. Pickled Blackberries were brilliantly sharp, but had retained enough of their fruity exuberance to waltz smoothly with the Venison, and Kale had been wilted perfectly so that it still crunched to the bite, releasing its grassy flavour. I had chosen Roasted Garlic Mash to go with my Venison, though there was also Buckwheat, Puy Lentils, Sauté Ratte Potatoes or Parmesan and Rosemary Polenta Chips on offer, all at £4. Usually, I’m not a huge mash fan, but I do really, really like roasted Garlic, which is what persuaded me to go for this particular side dish, and I’m glad it did! The combination of creamy, rounded roast Garlic and smooth-as-glass mash was a knockout in my mouth.
The Man Bird had opted for the ‘pie of the day’ (Steak and Ale on this particular day) and it was especially large for an individual portion - not that you’d ever hear him complain! The ‘proper’ pastry instantly melted in the warmth of his mouth, its silky fats running riot over the tongue. Underneath the pastry top, super-tender chunks of Beef steak nestled in a thick, ale-pimped gravy and it’s no word of a lie when I say that there not a millimetre of space between meat and pastry – honestly, Chef couldn’t have crammed another thing in. If a good, tasty, honest pie tickles your tastebuds, then this is the morsel for you. Lashings of sweet, mushy Peas and nicely seasoned Mash were all that were needed to complete this marvellous dish.
Our server had checked that we were enjoying our food whilst we’d been busily munching away, and she smiled broadly when a pair of spotlessly clean plates were the evidence of our delight. In fact, she said as much when she remarked that “Chef will be happy with these” as she scooped them up.
I’ve said before that I love it when pricing is kept simple and, other than the Cheeseboard which is priced at £9.95, all desserts at The Greyhound in Cromford are £7.50. I fancied the warm Pear Frangipane Tart with Mulled Wine Sorbet and The Man chose a cheeky-sounding Chocolate Mousse with Caramel Sauce, Honeycomb, and Caramelised White Chocolate.
As with the previous courses, presentation was excellent. I was impressed with the depth of the soft Frangipane layer, and the short pastry that housed it was superbly buttery and crumbed easily to the bite. The Pears were gloriously grainy and sweet and, if I had one criticism, it would that there should’ve been more of them as they were delightful. A topping of flaked Almonds had been torched to render them a rich shade of brown, but it also added a nice hint of smokiness to the nutty flavour. I don’t mind admitting that I was a bit sceptical about how good the Mulled Wine Sorbet would actually be, but it turned out to be really rather wonderful! You certainly got the spices that you would encounter in a cup of Mulled Wine, and their warm nature added a superb fragrance to the Tart. There was a colourful berry coulis swirl, primarily for decoration, which was equally fabulous on the palate.
Although Sticky Toffee Pudding was on the menu, His Nibs’ chocoholic side was keen to play and after taking the first mouthful of his dessert, it was clear that Chef had done good! Wickedly intense in its Cocoa content, the Mousse took the spotlight ably in this treasure, aided and abetted skilfully by the silky smooth Caramelised White Chocolate and bolder Caramel sauce. This minx wasn’t a 2-dimensional offering though, large shards of Honeycomb were brilliantly crunchy and they had that wonderful, sweet/smoky char dual character on the palate. Under the scrutiny of the mouths’ heat, this sugar confection wilted and became addictively chewy.
This had been an amazing meal and the team made sure that their service was a high standard throughout: fresh napkins at each course, my knife swapped out for a steak one before my Venison arrived, and the water being brought over without needing to be asked for. I would certainly return to The Greyhound, so Hot Wings happily given.
I couldn’t not mention the festive menus at The Greyhound and its sister venue, The Boat Inn at Cromford. Both offer a fantastic choice, but The Greyhound is slightly ‘more’; by that, I mean that Chef is a bit more adventurous in his menu, which will appeal to those who dine-out more frequently. The Christmas menus are served from 2nd-23rd December 2024 at both sites and a non-refundable deposit of £10 per person is required at the time of booking with the final balance and food order required 7 days prior to arrival. At The Greyhound, 2 courses cost £27pp, 3 courses £31pp; at The Boat Inn 2 courses are £24.95pp, 3 courses will cost £27.95. You can pop in to either venue for a copy of the menu or ring for more information: call 01629 823172 for The Greyhound, or call 01629 258083 for The Boat Inn.
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