Back Out At Wildes In Clowne To Try The Spring Menu
Published On Thursday 24 Apr 2025 by Sticky Beak
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On a recent foray out for Sunday lunch in Clowne with Mummy Bird, His Nibs and I were impressed by the a la carte menu at Wildes by Van Dykes and said that we would return to visit in the not-too-distant future. Clearly, the universe was listening, as we were invited us over to do just that, the week after we’d visited!
What a difference a few weeks makes, in terms of weather, flowers and general outlook on life; the daffodils were in full bloom in the car park, the sky was brighter, the sunset was later, and everything just felt ‘more’. Having parked the jalopy in one of the numerous spots, we headed up to the main entrance and turned right at reception to where the restaurant is; there we were greeted really warmly and taken over to our table.
As soon as we were seated, water for the table was offered and we were then told about the specials that day and handed the menu. After a minute or so, Amy returned with a jug of iced water with slices of lemon in and poured us a glass each; whilst she was with us, Amy also took our drinks order: glass of Pinot Noir for me and pint of Madri for The Man. We were given a further few minutes to peruse the menu before our order was taken by Amy (who always had a smile on her face, bless her). I chose the Derbyshire Rabbit Terrine with Prune Ketchup and Pickled Vegetables (£14), with butter-roasted Fillet of Halibut from the ‘specials’ (£26.95) for main; His Nibs fancied the Classic Scotch Egg with Bacon Scratchings and Piccalilli (£12) for his starter, followed by Guinness and Treacle Beef Short-rib (£26). We also ordered a side of Buttered Tenderstem and Almonds (£6).
It had been very busy when we visited on the Sunday, and it was surprisingly busy on this mid-week day, too! There was a mix of families with young children, businessmen, couples and groups of friends all dining, which was lovely to see. Live music was also provided on this particular evening, which made for a great atmosphere; if dining and entertainment is ‘your thing’ then do check out the events calendar at Wildes by Van Dykes – they always have a packed schedule of tribute acts, whatever the month of the year.
Bella and Edgar Allen Ro(e)bot were silently gliding between tables, delivering all manner of dishes; it was a throng service period, that’s for sure, and the team – human and automated – were working non-stop. Before long, it was our turn to have starters placed on the table, and they were both beautifully presented. It was a draw in the ‘who’s got the prettiest dish’ competition and, to be fair, it was a close call when it came to the flavour stakes, too (though I’m going to pull rank and say that my terrine was best!).
His Nibs’ Scotch Egg was a sizeable portion, by anyone’s standards, and underneath the beautifully crisp, golden crumb outer was a gorgeously rich, unctuous yolk that had His Maj smacking his lips in appreciation. Accompanying the Scotch Egg was a pleasingly coarse Piccalilli whose veggies had that marvellous mustard punch to them, and when you bit into the veggies you got that satisfying crunch against the bite. My own Rabbit Terrine was no slouch either; the dark and white meats were punctuated with herbs so that the palate was treated to a multitude of different flavours and textures. Partnering the terrine was an exquisite ketchup of Prunes that had a wonderful depth of flavour to match the Rabbit meat. Lifting the flavour was a dressed, mixed salad and pickled Radish and Carrot; both elements provided a pop of tang and crunch that contrasted with the terrine.
Whilst we’d been making our way through the starters, Amy had come over to check we were enjoying our meals, which we certainly had, and we eagerly awaited our mains. Bella and Edgar were both busily scooting between tables constantly to ensure diners were being fed, and soon enough, one of them patiently waited at our table, laden with our dishes and side. Due to the venue being so busy, Amy had been dealing with other guests, so one of her colleagues was about to serve us our meals when she ran back over a minute or so later - we had debated whether it was seemly to help ourselves, but didn’t need to in the end!
My butter-roasted Halibut Fillet was delicious; I loved the contrast between the crisp, blackened skin and the pale flesh of the fish and couldn’t wait to tuck in. Oh, my word, the Halibut was soft and sweet on the palate, with a beautiful firmness to it, but the spring Pea and Lemon Risotto was more than up to the task of matching its beauty. The risotto grains were perfectly al dente and had that irresistible creaminess to them that tempered the zesty Lemon hint gorgeously. Some of the Mussels were in their shell, some were ‘naked’, but all of them had that super ozonic, salty zip to them that bounced in the mouth. This was a really tasty dish, and one that I was very glad that I’d chosen.
Across the table, I was met with a very smug mush; His Nibs had taken the first mouthful of his Beef Short rib and was a little bit smitten, to say the least! Two pieces of super-tender beef were split by a rib and were bathed in a marvellously intense Guinness-pimped sauce. The Chive and Truffle Mash was a masterclass in indulgence, its silky texture bathing the tongue whilst its luxuriant flavour flooded the palate. Crunchy Tenderstem really was all the partner that this magnificent dish needed, its bouncy taste fresh and clean against the deeper flavours.
Our side order of Buttered Tenderstem and Almonds was a generous portion, which pleased me; [one of] my bug-bear is getting a measly portion for my money, and it happens all-too-often with side dishes – thankfully, not at Wildes. As with His Nibs’ Broccoli, this was still firm to the bite, and the addition of flaked Almonds brought a tasty sweetness on the palate.
Having taken our clean plates away, Amy returned to ask if we could be tempted by dessert – girl, of course we could! Wildes offers a good choice of sweet treats, ranging from the familiar warm Chocolate Brownie and Sticky Toffee Pudding to the more exotic Queen of Puddings and Hinojo Flan. In all honesty, I hadn’t got a clue what the Hinojo Flan (£12) was, but my attitude has always been ‘try anything once and if you don’t like it, you’ll know not to have it again’; so that was me sorted, and I would’ve put money on The Man having his fave, Sticky Toffee Pudding, but he threw a curve-ball. For a moment, he was tempted by his trusty favourite, but then got swayed by my adventurousness and opted for the Queen of Puddings (£12).
Both desserts were presented superbly, though I was a little underwhelmed by the depth of my flan – I wasn’t expecting a skyscraper, but this looked to only be a centimetre or so high. The flavour, though, was glorious, and I learned what Hinojo is: Fennel; the characteristic anise hint hit my palate, taking me somewhat by surprise. I had not been expecting that! A quenelle of Orange Blossom cream topped the flan and I just wasn’t feeling the partnership of these two elements if I’m being totally truthful. I always say that taste is subjective, so maybe you would feel differently? If you do try it, please let me know what you think. The dots of Mango Gel were intense and sweet, and I really enjoyed the charred note of the Honeycomb pieces. I think this dessert was just too sweet for me and my palate didn’t appreciate the Fennel and Orange Blossom pairing; oh well, some you win, some you lose.
His Nibs was totally vibing with his Queen [of Puddings] though, spooning bit after bit into his greedy mouth. Mind you, it did look good, I have to say. The breadcrumb-thickened egg mix had been baked to set perfection, and a generous layer of fruity jam contrasted with its pale tone, splitting it from its crowning glory of piped Meringue. There was a superb balance of flavours here, the mellower ‘custard’ tempering the Raspberry element. As well as whole, fresh fruit, Chef had introduced a punchy Raspberry Gel and intense pieces of freeze-dried Raspberry that had His Nibs scrunching his face up at its sharpness.
Amy and her colleagues had been great with us; always polite, always asking if we needed any sauces etc., and their input had made it a very enjoyable evening. The food had been very tasty and beautifully presented and served, and the venue itself is gorgeous; so, what’s not to love about Wildes? Hot Wings happily given.
To book a table ring 01246 387386 or visit the website www.wildesinns.co.uk and hit the ‘book’ button, followed by ‘book a table’ or ‘book a room’ if you fancy indulging in a stay in the hotel itself. The menus are all on the website, too, so you can see the current, seasonal offerings; the events are also listed if you’re interested in combining eating with entertainment.
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