Sunday Lunch At The Prince Of Wales, Baslow
Published On Thursday 17 Jul 2025 by Sticky Beak
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It’s been a fair while since The Man and I went into the Prince of Wales gastropub in Baslow, but I’m happy to report that nothing has changed since then; the super-friendly team and relaxing décor are still very much in evidence. The car park was rammed, and we only just managed to squeeze into the overflow one; we hadn’t realised the village fete was on, and some folks had [very cheekily] parked up and meandered over the road to the event!
Anyhow, we got sorted, so no worries, and mosied into the beautiful downstairs bar area. The greeting we got was second-to-none, and our table reservation was confirmed in an instant. Lots of furries were enjoying a cool off whilst their humans savoured a refreshing drink and/or a nibble. One of the team escorted us upstairs and showed us to our window table. Water for the table was offered immediately and we were shown the drinks menu.
As you would expect from a 2 AA-Rosetted venue, the wine list was pretty impressive; I opted for a large glass of Malbec, His Nibs had a pint of Madri. I could’ve eaten any of the seven starters on the menu, especially the scrummy-sounding Coronation Crab Crumpet (£10.95), though in the end I chose the BBQ Octopus which was that day’s special starter. The Man Bird selected the Crispy Lamb Belly (£11.50), leaving me flabbergasted as I would’ve put money on him going for the Ham Hock, Chicken and Pistachio Terrine (£9.50)!
Whilst waiting for our starters, I did my usual ‘thing’ of gawping about to take in my surroundings and do a spot of people-watching. Immediately to my left, in the deep windowsill, was an exquisite arrangement of fresh blooms; the bulbous heads of pastel Hydrangeas bobbed with country Roses of varying sizes and colours, and variegated greenery. Neutral tones on the walls were accented with darker, dramatic feature colours and there was striking art on the walls. Music was at the perfect volume to provide ambience without being intrusive, and the whole effect was cosy and welcoming. I’d noted that the Prince of Wales is dog-friendly (downstairs), and it was lovely to see that the venue also welcomes children through its doors, providing highchairs for those very small members of families.
Both starters were soon winging their way to us and were marvellously presented. My dish, obviously(!), won the prettiest dish competition that His Nibs and I like to have, and it tasted just as good. A single, whole Octopus tentacle was carefully swirled around the white plate for visual effect, its pale flesh contrasting with the vibrant hue of the Roasted Pepper and Tomato sauce. The sweet, fragrant Octopus had been grilled over flames to impart a smoky whisper on the palate, and its thin end was beautifully charred. Fresh Tomatoes had been chopped and scattered over the sauce, and the airily whipped, garlicky Ajo Blanco had been dotted along the seafood morsel.
Chef was giving us the artistic feels for sure with our chosen starters; the Crispy Lamb Belly was decorated with wildly contrasting ‘tiger stripes’ of sauces. This absolutely was edible art. Cooling Labneh balanced its tangier cousins, Kebab sauce and Black Garlic Ketchup, and all three complemented the sweet, gamey Lamb Belly marvellously. The contrast between the crisp outer layers and the tender centre was also a treat for the senses; it’s easy to see why the Prince of Wales holds a pair of coveted AA rosettes. With our starters finished, we sat back and eagerly awaited our mains: slow-roasted Derbyshire Beef for The Man and roasted Derbyshire Leg of Lamb for me, both £24.
Sunday Roasts come with Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables and corresponding Gravy; we also ordered Cauliflower Cheese as a side dish (£5.95). With the benefit of hindsight, the Cauli Cheese wasn’t needed; you get a hefty plateful of deliciousness as standard! Our meats were carved very differently: my Lamb was thickly sliced, whereas Chef had carved the [served pink] Derbyshire Beef finely. That was the only difference, though, as both meats were divinely tender and flavoursome…and plentiful. We asked for Mint- and Horseradish- sauces, and both came in small pots; they were a good portion and had great tastes that complemented our respective meats. The Yorkshire Pudding was what I would call ‘home size’, as in it was the size that my Mummy and Nana used to make; flavour- and texture-wise, it was totally spot-on: crisp outer and soft, rich tasting bottom and sides. Perfect. The roasties were also got the double thumbs-up from us, thanks to their size, taste and balance of crisp outers and fluffy centre.
Vegetables are just vegetables, right? Wrong! At the Prince of Wales in Baslow, vegetables are treated with the same reverence as the meats. Celeriac had been finely shredded and creamed, Cavolo Nero, Tenderstem Broccoli and Sugar Snap Peas cooked to retain all their bouncy taste and crunch. Even the halves of whole top-n-tailed Carrots had been given the rockstar treatment, sporting dark spots of roasting char that intensified their inherent sweetness.
In tandem with the vegetables, Cauliflower Cheese can also vary wildly in terms of quality and quantity from place to place. I’m more than happy to report that the portion of this accompaniment was nicely generous, and absolutely gorgeous in the tummy! Served in its own oval bowl, the cheesy crust was scattered with fresh, chopped Chives for a pop of colour and a hint of Allium/Onion tang against the dairy element. The Cauliflower florets themselves were a good size and retained a lovely firmness that yielded easily to the bite. I do like it when the sauce is unctuous; there’s nothing more depressing than a miserable, thin one that drips from your fork, but thankfully this one was thick and able to cling to whatever it got picked up with.
Our lovely servers (very smartly dressed with tied, logo’d aprons over their trousers) had done a sterling job of checking that everything was to our liking, and discreetly kept an eye on our drinks to see if we needed extra. With a smile that hinted that she already knew what our answer would be, our server asked if we would like to see the dessert menu - clearly, we did! Half a dozen choices of sweet treats, as well as a selection of homemade Ice creams and Sorbets, needing choosing between, and there were several that both of us were tempted by. I finally settled on the Basque Cheesecake with Blueberry and Lemon Compote, Lemon Sorbet and Amoretti (£9.95), and The Man fancied the sound of the Raspberry and Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Raspberries (£8.50).
The Pistachio and Raspberry Cake was impossibly moist, its sponge having been soaked with some sort of syrup, making it [probably] the gooiest, most sumptuous cake in the universe. This treat was singing to His Nibs’ soul, it really was; I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so entranced by a cake! Fresh Raspberries on the top were sharp and sweet, partnering the fragrant cake perfectly. Crushed Pistachios’ verdant tone contrasted starkly with the jewel colour of the fruit, as well as being deeper and earthier in taste than the cake and Raspberries. This was delightful by itself, but when served with the indulgent, rounded White Chocolate Ice Cream, became just that smidge more special.
As regular readers know, I am rather partial to a Cheesecake for dessert, and having had a Basque version before (and liking it immensely), I was curious to see what the one here would be like. Basque Cheesecake differ from their ‘regular’ peers in that they have no crust or base, per se, having instead a caramelised exterior. Underneath this blanket is a fluffier, creamy (custard-like) centre that is also slightly sweeter than its more regular relative. Standing out from the milder, creamy Cheesecake, the Blueberry Compote was waltzing on my palate; it was the face-scrunching tartness of the Lemon Sorbet, that really pinged, though! An Amoretti crumb brought a wash of calmness to proceedings, restoring a harmonious balance to this stunning dessert. Top marks, Chef, you’ve got me hooked for life with this.
I know that there are more budget-friendly roasts out there, and I get it, I do; but if you can, do go along to the Prince of Wales in Baslow – those extra pennies won’t be wasted, I can assure you. Hot Wings very happily given to this magnificent gastro-pub.
To book a table, call 01246 583880 or visit www.princeofwalesbaslow.co.uk to browse menus and hit the ‘book a table’ button to reserve a table. The Prince of Wales is closed for drinks and food on Monday, re-opening for the bar/coffee Tues-Sat 11am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-7pm. Food service times differ slightly: Tues-Fri Noon-2.30pm and then 5.30-9pm, Saturday Noon-9pm, and Sunday Noon-5pm.
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