Yay, spring has sprung! The changing of the season means that venues up-and-down the country are re-vamping their menu’s too, and The Man and I had been invited along to Woodborough Hall to sample their ‘Taste of Woodborough Hall; Meat and Fish’ offering. Off we set in the trusty jalopy in search of this Grade-II* listed house that has been around [in its original incarnation, not its present guise] since the 11th century and the Domesday Book.
Situated about 7 miles from Nottingham, Woodborough Hall is easy to find and there is plenty of parking to be had onsite. Even in the dark, the majestic tree (said to even older than the original manor house!) looked stunning; lit up to show it off, I was so incredibly tempted to go and perch on the swing that was suspended from one particularly thick branch! High heels, recent rain, and ‘that’ look from His Nibs persuaded me otherwise…maybe another time??!
Our first task was to introduce ourselves to Jenny Dickie (one of the directors and GM), who had invited us to Woodborough Hall; what a marvellous young lady she was, swiftly putting us at ease and whisking our coats away before taking us on a tour of the Hall. Even if history and/or architecture aren’t ‘your bag’, I defy you not to be in awe of the magnificence of the ornately carved, wide, shallow-stepped staircase and the gorgeous stained-glass windows that bear the coats-of-arms of the Parkyns family who once lived at Woodborough. Honestly, I was gawping like a goldfish at the beauty I was beholding #geek!
Whilst the original part of the house is undeniably breath-taking, that’s not to take anything away from the contemporary extension to one side of the Hall. In this extension you’ll find a stunning orangery (perfect for your civil wedding or partnership) and a modern, one-level bar area (ideal for parties or events) where we headed to for pre-dinner tipples. At 7.30pm prompt we were escorted to the upstairs restaurant that was the setting for this particular feast; each member of the serving team bore trays of drinks and placed them carefully down in front of their guests as seats were taken.
One of the most amazing features of this part of Woodborough Hall is the chunky, exposed timber wall. Looking a bit like the ‘skeleton’ of a leaf, these timbers were originally filled with Lath-and-Plaster; a horse hair-containing mix of quick-lime, sand, water and the hair, which was the fore-runner to gypsum/plaster-board. I also noticed more of that gorgeous carving from the staircase in the cornicing that gazed upon us all from its wall/ceiling junction position. Custom-made, pale wood tables were classically laid with gleaming glassware, sparkling cutlery, cloth napkins and flickering tealights in decorative glass votives.
Blessed is the best way to describe how we were feeling as we began to munch on the Rosemary Focaccia, spreading butters infused with White Truffle, and Black Garlic on to each piece. If I only dined on this, I would have been happy; the springy bread bore the distinct exuberance of Rosemary within it and had a beautiful salty tang at its edge. I always love a conundrum, and the butters certainly provided one: the White Truffle (already subtler than its Black peer) had a gently garlicky, subtly earthy taste to it, and the Black Garlic (which you assume would be ‘garlicky’, right?) was a curious melding of sweet and tangy notes! Both were delicious, though.
The Focaccia provided an immediate answer to those early evening hunger pangs that can creep up on you when dining a little later than usual, and also gave Head Chef Dean Patrick, his Sous-Chef, Richard, and their team a bit of grace to begin serving the Amuse Bouche of Wild Garlic Gougère. The tiny Choux Pastry Puff housed a mix of rounded Wild Garlic, topped with finely grated Comte whose sweet, nutty flavour paired brilliantly with it. Those guests partaking of the wine-flight (an additional £45pp) had been supping happily on a rose-pink, English Sparkling Wine, a tipple whose hue blended nicely with the food.
‘Potato’ was our first course ‘proper’ Confit Potato, Wilted Wild Garlic, Pickled Shallot, 3-Cornered Leek, Grelot Soubise and Comte. The single, Hasselback Potato was nicely crisp on its surface and gloriously soft and nutty inside, complemented by the allium tang of the wilted Wild Garlic. A beyond silky white sauce (Soubise) was thickened by the addition of French Grelot Onions, and for a final flourish, more of that delicious Comte Cheese adorned the Potato, along with artful 3-cornered pieces of Leek and sharp, crunchy rings of Pickled Shallot.
Next up was ‘Salmon’ Pastrami-cured Salmon, Compressed Cucumber, Dill Oil, Caraway Crème Fraiche, and Pickled Mustard Seeds. There was much to like in this dish: you actually got the smoky, aromatic hint of Pastrami in the Salmons oily flesh, and richness was tempered by the light bitterness of the Dill Oil and the briny acidity of the ‘Mustard Caviar’ (pickled Mustard Seeds). Discs of Compressed Cucumber were crisp and crunchy, a nice textural addition here. Personally, I love Caraway; this herb is what gives Rye Bread its characteristic taste and, in this dish, it tied in nicely with the Pastrami (often served on Rye Bread) element of this course. Bravo, Chef!
*Note* The Potato and Salmon were accompanied by Riesling 19 Trimbach wine, chosen to balance the oils and fats in these dishes.
Punctuating the pair of fish courses was ‘Asparagus’: Asparagus Spears served with Air-Dried Prosciutto Ham, Ajo Blanco, and Grape. With high-end, fine dining, you learn to not take things at face value, and nowhere was this more evident than the seemingly innocuous ‘Grape’ Chef had pickled the red grapes and infused the green ones with sweet Dessert Wine, so their natural characters had been completely altered. Paired with the salty flavour of the crunchy air-dried Prosciutto Ham, the super-sweet green grape was excellent, balancing the pairing fantastically. The sharpness of the pickled red grape was wonderful against the unctuous, creamy Ajo Blanco; this Spanish cold soup (often called White Gazpacho) was nutty in taste, popping against the grassiness of the perfectly cooked Asparagus spears.
Following the vegetable course was ‘Sole’ Dover Sole that had been pan-roasted in Beurre Noisette, served with Jersey Royals, Baby Leek, and a Brown Shrimp and White Wine Butter Sauce. The fillet of Dover Sole was beautifully moist in the mouth and nicely ‘meaty’ in texture, the flesh holding its shape rather than crumbling from the cutlery’s presence. Both of us enjoyed the Sole’s delicate sweetness, and it was paired superbly with the nutty caramel hints from the Beurre Noisette. Gorgeous, early-season Jersey Royals were sweet, earthy and nutty on the palate, the perfect foil to the herbaceousness of the trimmed, nicely-firm Baby Leeks. Don’t be fooled by the tiny size of Brown Shrimps – these devils are surprisingly robust in taste, and certainly more minerally than their white and pink peers. It was this more umami character that balanced the rich butter elements in this dish, aided and abetted by the White Wine in the sauce. This really was the epitome of spring in all its confidence and beauty.
*Note* Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy had accompanied the Asparagus and Sole courses. This wines high acidity enhances the delicate flavour of Asparagus, which has a tendency to make many wines taste metallic and/or bitter; it also balances the buttery rich taste of Dover Sole.
Meat was represented by (what else in spring?) ‘Lamb’ Lamb Loin, Crisp Lamb Breast, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Broad Beans, Wild Garlic Purée and Goats’ Curd. I was excited anyway by the dish, but I couldn’t help but be in high-glee at the mention of Broad Beans; my dearly departed Grandad grew his own and they were the best in the world as far as a younger me was concerned! Baby Broad Beans are sweet and buttery with a nutty hint to them that complemented both cuts of Lamb marvellously. Chef served the Lamb Loin pink, and it was enticing in its softness in my mouth; this cut of Lamb is surprisingly subtle, certainly when savoured at the same time as Lamb Breast. Where the loin was lean, the breast (which comes from the underbelly area) was moist and rich thanks to the luscious fat within it. The Lamb Breast was also bolder and more intense in flavour than the Loin – this was what you would call ‘proper’ lamb in terms of taste. Bringing balance to the richness was the tart tang of the whipped Goat Curd, happily partnered by the zingy Wild Garlic Puree that was swirled artfully around the plate. Crunchy, grassy Purple Sprouting Broccoli added a ping of texture and, for a final layer of flavour, Chef had served the dish with a magnificent Lamb Jus and Sherry Vinaigrette that was just marvellous!
*Note* As liquid partner to the Lamb, the Vega Del Rayo Reserva Rioja has solid amounts of Tannins, enabling it to slash through the lamb fats’ intensity, and the vanilla-oak notes really bring out the gamier hints in lamb, too.
Bridging the savoury and sweet courses was the ‘Sorrel’ offering; Green Apple and Sorrel (Cucumber, Elderflower, English Sparkling Wine). A quenelle of verdant Green Apple and Sorrel Sorbet was paired with a paler one of Cucumber, Elderflower and Sparkling English Wine, looking very pretty and quietly innocent in the pristine white bowl. Ha! Quiet and Innocent this palate cleanser certainly was not! Sharp, tartly acidic Green Apple, tangy, lemony Sorrel, crisp, clean Cucumber, honeyed, floral Elderflower, and bouncy, acid, green apple-esque Sparkling Wine all swirled in a frenzied maelstrom in the mouth, washing all traces of previous flavours from our palates in preparation for sweeter things to come.
As soon as I had spied Rhubarb in the ‘Sweet’ description, I was hooked, and the reality matched up to my imagination. Slivers of rose-pink Rhubarb had been poached to utter gloriousness, its razor-sharp character assuaged skilfully by a ridiculously velvety Buttermilk Panna Cotta that had my taste buds bewitched. Both the Rhubarb and Ginger purée and the Vanilla Crème Diplomat were sublimely indulgent in their smooth texture, and very different in their profiles, as you can imagine from their components. This dessert was a masterclass in balancing bold flavours, including the intense Ginger notes in the crumbled Jamaica Cake; honestly, this was superb.
*Note* Domaine De Grange Neuve Monbazillac dessert wine had been chosen to partner the ‘Sorrel’ and ‘Sweet’ courses. The rich honey and sweet sugar hit from this botrytized wine (the fungus pierces the grapes’ skin, resulting in less water and more sugars) provides an excellent counter to the sharp, spice, and acidic notes of the food.
All that remained was to relax and let our feast digest whilst we had a couple of black coffees, presented with miniature Pistachio, half-coated Cookies. Paige informed me that they also serve the coffees with Almond or Hazelnut Cookies, and with Jammy Dodger-type biscuits; well, that was it, I lamented the absence of my childhood fave (Dodgerrrrr!!!) and off she scampered to see if there were any in the kitchen, bless her. As luck would have it, a trio of teeny-tiny, jam-filled shortbreads had been located and Paige brought them over, smiling at my happiness.
Throughout the evening, Paige, Jim and Isabel had all been total super-stars; boundless enthusiasm, politeness and ability to strike up conversation are just some of their qualities. If this trio could be cloned, the world much be a much more wonderful place. Dean and Richard (Head Chef and Sous) came out at the evening’s conclusion, to much applause and appreciation, though they admitted that they prefer to let their culinary creations do the talking – typical Chefs!
The food at Woodborough Hall had been irrefutably fantastic, so I am sure that staying in one of the 5 rooms would be equally marvellous. Downstairs, in the ‘snug’, respite from hectic everyday life can be had over Coffee and Cake (served every day, 9am-3pm), and tantalising sharing boards and lighter snacks can be enjoyed in the bar area (where we had all gathered prior to dinner). What I thought was tremendous though, was the fact that Woodborough Hall is undeniably high-end but without any of the pretence or snobbery that puts many folks off from trying this type of offering. Do, please, go and discover this stunning place for yourself…you can thank me later! Hot Wings very happily awarded to this glorious Nottinghamshire venue.
To book a table, a stay in one of the rooms, or for more information about wedding events, call 0115 822 2161. You can also visit www.woodborough-hall.co.uk and book tables for Afternoon Tea (served Sun-Thurs 11am-3pm, Fri-Sat 11am-5pm), Lunch, Sunday Lunch or Dinner by hitting the ‘book a table’ button, or to stay, hit the ‘stay with us’ tab. Lunch is served Mon-Sat Noon-2.30pm, Sunday Lunch Noon-5pm, and Dinner Friday and Saturday 6pm-9pm.
