I love my Mummy Bird to the moon and back (which she knows) but, crikey, she’s a pain in the bum to buy gifts for! Christmas and birthdays are bad enough, but Mother’s Day is a whole other level; I buy Mummy flowers every week anyway, so a bouquet wouldn’t be anything ‘extra’, y’know? However, the one thing we do love doing as a flock is eating out and, whaddya know, The Sitwell Arms Hotel in Renishaw was doing a rather fab-sounding 2 or 3 course set menu (that needed meal choices to be pre-ordered), priced at £29.50 and £34.50 respectively. Drinks and extras (such as third course if you had only pre-ordered two) need to be paid for on the day; deposits and final balance had already been authorised via card in advance.
The weather wasn’t the best, but the drive over was still pleasant and Mummy reminisced about her younger days when this patch was her stomping ground. There’s plenty of parking on-site and we snagged a spot near to the entrance, as luck would have it. Our previous visit to The Sitwell Arms had been to savour Sunday lunch and we spotted where we’d sat as we waited at the bar to confirm our arrival. On this occasion, we were to be dining in the Wild Boar Restaurant which, if you’ve never been in this area, really is beautiful; The Man and I had had the pleasure of enjoying the Tasting Menu here before.
Giving the occasion the kudos it deserves, the high back chairs were decked out in cream covers and dusky pink ribbons; each table had colourful faux floral arrangements, a white taper mock-flame candle, and central runner that complemented the bows on the chairs. The Wild Boar restaurant certainly packs a punch in terms of character: thick, solid wood ceiling beams, exposed stone and brick-work, and even the wooden stalls that would historically have housed livestock or horses. Given the amount of people celebrating Mother’s Day, there was a marvellous atmosphere and the excited chatter of younger family members could be heard amongst the general swell.
All the serving team were very smartly kitted out, and one member swiftly got us sorted with table water, wine and lager: large Pinot Grigio (£8.65) for Mummy, large Shiraz for me (£9.35), and a pint of Modelo (£6.70) for His Nibs. When our starters arrived, one lovely touch I noticed was the fact that our server was wearing gloves – this always makes me smile.
To start, Mummy had opted for the Chicken Liver and Brandy Parfait with Charred Sourdough and Spiced Plum and Apple Chutney, The Man Bird chose the Chilled Fan of Galia Melon with Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Mint, and I went for the North Atlantic Prawn Cocktail with buttered, Malted Bread. Each dish was carefully presented whether it be on a plate or in a patterned glass, accompanied by chilled salad or simple buttered bread.
I broke the charred sourdough into pieces and spread the silky Parfait on to each bit to help Mummy out; I must confess to sampling a little bit that remained over…and it was impossibly rich in flavour. As soon as that first bit hit Mummy’s mouth, she smiled happily and even more so when she’d popped a bit of the tangy Chutney on, too. The Man was really enjoying the clean, vibrant flavours of his Melon and Raspberry starter, and this was a perfect example of when something simple really punches above its weight. My own Prawn Cocktail was no slouch, either; the Prawns were abundant and deliciously sweet and juicy in my mouth, contrasting with The Sitwell Arms Hotel’s own signature Marie Rose Sauce. Finely shredded, chilled Iceberg Lettuce added bulk to the dish as well as sitting delicately alongside the rose-pink hue of the Prawns. Always keen to avoid food waste, I utilised the Malted Bread to mop up the last vestiges of sauce.
Our server came to clear away the starter plates and bowls, checking that we were ok for drinks as he did so. Some of our fellow diners were a touch further along in their culinary journey so, whilst we waited for our mains, we were ogling the scrummy-looking morsels that went past us. It wasn’t long before it was our turn to have folks looking to see what we were going to be tucking into. The Man had gone for everyone’s perennial fave, Roast Beef (British Sirloin, in this case), I fancied the Fillet of Atlantic Salmon and Mummy Bird went for Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with a Creamy Mushroom, Tarragon and Roasted Garlic Sauce.
As well as the assortment of vegetables on our plates, we were also served with a bowl of Gratinated Cauliflower Cheese and I spooned some on to Mummy Bird’s plate. As I was cutting her Chicken and Veggies up, I thought I might as well do the Cauli Cheese; good thing I did, as it was a tough job! I know I moan and wang on about soggy, over-cooked vegetables but this was at the other extreme, and even I struggled to get into the florets with my knife! This was a real shame, as the Cheese sauce was delicious.
Carrots, Parsnips and Roasties were all superb and His Nibs’ Yorkshire Pud was excellent. None of us could fault our meat, poultry or fish; Chef had certainly done a cracking job with them. The sauces and gravy were rich and deep in taste, though the winner was Mummy Birds’ Mushroom, Tarragon and Roasted Garlic offering; this was absolutely marvellous, it really was.
As with our starters, check-backs were done in a timely fashion and our empty plates cleared away promptly. In readiness for our desserts, fresh cutlery and napkins were laid and soon enough we were presented with our final course choices: Warm Chocolate Fondant for me, Vanilla Bean Crème Brulée for The Man, and Artisan Cheese Selection with Savoury Crackers, Chutney, and fresh Grapes for Mummy.
Fans of Chocolate will totally appreciate the warm, melt-in-the-middle Fondant that I had the pleasure to indulge in. Cocoa was at the front-and-centre of this morsel, permeating every atom of the dessert, its velvet texture cosseting my mouth and palate. A fine Chocolate ‘soil’ provided a textural edge and a sumptuous Chantilly Cream quenelle was melting lazily on top of the Fondant; this was a truly delightful way to conclude my meal.
His Nibs’ Crème Brulée had that superbly thwackable crust to it, its sweetness accented by the warm roundedness of Vanilla Bean. Two small rounds of buttery shortbread were put to good use as The Man made absolutely sure that none got left behind! It was so nice to see a ‘proper’ Raspberry Compote decorating the Crème Brulée; this was an unctuous, seed-in affair that was bursting with the fruits’ curiously sweet/sharp character. All in all, The Man couldn’t have wanted a better end to his meal at The Sitwell Arms Hotel.
They say that with age comes wisdom, and Mummy Bird pulled out the best trick of all; having filled her tummy already, Mummy requested that her Cheese and Biscuits be boxed up for her to enjoy at supper-time at home. Nice move, Mummy, nice move indeed. There were sizeable wedges of Brie, Stilton and Mature Cheddar, as well as several different biscuits and crackers; safe to say that a hearty supper was going to be enjoyed in Mummy’s house later that evening!
We had black coffees (£2.95 each) to allow our meal to digest before we left The Sitwell Arms Hotel, reflecting on what a lovely time we’d had. The food was great (other than the Cauli Cheese), the service was super-friendly and efficient, and the venue was spotlessly clean and welcoming, so I am more than happy to award Hot Wings here again.
To book a table call 01246 435226 or visit www.sitwellarms.com and hit the ‘book a table’ tab in the right-hand corner; you can also book a room at the Hotel, too, on the site.
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