It’s no secret that I absolutely love my county, Derbyshire, and one of my favourite places to be within its border is Chatsworth – especially when spring has arrived. Our destination on this particular evening, The Beeley Inn, didn’t quite take us onto the main estate itself, which I was a bit sad about because I wanted to see if the lambs had been put out yet. However, my disappointment was short-lived as we pulled into the raised car park and its lovely view of the lower part of Beeley Village.
Recently, The Beeley Inn (formerly known as The Devonshire Arms at Beeley) has undergone a sort-of spring clean of its own, in the bar area, and I was keen to see if this lovely gastropub had retained all the charm I, and many others, love about it. You’ll all be relieved to hear that, yes, it is every bit as wonderful as it’s ever been. Honestly, if a venue could wrap its arms around you in a cosy bear-hug, The Beeley Inn would do it!. The staff are every bit as marvellous, too; the manager recognised us from a previous visit to The Cavendish Hotel and we had a lovely catch-up as drinks were being debated, and she generously offered suggestions for us.
Wine buffs are more than adequately catered for at all The Chatsworth Estate venues, but there is also a great choice for those, like ourselves, that enjoy a grape juice (or two!) but aren’t especially connoisseurs. I also think that there can be an element of snobbery and one-up-manship to wine-drinking that puts those starting out on their drinking journey off from expanding their horizons; a great shame, don’t you agree? Thankfully, The Beeley Inn team are more than happy to help out and recommend wines they think you’ll like based on previous ones you’ve enjoyed elsewhere or at home. One thing you cannot fault at all is the level of product knowledge they have, regarding food or beverage-related items. His Nibs and I opted for a bottle of Pinotage from the Rhebokskloof Estate in South Africa (£44.25) to accompany our meal, and table water was offered the moment we had first been seated.
Adam Harper is Executive Chef across the entire Estate Escapes portfolio and, having had the pleasure of savouring his dishes before, I know that his high standards will be passed down to every member of the kitchen teams in each venue that offers food under this banner. The keenest of champions for utilising local produce (much of which comes from the Chatsworth Estate), Chef Harper ensures that the menus change seasonally, so that guests relish the tastiest meats, game, poultry, fish, herbs, vegetables and fruits that nature provides.
For starters, we ordered the Whipped Goats Cheese with Balsamic-glazed Beetroot, Walnuts and Chicory (£11) and Cod Cheek with Nduja and a broth infused with Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaf (£10) for myself and The Man respectively. Whilst we waited for our food, I sat back and relaxed, taking in my surroundings a little better. Our table was in the main bar area, though there are other tucked away areas within the stone pub, and the fire was lit for those seeking more warmth after having been out walking in our ‘Shire’s fine countryside. Muddy boots, furry paws and children are all welcomed at The Beeley Inn and I smiled as I noticed furry family members being offered treats by the manager. A maximum of two dogs per table is permitted, and it is advised that you mention, when booking, that you require a dog-friendly table in order to be accommodated.
This marvellous village gastropub was originally three stone cottages, being converted into a Coaching Inn in the 18th century. In times gone by, Beeley had a trio of Inns within it, but The Beeley Inn is the sole survivor – and a splendid one it is! Constructed of beautiful Sandstone, The Beeley Inn boasts flagstone floors, thick wood beams and feature stone fireplaces; cosy charm exudes from every corner, including the scatter cushions on the deep brown banquette that I was sat on. Here and there, there are subtle pops of colour but the overall effect is one of calming natural tones, providing a haven of peace from the demands of the outside world. Fresh flowers were on each table as well as tealights in glass holders. Obviously, tourists are a big market for The Beeley Inn, but there were also plenty of locals in – both dining and those popping in for a post-work drink.
Bringing me back to the purpose for our visit, one of the serving team placed our starter carefully before us and, having checked that we had everything we needed, left us to tuck in. His Nibs’ Cod Cheeks were served in a bowl with the most marvellously aromatic broth; before he even sampled the first bit, the steam was carrying the fragrant Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime to his nostrils! Clean and light on the palate, the broth certainly packed a flavour punch, and it was so good that, at the end of his meal, The Man asked for some [Wye Bakehouse] bread to mop it all up. When something is so good, trust me, you don’t want any of it to go to waste.
The Cod Cheeks themselves were gorgeously soft and scallop-like, their gentle sweetness wafting over The Man’s tongue. In complete contrast, the Calabrian Nduja that had been crumbled on top of each cheek, swaggered in like Legend the Gladiator (aka Matt Morsia), dropping its boldly smoky, Chilli heat taste on the palate with no apology whatsoever! Now, you might be expecting me to say that the Nduja over-powered the Cod, but it didn’t; used judiciously, the small amount of sausage provided just enough intensity to inject depth of flavour, leaving the subtler, lighter tones to its piscine partner.
I do love Goats Cheese; its earthy muskiness really revs my taste buds up and here, at The Beeley Inn, Chef had whipped it to add a delightful airiness that only enhanced its silky texture and flavour. Crisp Chicory leaves were nicely sharp and bitter, with pepperiness that wasn’t unlike that of Rocket; this brightness provided the perfect balance to texturally crunchy, Candied Walnuts’ sweet character. The other flavours were relatively bright and light on the palate, so the inclusion of the deep earthy notes of sticky, Balsamic-glazed Ruby Beetroot wedges was superb in my mouth and ensured that this starter truly had it all.
Having been so impressed with our tasty first course, we were like proverbial cats on hot bricks in anticipation of our mains! Thankfully, we weren’t waiting overly long and plates of Sea Bass (£29) and Derbyshire Lamb (£33), along with an additional side of Seasonal Vegetables (£6.50) were soon being savoured. My plate contained a pair of sizeable Sea Bass Fillets (from our friends at RG Morris in Buxton) that were perched on a round of crushed New Potatoes. The fish was utterly glorious; its delicate sweetness washed over my tongue with its firm, meaty texture lingering long enough for my senses to register it before the flakes melted. Bringing a hefty zhuzh of flavour were the nuttily flavoured, perfectly seasoned New Potatoes and an obscenely good Tartare Beurre Blanc that blended tangy Tartare sauce with the notes of Shallot, White Wine and Vinegar in a silky emulsion. Ozonic hints and crunch-a-plenty came from the verdant fronds of Samphire, whilst Lemon and Herbs added a pleasant ping on the palate.
A bowl full of fresh, in-season vegetables certainly provided all the taste you could wish for: softened, roasted Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas brought their beautiful sweetness, whilst still-crunchy Kale and Broccoli brought more savoury, grassy notes. All were lightly glossed with butter for an attractive presentational touch.
His Nibs was more than a smidge thrilled with his Saddle and Braised Shoulder of Derbyshire Lamb and, I must say that it did look jolly fine. This particular pair of Lamb cuts couldn’t be more different if they tried: the Saddle (Loin) is known to be delicate and sweet, with a tender, buttery texture that melts-in-the-mouth, whereas the Shoulder is more savoury and intense in its flavour profile, and its high fat content means that a seductively dark crust had formed on its roasted outer. Just as delicious were the Charred Hispi Cabbage and the Lamb Fat and Rosemary Potatoes; the outer edge of the Cabbage was caramelised and sweet, balancing the inner, more savoury leaves, and the Potato Pavé carried the intensity of the meat fat (rather than [the usual] butter’s roundedness).No wonder The Man had that gleeful, hypnotised look on his face whilst he was eating; he’d been utterly beguiled by Chef’s efforts.
Clearly, our gluttony and lack of will-power in the Gallery restaurant at The Cavendish Hotel had been remembered, as His Nibs was led astray to try the Chocolate Marquise with Honeycomb, and Salted Caramel Ice Cream (£9) for his dessert. Trust me, no persuasion was necessary with this self-confessed chocoholic! I was leaning towards the Vanilla Panna Cotta with Poached Rhubarb and Rhubarb Consommé (£9) until I was informed that that days’ Crumble was Pear, Apple and Rhubarb; that was my pudding sorted then.
Chocolate Marquise sounds exotic, doesn’t it? Well, let me just say that it is every bit as sumptuous as it sounds; dense, velvety and indulgent, the palate picks up on the generous cream and butter content, followed by the protein-heavy egg, and then the pleasure-centre hitting Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder. Subtlety and restraint are most certainly not in this dessert’s vocabulary, but satisfaction and pleasure definitely are. The high cocoa content of the chocolate lent a beautiful bitterness to this dessert that was needed to counter the concentrated sweetness of the gooey-centred Honeycomb. Just to supply more luxuriance because, y’know, it was needed (!), the creamy, rich Salted Caramel Ice Cream threw its hat into the ring. Possibly remembering that some semblance of control was needed, Chef garnished this morsel with micro-Lemon Balm, which brought a joyous citrussy bounce to cleanse the palate. Completely marvellous, that’s all His Nibs could say.
There’s a well-known saying: ‘It’s the quiet ones you need to keep an eye on’, and this certainly applies to my seemingly simple pudding choice. Like most things, when done well, there is no finer sweet treat than at-its-peak fruit and rich, buttery crumble topping. At The Beeley Inn, Chef and his team have their craft down-pat; all three fruits were cooked to perfection and I savoured the softened chunks of Pear and Apple, my taste buds picking up on the faint graininess of the fragrant Pear. The Rhubarb had cooked down to its individual strands, providing thickness to the compote-like filling, and I was pleased to discern that the fruit hadn’t been sweetened, leaving this facet to the crumble. Vanilla-laden custard was provided in a separate jug and it brought a wonderful roundedness to the pudding.
Concluding our meal, we relaxed over a couple of black coffees, letting the robust tones clear any lingering richness in our mouths. An Amaretti biscuit came with the coffee, and we both savoured the Almondy treat, reflecting on what a marvellous meal we’d just experienced. Throughout the evening, we had wanted for nothing; the food had been incredible, and the service was that exquisite, hard-to-achieve balance of efficient invisibility and friendly interaction at appropriate junctures that is ingrained in all the team members across the Devonshire Hotels and Restaurant Group.
Hot Wings unreservedly given to this delightful Beeley Inn and Restaurant. To book a table call 01629 733259 or visit https://www.chatsworthescapes.co.uk/beeleyinn/eat-drink/the-inn/#book-a-table and hit the ‘book now’ button on the right-hand side of the page; from there, scroll to ‘restaurants’ and then select ‘Beeley Inn’. Whilst you’re on the website, why not hit the ‘stays’ button and treat yourself to a night or two away?
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