Right folks, as we say in the ‘Shire “pin your tabs back”, I’ve got news! Just over the county border, in Staffordshire, there is a rather splendid venue, Dovecliff Hall Hotel, which is perhaps the best-kept secret in terms of fine dining. His Nibs and I hadn’t got it on our radar, and we weren’t the only ones, it seemed, at the invite-only dining evening; a situation that needed swiftly rectifying in my opinion after having sampled the marvellous food!
Standing in seven acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, over which a majestic 400-year-old Cedar holds guard, Dovecliff Hall is now a hotel that boasts 15 stylishly appointed rooms and suites. Plenty of parking is available, and we parked the jalopy in a shaded space as it was a pretty warm late-spring evening. As you’d expect from a Grade II-listed Georgian building, the interior was exquisite and we both gawped a little as we stepped into the spacious reception and took in an imposing portrait of one of its former owners, Colonel Sharp.
Dovecliff Hall Hotel’s Operations Manager, Luke Gregory, was on-hand to greet all the evenings’ guests, and offered us a chilled glass of Blanc-de-Blanc Champagne from Swadlincote-based supplier Colombier Wines (aka Colombier Vins Fins Ltd.). Glass in hand, we were shown out onto the delightful terrace that offers uninterrupted views of the perfectly manicured lawn and borders that were bursting with colour from the multitude of in-bloom flowers. In the background, the gentle bubble of the water feature could be heard, punctuated by the crow of the venue’s own Cockerel as he called to his Hen ladies. Best you keep them happy, chap, as we all know that happy hens = delicious eggs.
As we listened to the harmonious strains of the talented violinist, Dove Strings Music, the serving team brought out canapés for us all to savour: miniature Truffle Choux buns filled with whipped Cream Cheese and Chive and sprinkled with burnt Onion powder for extra impact, and Soy and Honey -glazed Pork Belly bites with an Asian ‘slaw topping. Both of these morsels had flair, showcasing the creativity of Head Chef Samuel Smith and Sous-Chef Chris Turner; if these perfectly executed, small bites were their introductions, then we couldn’t wait to see what lay ahead! The evenings’ photographer, Dickon Clark was in his element, mingling among us all and capturing superb shots with his characteristic ease.
With well-practiced (and stealthy) precision, the team ushered guests through to their tables in the elegant Charrington Restaurant, named after another former inhabitant of Dovecliff Hall; Hugh Charrington, who lived there from 1897 until his death in 1921. Unsurprisingly, the first thing to catch my eye were the impressive chandeliers that twinkled beautifully, followed by the height of the ceilings and their ornate cornicing. The full-height windows were dressed with pale grey drapes and pelmets, and large displays of faux foliage seamlessly bridged the gap between the garden, terrace and the restaurant itself.
Each circular table was set with a pristine white cloth and our particular setting had a vase of Wax Flower and Alstroemeria at its centre. Gleaming, long-stemmed glasses waited to be filled [with Vinho Verde for the first half of the menu, and a cheeky Argentinean, Uco Valley Malbec for the second half], and shorter, rounder ones soon got filled with chilled water. I was puzzled at first as to the lack of cutlery, given that we were to be eating so many dishes, but the reason soon became clear: paired teams of gloved young ladies brought the relevant cutlery out prior to the next course being served; one held the tray, the other laid the cutlery down for each guest. Fine dining, this certainly was, but there was no pretence or snobbery to it at all.
With the white wine poured, the first course of Duck Egg Custard with Smoked Eel and Salmon Caviar was brought out so, with no further ado, His Nibs and I released the thick, navy napkins from their golden, ‘D’-shaped holders and popped them in our laps, ready to tuck in. Before we all began, though, Chef and his Sous came out to give us all a brief over-view of the menu, informing us that, where possible, items from the estate’s vegetable garden, their poultry and ducks, are used to create the dishes. Other items, such as the Cod and Crab, come from further-afield, but effort is always made to stay as local as possible without compromising quality.
Given The Man’s aversion to anything strong or ‘fishy’, I had serious reservations as to whether he would even attempt this course but, fair play to him, he dug in like a real trooper. Now, wouldn’t you credit it? He was enjoying it…except the coral-toned Salmon Caviar…that proved to be a step too far for him! However, we both savoured the impossibly rich Custard; semi-set, this was remarkably good with the bolder flavour of the Eel cubes enhancing the creamy custard. Personally, I loved the ozonic tang of the ‘Caviar’ I thought it brought another, stronger taste to the dish that gave the palate something to grip.
I don’t think I’ve come across such a fabulous crust on a Sourdough as the one here on ‘Chef’s Seasonal Snack,’ served with the Creamed Cauliflower Velouté, and I loved how the slices took on the dramatic, dark tone of the Irish Stout that graced them with its rich, coffee-tasting hints. A deliciously umami Miso and Truffle Butter quenelle soon got spread onto the sourdough, and the bold flavours swirled together absolutely perfectly; who knew bread and butter could be so mesmerising?
More of the sourdough adorned the Creamed Cauliflower Velouté, in the form of a crumb topping that was partnered by flakes of smoked Almond. Cauliflower was transformed into a marvellously tasty dish whose mild flavour was zhuzhed up by the addition of a strikingly verdant Wild Garlic and Chive Oil. Both The Man and I were surprised by how filling this was, though we were soon to discover that portion sizes (even on this multi-course taster menu) were generous. Later on, we had to tactically leave parts of our meal, otherwise we simply wouldn’t have finished everything!
Our next course was one that I thought would test His Nibs’ palate, especially since he has always avoided Crab in the past. Chef Sam clearly has other-worldly powers of persuasion (as well as mad skills in the kitchen!) as The Man began eating the hand-picked Cornish Crab with Bonito Mayonnaise, Chive Emulsion, Puffed Wild Rice, and Sea Vegetables. Where is my husband, and what have you done with him?!! Soft, fragrant shards of Crab tip-toed in our mouths, made creamier by being bound with a slightly deeper tasting Bonito Mayonnasie. Providing bolder notes were the crunchy fronds of salty Samphire and allium tones of Chive, and more texture came from the black grains of Wild Rice. My eyes appreciated the visual contrast in the colours, too. There is a lot of thought put into the presentation of the food as well as its taste, and we noticed the differing tones and textures of the crockery that the dishes were plated on through the event.
The final course paired with the gorgeous minerality of the Vinho Verde was Pan-roasted Cod with Citrus Samphire, Handmade Scallop Tortellini and herb-split Lobster Bisque. This dish was singing to my soul as it contained some of my very favourite things. Chef had cooked the succulent Cod to perfection, preserving its mild taste and firm texture beautifully. Complementing the fish’s flavour was a gently fragrant Scallop encased in ‘down-to-the-millisecond’ al dente pasta, and that marvellously perfumed Bisque. Ooh, I was in my element here!
Patiently awaiting [his] star of the show, the Duo of Beef, His Nibs took a sip of the Malbec (one of the wines I enjoy most) and smiled happily as he said I would certainly love this. He wasn’t wrong, it was an exquisite wine, bursting with dark berries, sweet spice and a smidge of warm Vanilla that waltzes elegantly with red meats and punchier dishes.
Chef smokes the Braised Short-rib Beef at Dovecliff Hall in their own smoker (which we could just see from the corner of the terrace) and it really did have a glorious woody hint permeating its fibres. Both The Man and I slowly savoured the bark/meat candy that was on the surface of the melt-in-the-mouth Beef Rib meat, really revelling in the layers of flavour. Not to be out-done, the Croquette (formed from the trimmings of the Short-rib during its preparation) was equally delicious, though its secret weapon was the marvellously crunchy, crisp outer. Oh, and if this wasn’t enough flavour for you, bring out the ridiculously divine, intensely tasty red wine Jus! My god, this was crazily good – pass me some bread, I need to mop up every last scrap! Cloud-soft Pomme Purée was expertly seasoned and the Confit Roscoff Onion wedge was utterly irresistible. This variety of onion is naturally mellower than others, and the cooking method had enriched and sweetened its flesh, releasing sweet, savoury and fruity notes over the palate.
At this juncture of the evening, our taste buds were reeling with excitement just like children who have had sugar before bedtime! With expert aplomb, Chef hit the reset button by serving us Yuzu Ponzu Sorbet with Passionfruit Syrup that had serious style and panache, contained in a cut-glass shot glass. Subtle, this most certainly was not but, crikey, its majestic sour tanginess was tremendously effective in cleansing the palate with its crisp, clean flavours. The class spoke for itself, so I’ll just shush now.
No spring menu would be complete without Rhubarb, and Dovecliff Hall Hotel grow their own in the garden so Chef just has step out and pick it as he pleases. We were treated to small pieces of the fruit that were poached but still had a nice crunch left, and to a more concentrated syrup; both were tantalising. A ruby-toned Rhubarb Sorbet was sharp and bright, pairing brilliantly with the punchy Ginger Biscuit Crumb. If I had one fault to find, it would be that, despite being the perfect texture and moreish in its flavour, the set Vanilla Custard did get a little lost amongst the other elements – not that it stopped me appreciating it! Dinky swirls of piped Meringue had been torched to accentuate their ridges and the pop of sweetness they provided balanced the Rhubarb magically. What a triumphant conclusion to this effortlessly sophisticated meal…except it wasn’t quite the end; Chef had made Cointreau and Dark Chocolate Truffles for us to savour with tea or coffee.
All I’m going to say about these mysteriously dark spheres is that they were pure, unadulterated, delicious filth! Food porn at its finest. Indecently good and sinfully decadent, you could see the pleasure they brought to us all just by looking around the tables: a sea of smiling faces and gasps of pleasure escaping from lips as the cocoa lit up the brains’ pleasure centres. Where is that blasted Delorean, when you need it??!! You are hearing it here first, folks: I predict AA Rosettes incoming, mark my words, and they would be more than deserved.
Needless to say, Hot Wings are very happily awarded to this tremendously great venue. Best of all, you don’t need to be a resident of Dovecliff Hall Hotel to book a table in the Charrington Restaurant; simply contact the team to reserve a table for dinner, lunch, Sunday lunch, or even an Afternoon Tea in marvellous surroundings.
To book a table or/and a stay call 01283 531818. You can head to www.thecharrington.co.uk and view the menu. For the latest ‘tea’ (a.k.a. information) head over to the Facebook page, Dovecliff Hall Hotel…and keep an eye out for the fantastic-sounding ‘Prosecco Festival’, which is happening in August.
Again, massive thank you’s to Luke, Annie, Sam and Chris… and especially to the wonderful young ladies and gents that worked so hard to ensure we had a truly memorable evening; you all looked so smart in your uniforms and gloves, and your friendliness really did impact positively on our experience.
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