Sunday means one thing: Roast Dinner! Winner, winner! As usual, we put a post out to you lovely peeps asking for recommendations. Now, before all the keyboard snarks come at me, yes, we do have a long list of our own of places to visit, but we also really value our followers and love to get their input. Ok?
So, this particular Sunday, we piled in the jalopy with Mummy Bird and headed out into the wilds (complete with single-track-with-passing-places ‘roads’) to Alderwasley, home to one of the ‘Shires oldest and most historic Inns: The [originally, Brown] Bear. Grade II listed, this stunning venue has been around since the 1500s, though wasn’t officially established and trading as a Coaching Inn until 1735, hence its logo ‘The Bear, 1735’. Locals will know that this beautiful building has recently not had the greatest of fortunes, but now it seems to have found its family. It is actually the Chef’s family who own the premises, and we’ve met Head Chef Sarah Jayne Dawe before! In a previous life, she was Head Chef at Angelo’s Italian mainly when it was at The New Inn at Milford, but also at The King’s Head in Duffield. We really enjoyed her dishes there, so we were hoping she hadn’t lost any of her talent or flair.
The Bear Inn has plenty of on-site parking to the rear, which is also where you’ll find the huge, dog-friendly beer garden. We popped the jalopy in one spot and then wandered inside. The Bear Inn is one of those marvellously quirky venues that has nooks and crannies a-go-go…as well as low, doorless frames, so watch your bonce if your lanky – and, yes, I am vertically-challenged, so I say that with jealousy!!
Either end of the Inn has a glorious stone fireplace housing log-burners; the one our end also had an impressive pair of deer-head hurricane candle holders, as well as a faux Bear Head gazing down upon diners. Lighting is via lamps and wall-mounted fittings, as well as twinkling fairy lights that are wound along the dark wooden ceiling beams. Horse brasses and paintings of poultry adorn the walls, and there is a cuckoo clock nestled in one recess. A grandfather clock stands proudly against one wall, and the solid wood tables, chairs and high-back benches complete the country, traditional feel. As with all buildings of a certain age, the walls, ceilings and floors wouldn’t know a straight line or flat surface if it came up and slapped them! I absolutely love places like this; they have personality and charm that modern buildings lack.
Anyhow, one of the team confirmed our booking and got us sorted with drinks: large Pinot Grigio for Mummy (£7.50), large Malbec for me (£8), and a pint of Madri for The Man (£5.65). The Sunday Menu at The Bear offers 5 choices of main, including a vegetarian option, and all come with Seasonal Vegetables, Mash and Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy as standard. As is our usual habit, we ordered Cauliflower Cheese (£4) to go with our roasts, and we all fancied the Braised Red Cabbage (£3), too. Pigs-in-Blankets (£6), an extra Yorkie (£2), extra Roasties, and Sautéed Green Beans with Bacon Lardons (both £3) are available as well.
The Chicken Supreme had got Mummy Birds’ name all over it (£17.95), His Nibs went for Topside of Beef, and I chose the Italian-inspired Porchetta with Mixed Herbs (both were priced at £18.95). We weren’t waiting long for our food and, when everything had been placed on our table, the lovely young lass asked if we wanted any sauces before leaving us to tuck in.
I began to cut Mummy’s food up for her as she struggles to put any pressure on with her cutlery – I have to say, though, that she would’ve been fine as the Chicken was so soft and tender. I could see that the poultry was juicy, and the aroma of it was making my mouth water! The Man Birds’ Beef Topside was also cooked to perfection, needing only the threat of a knife to have it coming apart in shreds. I have it on good authority that it melted in the mouth, too, so not at all tough or chewy. Having looked at all three plates, it’s safe to say that Chef Sarah is a feeder of epic proportions – take your appetites, folks, plus a bit in reserve! The outermost surface of my Porchetta was gorgeously golden and crispy: perfect crackling. The crunching I was doing could be heard in the whole room, the crackling was that crispy; and do you know what? I didn’t care – not one jot. At the heart of the rolled Pork lay the most delicious, creamy meat that had my palate in raptures…unfortunately, there was a disproportionate amount of softened white fat, too. Now, before you come at me, I know that some fat is needed to protect the meat from drying-out during roasting, but there was simply too much of it and I did feel a little short-changed. Shame, because the Pork itself was absolutely top-notch.
Moving on to the vegetables, we all fell a little in love with the halved Parsnips and Carrots. Both of these root veggies had caramelised during roasting and they were addictively soft and sweet in the mouth. Tenderstem Broccoli was also on our plates and each piece was cooked to perfection, with a nice bite on the stem that graduated up to the floret’s softer texture (not soggy, though, not at all). Chef had seasoned the glass-smooth Mash with both Salt and Pepper, so our taste buds were treated to a nice waft of peppery warmth that complemented the Roasties herbiness beautifully. Now, you all know that I’m not the worlds’ biggest spud-lover but I think you’ll get where I’m coming from when I say that if your roasties are big enough to need their own postcodes, you perhaps don’t need to serve diners with more than a pair of them. They were blooming fab, though, with golden crisp outers and fluffy, nutty centres.
I was a smidge gutted to discover that the bottom of my Yorkshire pudding had gone soggy; for some unknown reason, the kitchen had larupped the gravy inside the pud, making it beyond soft. All our table said that we’d have preferred the gravy to come in a jug so that we could help ourselves as-and-when (and if) we wanted it. My glumness was short-lived as I tucked into what is perhaps the best Cauliflower Cheese in the ‘Shire. Plentiful florets of Cauli had still got a bit of bite to them, so they weren’t soggy, and the sauce? Oh my word, this was dib-worthy: pass the crusty bread, someone! Thick and abundant, the cheese-laden sauce also had Mustard in it and you could see the Bay Leaves within its body, too. If food was a work of art, this (and the Red Cabbage) would be it.
Ah, yes, the Braised Red Cabbage – what a bobby dazzler of a dish. The Ruby-toned shreds of Cabbage had that comfortingly soft texture to them, and there were paler, small pieces of Apple with them that gave a hint of sharpness in the mouth. As with the Cauli Cheese, Bay Leaves could be seen in the oval dish, and there was the unmistakeable aromatic ping of spices such as Clove, Anise and Cinnamon in the mix. Some folks baulk at having to pay extra for side dishes, and I get it, I absolutely do; there have been times where the portion size leaves you gob-smacked when you’re parting with your hard-earned shekels. Happily, the total opposite is true at The Bear Inn: no word of a lie, each of our sides would’ve fed four people – it fed the three of us easily… with second helpings.
Whilst I may have had a couple of gripes, I have to say that I was mightily impressed overall with the Sunday Roast at the Bear Inn at Alderwasley. It’s also great to see that this marvellous venue seems to be lifting itself out of the doldrums, as it has always been held in the affections of so many. Hot Wings happily given here.
If you’re wondering, The Man did have a look at the pudding menu, but couldn’t muster up the necessary effort for one, despite there being a fab choice. Mummy Bird and I had held the white flag of culinary defeat high above our heads when asked if we wanted dessert! We did all say that it was a good reason for a re-visit; maybe to sample the evening menu, one mid-week evening?
To book a table call 01629 822585 or visit www.thebear-inn.co.uk and hit the ‘book a table’ tab. If you fancy staying in one of the 7 en-suite rooms or one of the two dog-friendly holiday cottages, hit the ‘book a room’ tab.
The Bear Inn at Alderwasley is open every day: Bar opening times are Mon-Thurs Noon-10.30pm, Fri and Sat Noon-11pm, and Sun Noon-9pm. Food service times are slightly different: Mon-Fri Noon-2pm and then 5pm-8.30pm, Sat Noon-8.30pm (breakfast 8.30am-10.30am), and Sun (breakfast 8.30am-10.30am) Noon-6pm (roasts only).
You might also enjoy:
