They may not be the best things to try and walk on, but there’s something quite marvellous about cobbles, I think. Tucked away in Ripley, down a cobbled alley, is a swanky new Café/Tapas/Bar venue called Candlemaker, and His Nibs and I had been very kindly invited along to one of their ‘soft opening’ nights. Yoga devotees may have noticed a flurry of activity as they’ve been going to classes at Fusion Yoga, as that’s located next door to Candlemaker – well, wonder no more, go and savour some delicious cakes and coffee or softs before you go to class (or as a treat for your efforts afterwards).
Candlemaker is one of those what I call ‘Tardis’ venues: from the outside it doesn’t look that big, but go inside and seems to go back forever! Inside, there are beautiful wood floors, exposed red brickwork, sage green paint on the walls at the front/ deep forest green at the rear, and gorgeous wire cages of wines on display. Sturdy tables with metal bell bottoms are paired with either long wooden benches or cross-backed free-standing chairs. A pair of ox-blood chesterfield sofas provide the perfect spot for lounging on…there’s even a piano for ivory-tinklers to have a go on, though I’ve no idea whether it’s tuned or not. Tucked down a small set of stairs is another dining area, and I would say that Candlemaker probably has around 40 covers in total, with a nice space between each table.
Our server for the evening was a terrific young man called Rowan who soon got us sorted with drinks and nibbles: Aperol Spritz for me, glass of Sauvignon Blanc for The Man, and a basket of assorted breads (including Rosemary Focaccia) with butter, and some mixed Olives. Life often doesn’t run smoothly and the kitchen team were having ‘a bit of a ‘mare’: intermittent power loss to some appliances had put their service back somewhat – which is not what you want early in the evening! However, I always think you can tell a teams’ mettle by how they deal with adversity, and Candlemaker dealt with it like pro’s. Rowan communicated to us that there was going to be a delay with the Tapas coming out, so to hang-fire on ordering for now. Then he offered us more nibbles and another drink (which we declined as we were ok for both at that moment) and we said that we’d wait for him to give us the thumbs-up for ordering.
Whilst the delay was a smidge inconvenient, it wasn’t a big deal at all; let’s face it, if you’re going out for Tapas and you’re in a rush, you’re kinda missing the point! In actuality, the delay was perhaps 20minutes or so, certainly nothing out-of-the-ordinary, and Rowan and his colleagues kept the mood positive and lively. I have to say that the Tapas menu at Candlemaker certainly covers a superb breadth of choice: from fish and meat (including game), to cheese and vegetable dishes, there is something for everyone. We chose: Patatas Bravas (£6.90), Deep-Fried Goats Cheese with [homemade] Tomato Chutney (£8.50), Pan-Crisped Pork Belly with a Pork and Cider sauce/jus and homemade Savoury Apple Chutney (£10.50), Duck Breast with Savoury Cherry Compote (£11), Padron Peppers (£6.50), and Basque Short Rib in a rich Plum Porter Sauce (£11). A varied selection, I’m sure you’ll agree?
The first Tapas to arrive was the Deep-Fried Goats Cheese, and it was bloody delicious! A generous round of tangy, musky Goats Cheese had softened during frying to provide a great contrast to its golden coating. Both of us commented on how bold and chunky the Tomato Chutney was; there was a fabulous spicy edge to its sweetness that really piqued the palate’s interest. A simple garnish of mixed leaves added a bit of colour on the plate, just to finish the presentation off nicely.
As soon as I’d spied the Duck Breast, my mouth had begun to water and that first bite absolutely delivered on the flavour-front! Pink in the centre, the meat was rich and gamey and unbelievably tender. The slices had been nicely arranged in their bowl and topped with a compote of whole cherries that released a brilliant sharp tang in the mouth, contrasting with the Duck. Amongst the Cherries were tiny pieces of fresh, fragrant Thyme and this just catapulted the dish to a whole other level. Marvellous stuff!
Dishes three and four are total classics on any Tapas menu: Patatas Bravas and Padron Peppers. Don’t ask me what it is about Padron Peppers that reel me in, but I get giddy every time I have them - I love the blighters. The blistered skins imparted a smoky, charred note that complements the Peppers’ slightly sweet taste, and the generous flakes of sea salt added another layer of flavour. Chef had served the Peppers with a wedge of fresh Lemon, so that got squeezed over them for a pop of face-scrunching sharpness. Yet again, we won the game of ‘Padron Roulette’ roughly 1-in-10 have a proper kick to them, but we have only been caught out once…and this was not that time.
Patatas Bravas is a simple dish, but the salsa brava makes all the difference: the right one makes the dish incredible, the wrong one makes it ‘meh’. I am happy to say that the brava at Candlemaker is banging (or should that be ‘brava’?!), being a delightful fusion of smoky, spicy notes that tempt the palate with its intensity. The Potato cubes themselves weren’t shabby either; golden outers were nicely crisp, with nutty, sweet-tasting inners.
With Belly Pork, the key is getting that outer skin crisp and crunchy and Candlemaker have nailed it! Under its protection, the Pork meat was creamy and soft, with a delicate flavour that was gorgeous. Both the Cider sauce/jus and savoury Apple Chutney were excellent in their own rights, but popping them on the fork together made them a dynamite combo. Looks-wise, this wasn’t the stand-out star of the show by any means, but it packed a flavour punch in the mouth.
Our final Tapas choice was the Basque Short-Rib and, wow-wee, did this make us gasp – it was huge!! Chef had cooked the beef so that it resembled one of those briskets that are doing the rounds on socials: nicely blackened on the outside, and juicy ribbons inside. Slow-roasted for 10 hours, the Beef was impossibly tender and, partnered with a rich Plum Porter liquor, made for a ridiculously fab dish. His Nibs actually said that this and the Patatas Bravas (and a drink) would be a decent meal in itself, never mind as part of a Tapas feast – he wasn’t wrong, either, though I would add some Tenderstem Broccoli with Chillies in the mix.
Rowan had been buzzing round like a blue-bummed fly, ensuring that everyone was happy with their food, keeping them up-dated with service times, and generally just being an absolute dynamo. This young man loves him a glass of vino, so he is more than happy to recommend wines to pair with your dishes…and equally happy to let you sample them! The Pinot Grigio (£27 a bottle) was top-tier, and I say that as someone who doesn’t usually rate Pinot’s much.; I also tried a cheeky Pinot Noir, and a rather scrummy Rosé. As well as an impressive wine selection, the Candlemaker also does a great range of cocktails, mocktails and softs.
Just as we thought our dining was concluded, Rowan told us about the 80% Brazilian Chocolate Mousse… no way we were passing that up, was there?! Served in rounded low-ball glasses, this minx was just utter filth. Sexily rich and decadent, this was food porn at its irresistible finest and we were both under its seductive spell. Cherries topped the mousse, along with some whipped cream, and the pairing was beautiful in the mouth. Calories be damned, I say!
During our time at Candlemaker, the whole team had been super-friendly and eager to make sure folks were having a lovely time. Apart from the ‘teething’ trouble (which is why you have soft launches), the experience was faultless and we said we’d happily go back, so Hot Wings awarded here. For those that like Tapas and have been to The Black Swan In Belper, the Chef at Candlemaker was previously there, FYI. Candlemaker is also Dog- and Child- friendly: we saw both on our visit. Opening hours are Mon-Thurs 8.30am - 10pm, Fri-Sat 8.30am-11pm, and Sun 8.30am – 9.30pm.
To make a reservation visit www.candlemakerbar.co.uk and fill out the ‘make a reservation’ form or contact them via their Facebook page: Candlemaker (look for a dark green/grey circle with ‘Candlemaker Café Tapas Bar’ within it).
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