A while back, His Nibs and I had a smashing Sunday Roast at The Marquis Pub and Kitchen on Codnor Denby Lane, so we were very happy to be asked back, by landlady Jess, to try their evening menu. We grabbed one of the on-site parking spots and went up the terrace steps; it is a cracking little terrace but, due to it being a bit nippy (and the light having gone), no-one was sitting at one of the benches.
Heading inside, we were greeted warmly by one of the team and shown to our booth table at the rear side of the pub. The log burner was roaring away, banishing any chill and creating a fab cosiness – ably assisted by the warm-toned lights.
The Marquis is a family-run venue and always has a lovely vibe to it; family members of all ages are welcome, and high-chairs are provided. Non-furries are welcome throughout, too, though maybe don’t put them in a high-chair?! Jess soon got us sorted with drinks: glass of a rather juicy Shiraz for me, and a pint of Mahou lager for The Man.
Life is a funny old thing sometimes, isn’t it, and the universe was definitely playing a prank on me this particular evening. Whenever we drive down Codnor Denby Lane, I always wave and say hello to my wonderful friend, Vicky, and I had done so on this occasion. Imagine my joy, then, when the lovely lady herself wandered into The Marquis with her husband, Tony, and Trev the Chef (he used to work at The Marquis, and has just been tempted back, part-time, to do a few hours) who is part of her team. In case you don’t know, Vicky runs The Creative Kitchen Company and has won multiple awards for her flipping fantastic Pies. The Coeliac Society has given her full accreditation as well, which means those who suffer with Coeliac disease don’t need to miss out on scrummy food – or cakes; her Lemon Drizzle morsel is the bomb! I absolutely love the bones of this wonderful lady, I really do. If you’ve never had one of her pies, soups or cakes (there are other types apart from Lemon Drizzle), then you are missing out. As you can imagine, gums were flapping at lightning speed, and news was caught up on…we only came up for breath when our food was being put on to the table.
His Nibs and I had ordered that evening’s Pie of the Day (Steak and Stout, £17.95), The Hogfather burger (£18.95), Korean Chicken Loaded Fries (£12.99), and a portion of Cauliflower Cheese to go with my pie (£5.45). Everything is homemade at The Marquis Pub and Kitchen, and cooked fresh-to-order, evidenced by the vast plumes of steam that billowed forth from the dishes when we cut into the food.
First up, my Pie: an individual size, its proportions were excellent and the pastry was swoon-inducing! Sorry to say it, Duchess (Nana Bird), but it even beat yours; and yours was rip-roaringly tremendous. Housed snugly by the pastry, plentiful chunks of Beef Steak were bathed in an unctuous gravy with the unmistakeable tang of Stout at its heart. The tender, flavoursome Beef, Stout, and that magnificent pastry had my taste buds bouncing with glee; this was a great example of honest food done well, without any fluff or frizz. I had opted to have homemade chunky Chips rather than Mash, and they had been nicely seasoned for extra enjoyment; golden, crisp outers revealed fluffy inners, which is exactly as they should be. Buttered Seasonal Greens were also on my plate, though you can also choose from either Mushy or Garden Peas, and they were nicely glossed with butter, but not drenched in it. Both the shredded Cabbage and Tenderstem Broccoli had a nice bite left to them, so I was very happy. This meal was just the ticket on a glum autumnal evening and, having still been cooking in the oven when I ordered it, the Pie couldn’t have been any fresher.
Cauliflower Cheese, when done well, simply can’t be surpassed in terms of taste and comfort-factor, and the one coming out of the kitchen at The Marquis is phenomenal: 11/10!! The vegetable florets were cooked to perfection, so that they were gently firm, and the sauce was just ridiculously good. Super-smooth and with a bold tang from the cheese in it, the sauce washed over my tongue and had me smiling as the strings of cheese stretched between the bowl and the serving spoon. For £5.45, you get a proper portion as well; this would happily feed two folks.
Next to me, His Nibs was chowing down enthusiastically on his Hogfather Burger…once he’d used both hands to squish it and bring it under control - this mighty meaty beast is not for the faint-hearted or weak of appetite! As well as the hand-pressed Beef Patty, there is Streaky Bacon, juicy BBQ Pulled Pork, oozy Monterey Jack Cheese and Crispy Onions to get stuck into. Add in a toasted Brioche Bun to contain it all, a portion of Fries and a pot of Coleslaw, and you can see why a good appetite is needed. His Nibs was licking juices off his fingers, grinning like a loon as he did so!
Every bit as good as the ‘naked’ fries were the spicy sauce-drenched Korean Loaded ones: tangy enough to pique your palate’s interest, but without having you reaching for a bucket of water. Large pieces of tender Chicken breast were liberally scattered over the bowl, decorated with Sesame Seeds for nutty flavour and crunch, more Chillies (sliced) for extra ‘pizazz’ and Spring Onion for crunch and colour. Both of us remarked how super these were, and perfect if you want something but not too much to eat – they’re even better as a sharer for groups of friends; maybe during quiz night?
Last time we visited The Marquis Pub and Kitchen, The Man had had the Rolo Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert and, having spotted it again that evening, made a beeline for it to conclude his meal! I am partial to a Pumpkin Pie, so was delighted to see this (in Britain) rarity on the menu. The puddings are homemade, too, so I had the pleasure of eating that melt-in-the-mouth pastry again – result!
Before you wrinkle your noses up at the thought of Pumpkin in a Pie, let me just say that this was delicious - also, Pumpkin and Dark Chocolate is a killer combo, FYI. The kitten-soft filling was creamy and rich, with that clingability that sees it sticking to the inners of your cheeks. You’re probably thinking that it would be ‘vegetably’, but it actually isn’t; I personally would describe it as being akin to an Egg custard, but with a bit more depth to its taste. As with an Egg Custard, Nutmeg really brought it to life in the mouth, and although it wasn’t necessary in any way at all, I slapped the pouring cream all over it. Stunningly moreish, I could’ve happily brought some home for supper.
Sometimes, the memory plays tricks on you and His Nibs was fervently praying that the Rolo Sticky Toffee Pud would be as good as he’d remembered. Thankfully, it was. Talk about temptation in a dish! Pleasingly dense without being clarty or heavy on the tum, this pudding was incredible; tantalising in flavour and wickedly rich, this had it all. The sauce was liquid silk in the mouth with a beguiling caramel flavour that coated the tongue. Again, the cream was surplus to requirements in all honesty, but The Man did the same as me and poured some over the dark sponge. I couldn’t help but giggle as His Nibs’ eyes glazed over in a haze of stuporous satisfaction; Chef, you’d hit the bull’s-eye with this sweet treat!
Check-backs had been done at regular intervals throughout our meal and all the team members were great with us. This is exactly how a family pub should be; Hot Wings given happily here again!
To book a table, call 01773 462424 or visit https://kuulseats.com/the-marquis-pub-and-kitchen/book. For all the latest events and offers, head over to the venue’s Facebook page: Marquis Pub and Kitchen. The Marquis Pub and Kitchen is open Tues-Sat Noon-10pm, Sun Noon-9pm, and Mon 3pm-9pm.
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