We first learnt about the Chefs Table evenings at Il Rosso at the Thoresby Food festival when we picked a leaflet along with our delicious Paella from the Black Sheep Catering stand. If the Paella was anything to go by, we had to book.
The evening is run by Chef and owner of Black Sheep Catering, Troy Lamb. Troy has over 15 years experience working in Nottinghamshire’s best restaurants, boutique hotels and spent 5 years as co founder, owner and chef of the much missed and award winning restaurant “Lambs at the market” which achieved Mansfield’s first rosette award for culinary excellence.
The first thing that strikes us about the modern italian restaurant is the lack of parking. After rushing over from Nottingham, as we were told diners needed to be there for 7pm, we find the small car park already full. The nearby leisure park understandably makes a charge if you leave your car there without using the facilities, so we desperately drive round the side streets looking for somewhere to park and end up finally parking at 7.20pm in front of a row of terraces, spending the meal worrying we’d either be annoying someone or clamped.
So is it worth the parking issues? On the whole I’d say yes. The restaurant itself is a little like a tardis. When you enter the busy bar area to the front, the dining area stretches far beyond into the terrace area where we are seated, so it’s no wonder the car park was full. The terrace, inspired by an Italian courtyard/open garden, seems to slope at a jaunty angle, but that aside is nicely decorated in creams and has a slightly rustic feel. It has it’s own dedicated kitchen from which our food was served for the chefs table.
Our waiter quickly takes our drinks order. It is a set menu of six courses, with the exception of the main course where there are two options, from which we choose one of each. Our first course arrives promptly which is a pea and mint soup with ham hock bon bon The bon bon is lovely and rich tasting with a texture like pulled pork and breaded on the outside. The soup is beautifully flavoured and seasoned. It kind of reminds me of processed peas, that’s not a bad thing, pea soup always does, which is fine if you like processed peas and apparently fine if you don’t, as my non pea loving companion quickly emptied the bowl. I would have added a touch more mint for my palate but that’s just me.
Our second course quickly follows, “Scotch Egg” of smoked haddock with a curry mayonnaise. Another great dish with a fishy take on the traditional scotch egg, served with a relatively sweet curry, similar to the style you’d get with coronation chicken, providing a wonderful contrast to the egg.
There is then a lengthy wait for the main courses, it was all flowing well until that point. Finally they arrive. The chicken “Kiev” obviously a take on the traditional Kiev, and of the two choices, the more traditional. The chicken is well flavoured, tasting like it has been marinated in herbs. It is served with Thyme roasted potatoes, buttered green beans and asparagus. The other choice for the main is the Fillet of Salmon, again a tasty dish, the salmon tastes like it hadn’t been marinated in anything, so tasted fresh but lacked a little flavour in comparison to the chicken other than the obvious fishy salmon taste. The herb mash is delicious and complimented by roasted tomatoes and olive tapenade.
Dessert is a refreshing Caramelized Lemon Tart with poached rhubarb. Light and zingy it is a tasty yet palate cleansing dish.
Next up is a selection of Italian cheeses ‘Formaggio’, flavoursome but a little on the small side to share between two people.
The sixth and final course is Cafe, freshly brewed Illy coffee, with homemade donuts. The donuts were of a good size and made a nice alternative change to the mint or chocolate you tend to get with your coffee.
Overall the food is lovely and we would recommend. A lot of care and attention has gone into each course, and this chef should definitly proud of what he brings to the table.
For more information visit www.ilrosso.co.uk or call 01636 623031
By Tanya Raybould
