The Lucky Onion Presents: Sunday Lunch with Fergus Henderson

Sunday 19th April saw an exciting event in Cheltenham. They don’t come around too often, especially none of this calibre. It was hosted by The Lucky Onion at 131 The Promenade and I consider myself an extremely lucky onion to have been able to attend.

If you hadn’t have heard by now, Fergus Henderson was in town. Yes. FERGUS HENDERSON. And if you don’t know who he is, then you’re clearly not a proper foodie. Either that or you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past 20 years his famous St. John Restaurant has been open for. Though maybe I’m being unkind, you could be a veggie/vegan, in which case you probably shouldn’t read on.

Photo Credit: The Lucky Onion

Mr Henderson, with his ‘nose to tail’ eating, has achieved legendary status, and St. John isn’t just a restaurant, it’s an institution. Two decades is really quite something in restaurant years, particularly in London where there’s an endless stream of new openings, pop ups, street food stalls, cuisines and fashionable food fad joints. So how has he managed to keep going? By staying true to his food philosophy, that’s how. And having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the late nineties, Henderson’s 20 years of St. John seem to be even more exceptional. He’s proved that major obstacles can be overcome, and with such an intriguing enthusiasm and a thirst for 'the good life', he is surely one of the most popular chefs in living memory.

Photo Credit: The Lucky Onion

Now I’ve been itching to go to St. John every time I venture to the capital, but somehow I’ve never quite made it. The closest I’ve been is peeping through Clerkenwell’s window during a busy Saturday night service, and drooling over the doughnuts and welsh rarebits at Maltby Street Market, cursing myself for not being hungry, then doubly cursing for not thinking of getting something to save for later.

Sure, Henderson’s appearance is a little eccentric – small round glasses and pinstripe suits – and to many his food might be seen in that way too, but to me it’s anything but. He’s somehow charmed us into eating all the parts of the animal that we’d have otherwise ignored. It’s respectful, honest, gutsy (literally), and generally quite simply put together – none of that razzle dazzle liquid nitrogen faff!

Such bold plates of food are definitely worthy of Sunday status, and The Lucky Onion tapped into that with gusto. ‘Lunch with Fergus’ was a five course feast for 40 hungry guests, on one long table in the Crazy Eights part of 131 The Prom.

Excitement was through the roof in the lead up to the event, and as I strolled over to the grand hotel, nerves took over. Who was going to be there? What will I say? How was the afternoon going to pan out?... As soon as I walked in, Henderson’s familiar face was there. Trying my best not to make an idiot of myself or gawk at him in awe, I did manage to ask just one question without spurting some star struck ramblings. What he was drinking? Campari and white wine; otherwise known as a Bicyclette. Classic.

A cold glass of Nyetimber calmed my nerves, but I still felt like a very small fish in a flippin’ big pond. There were a couple of faces that I recognised, and everyone was being far too casual about the whole situation. Frankly, I just wanted to jump up and down with glee.

The Lucky Onion kitchen team were not only joined by Mr St. John himself, but also by St. John chef Giles Edwards, and it all kicked off with Brown Shrimp & White Cabbage. Little brown shrimp are never going to win in the beauty stakes, but they sure pack a lot of flavour. Sweet and salty, they were tangled up in the weaves of shredded white cabbage along with capers and herbs. The whole dish had a coating of lemon juice and olive oil, and it was a fresh, crunchy, and altogether quite a healthy first course.

Accompanying our lunch was some of Henderson’s own wine made from old vineyards in the Minervois, France; Boulevard Napoléon Granache Gris and Cabernet Franc, both 2012 and both a whopping 14.5%. I'm a big lover of a decent Cab Franc, which is exactly what this was, but it was the Granache Gris that really stood out. Clean and fresh, with a rich and creamy texture, it had a lovely smoky liquorice edge on the finish. I'll be hunting this one down.

Next on the menu was his 'signature dish'; Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad. Many wows were expressed as giant plates of the slowly roasted bones were brought out, and Fergus then came out to explain how we should construct our "happy bone moment". With big gestural movements, we understood that we were to get a slice of toast, scoop the bone marrow out onto it, top it with the parsley salad, and finally sprinkle over some wet salt. (Wet salt is the layer of salt beneath Fleur de Sel; it's greyer in appearance and has a more minerally taste.)

Voted as one of the greatest dishes of all times by food writer Tom Parker Bowles, the bone marrow (which I think were veal shin bones - but don't quote me on that) had a creamy jelly like consistency, somewhere between a paté and a panna cotta, and they were packed full of meaty flavour. The parsley salad, spiked with lemon, capers and thinly sliced shallots cut through it's fattiness, with the toast adding a desirable charred crunch. The salt made me salivate, after each mouthful I craved another bite, and the DIY aspect was not only fun, but got everyone talking.

The main course was another St. John fave; Pig's Head & Potato Pie. I guess anyone who's ever been to a hog roast in their time, has had experience of seeing some scorched porker's face; all the meat gets taken from the body with the head left in tact, which is inevitably later discarded - it's all for show. Well, none of that business here, the head's the star ingredient. Not just fleshy, not just fat, it made prime pie filling material. Then combined with potatoes and encased in the most buttery pastry, I'd say it was a pork pie made for the gods. A simple vinegary salad of watercress and roasted red onions is all that was needed to accompany it, and not a drop of gravy in sight!

To seduce our sweet side, we had a single scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream; truffle-rich, bittersweet and indulgent, a scoop is all that was needed! I've read about his FIVE DAY ice cream recipe for St. John, so I'm guessing this was it? Either way, it was divine.

Coffee and the most marvelous Madeleines rounded everything off. Having been bought a Madeleine tin for Christmas, I've been trying various recipes out, but none have tasted anywhere near as good as these. Fresh out of the oven, the light and springy sponges had a sweet honey butter taste, and the scalloped edges and recognisable 'nipple' on the back never cease to crack a smile. I fear I ate more than my fair share.

Clearly The Lucky Onion sure know how to host a soirée, and although I might have spent the next day in bed with a sore tum having pigged out so much, literally (my cursed IBD, nothing to do with the amazing chef skills!), I can put this down as one of my all time favourite foodie experiences. I can only hope that I get to go to another!

The above photos are from The Lucky Onion's Facebook Page. Check out Kirstie Young's blog post and also this snazzy video..

The Lucky Onion Club presents Sunday Lunch with Fergus Henderson from The Lucky Onion on Vimeo.

Côte Brasserie Cheltenham

Last week saw the opening of Cheltenham's newest restaurant, Côte Brasserie, and armed with a 50% off food voucher, I couldn't get there quick enough. 

We're getting a bit spoilt for choice with all these chains finding a home in town, first it was Bill's, then Turtle Bay, now Côte, and there's a Carluccio's set to open next month. Not being one for eating at chain restaurants usually, I thought I'd take full advantage of the opening offer and see what all the fuss was about. 

Taking the place of what was Montpellier Brasserie, Côte is in prime position for those fancying dinner and drinks down that end of town. It's undergone quite the refurbishment, though previous regulars will be glad to see that the downstairs layout is very similar to before. It's bright and airy, oozing with French style, and they've made space for additional seating too, so it'll be great for larger groups!

We kicked off our dinner with a Kir Royale (£3.95) and an Anchovy Pissaladière (£3.50); a warm flat bread originating from Nice, with caramelised onions, salty anchovies, juicy black olives and a sprinkling of parsley. I think I'll be making this at home as it was great pre-dinner snack material, though I'd be more generous on the parsley in order to balance the out the saltiness. 

The Chap chose Calamari (£6.25) as his starter; breadcrumbed squid sautéed in garlic, lemon and parsley with tartare sauce. It was bloody massive, and could have easily been shared between two. Whilst it was nice, he got a bit bored by the end, and had to leave some - not like him at all! 

Predictably, I opted for the Steak Tartare (£6.95). The beef was finely chopped so that it still retained some texture (I hate it when it's verging on minced beef), then mixed with shallots, capers, cornichons, egg yolk and cognac. I quite like the wow factor of having an egg yolk sat on top, but I guess that could put some people off, so having it pre-mixed is probably more approachable for those who've not had steak tartare before. It was fresh and well seasoned, though I can't help but think a thinner, crispier bread would have gone with it better; you need a decent crunch. 

With our discount in mind, The Chap chose the most expensive main; a 7oz Fillet Steak (£18.50), served with frites, watercress and a green peppercorn, cognac and cream sauce (£1.95). It was perfectly cooked - the beef practically melted in the mouth - and the peppercorn sauce was not too fiery, just velvety. 

The Rump of Lamb (£13.95) caught my eye, served in a deep dish with roasted courgettes, new potatoes, carrots, and red onion, smothered with a rich and glossy veal jus. Served pink, the lamb was faultless, and it felt like a wonderfully French, slightly naughty, spring time supper. I'd happily sack off a traditional Sunday roast and have this instead, but let's keep that between us...

We shared Côte's Speciality dessert; Crème Caramel (£4.95). I've not had a creme caramel for years, and I still think of the ones you get from the supermarket in little fluted plastic pots. This was much nicer than those, thank god, though its presentation could have probably been better. A set vanilla pod custard, which still had a good wobble, with an intensely flavoured dark caramel top, served with a splash cream. Not too heavy, and not sickly sweet, it was a great end to our meal. 

I was kind of expecting a few hiccups, being a new opening, but service was top notch. That said, I might propose that it was all a bit too quick; no sooner as our plates had been cleared away, our next course was out. I guess that's better than waiting for ages, but to have three courses in an hour and a half is a bit mad, particularly as we weren't in any rush! 

Had our bill been full price, with a £25 bottle of wine and service included, our dinner at Côte Brasserie would have been just over the £100 mark. That's an appetiser, two starters, two mains, one dessert, and drinks.. Granted, we probably wouldn't have had the fillet steak, but it seems a little steep, especially as we were out the door in 90 minutes... 

Still, we both had a good time, agreed that the mains we the best part, and shall consider it a 'good go-to' for dinner with fussy friends, as there's loads to choose from! 

Here's to the latest addition on Cheltenham's culinary map! 

Lunch in Ledbury - Verzon House Hotel

I'd booked a rare Monday off work this week for a belated Mother's Day outing, with my Mum (obviously) and my sister. We'd planned a trip to Cirencester for lunch and shopping but, for various reasons, we changed plans and ended up on the hunt to find somewhere to go for lunch. It had to be far enough away to still feel like a treat, but not too far as driving for hours just for lunch seemed a little pointless.

Following The Chap's Birthday Chase Distillery Trip last year, a group of us ended up at Verzon House and had a flippin' lovely dinner. Being in Tewkesbury, it dawned on me that Ledbury was only half an hour away, and considering none of us ever really venture that way, we decided to go.

I always panic when I'm put in charge of choosing where to eat; there's a lot of pressure! Thankfully, I needn't have worried; despite being the only people in there, it was lovely, and the food was just as good as I had remembered.. Though I'm surprised I could remember as I was more than half cut on all those tasty Chase Vodka samples!

A three course lunch at Verzon House is priced at £22, and considering their a la carte mains are around the £17+ mark, I think it's pretty reasonable. There are three options for each; one meat, one fish, one veggie, then a choice of two desserts or cheese.

To start I had a duck and peppercorn tagliatelle. It was deliciously rich, though with such a peppery punch, it wasn't overwhelming; the salty parmesan shavings and nasturtium leaves seemed to lift the whole dish and add a bit of freshness too. I would say though, the portion size was verging on being the size of a main! Good job I was hungry, eh?

My Ma and sister both chose the potted shrimp on toast, and although I didn't try any, their plates looked beautiful, and the addition of samphire was well received!

For mains, my sister had the wild mushroom risotto with chilli butter, whilst my mum went for the pork option; a massive grilled pork chop, presented with a puffed up strip of crackling, charred leeks and wild garlic mash that was piped onto the plate, all doused in a raisin jus. I should have taken a photo as it looked fantastic!

I thought I'd complete the set and go for the mighty fish and chips; haddock in a light but crisp batter, triple cooked chips the size of my arm, crushed peas, and a tangy tartare sauce, packed with piquant capers. All I needed was a beach, a wooden chip fork, and the sound of seagulls.

Despite feeling pretty full - I had to leave some chips, which is almost unheard of - we still thought it'd be rude not to have dessert. The pear and almond tart with clotted cream ice cream would've been my choice had I not just overdone it on pasta and potatoes; pastry might just have killed me off. All three of us then went for the hazelnut panna cotta with a chocolate mousse; no dessert envy, phew!

@WeWantPlates would've had a fit; not only was the panna cotta in a kilner jar, but it was also served on a slate! That aside, I think we made a good decision. An obvious nod to the famous hazelnut chocolate spread that seems to be all the rage at the moment, this was a more grown up, less sweet take.

Thick and creamy, with just a hint of nuttiness, the set panna cotta sat at the bottom of the jar (sometimes they're too much like jelly, which is not very enjoyable), with a milk chocolate mousse layer on top. Normally I'd be "dark chocolate or nothing", but that would've been way too bitter here. As it was, it wasn't overly sweet, and some chopped hazelnuts gave it texture. The little chocolate chip cookie on the side probably wasn't needed, but my coffee was ever so grateful for the dunking it allowed for!

With big windows that let the sunlight stream through into the dining room, Verzon House feels like a restorative and relaxing place to venture to for lunch, particularly with the likes of Ben Howard and Gregory Porter soothing your ears. Two and a half hours passed us by in a flash, and we left feeling like we'd had a grand afternoon out.

My only qualm would be that £2.50 is a princely sum for just a lime and soda - my coffee was the same price (!) - had I known, I'd have gone for a more interesting beverage to have with lunch. Nevertheless, it's still great value food-wise, and I'll definitely visit again... Probably for more Chase Vodka cocktails!

Ross & Ross Pop Up at The Straw Kitchen

A couple of weeks ago, Saturday 21st March, The Chap and I ventured up to the North Cotswolds for dinner. We wouldn't usually travel almost an hour for dinner without having somewhere to stay, but this was a bit different.

Ross & Ross, those lovely chaps who feed me their 10 hour slow roasted lamb shoulder with salsa verde every year at the Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival, were hosting a pop up. I managed to miss the first one so made every effort to get in quick on the tickets for the second event at a "secret location". Turns out, it was at the same venue as before, Whichford Pottery's Straw Kitchen, but I'm kind of glad about that; after seeing the gorgeous photos Dan Walker took at the last one, I was desperate to see the place for myself (and FYI their scrawled out blackboard menu sounds like it'd be worth a return trip!).

Photo Credit: Dan Walker

There were three "social eating tables" inside the Straw Kitchen, which is perfect for pop up supper club style things. However, two large groups had booked tickets, and there were only a handful of us who didn't know anyone else; sat on a table all together, it kind of felt as though we were gatecrashing someone's birthday party! It didn't matter too much, we made good conversation with another couple who were getting married, and had also enquired about Ross & Ross's wedding catering!

Photo Credit: Dan Walker

For £35 per person, we had a 5 courses and it was BYOB. The Chap got lucky and I was designated driver for the night, so we arrived armed with two bottles of already opened wine (oops) and a couple of Fentimans soft drinks to keep me entertained, though I was pretty envious every time I heard a prosecco cork pop!

The menu was 'Spring' themed, and each course sounded right up my street. That said, I'm still a little gutted that I didn't get to try the scotch egg that everyone was banging on about after the last event. Social media was full of pictures of those runny yolked beauties! And apologies for the crappy pictures - a single tea light was never going to produce a good photo.

Photo Credit: Ross & Ross

We started with Jerusalem Artichoke & Morel Soup; thick, earthy and its overall brown-ness was brightened up with a vivid orange nasturtium flower. Since Waitrose have started stocking those little knobbly artichokes, I've been buying them at every opportunity; thankfully I'm not sick of them, and this was a great start to the evening.

An intriguing 'Chicken Lollipop' was next, which was essentially like a refined, more flavoursome KFC. Big spices on the crispy coating were tamed down with an accompanying sweet-sticky-glazed chicken wing. I remember watching Rebecca Seal revealing how to eat a chicken wing in a clean, lady-like fashion. Alas, I couldn't remember how she did it, so I just went down the messy, all over my fingers and face route.

The Falafel with Tahini & Basil Dip was a favourite dish amongst many. Too often people try to unnecessarily pimp up falafel - if it ain't broke, don't fix it - I'm glad to report Ross & Ross' falafel were perfect.

Our main course was a plump piece of Grimsby Smoked Cod Loin, Brown Shrimp Butter Sauce, Purple Sprouting and Pea Puree. Excellent springtime fare, and my fave course of the night. With all this sustainable fish jazz that's been going on in recent years, I'd kind of fallen out of favour with cod in trying to buy a broader range, but I think I shouldn't shun ye olde faithful in future.

A duo of desserts rounded the evening off; first a Poached Rhubarb & Vanilla Custard Crunch, which was ACE. I only wish my little pot was twice the size, the firm but sweet pink rhubarb partnered with the vanilla flecked custard and crumble topping is my idea of heaven. The Hot Chocolate & Orange Pudding was tasty too, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I put my spoon in and the middle was still molten, but it really was all about the rhubarb.

We retired to the sofas in front of the log burner, with a coffee in hand, before hitting the road. It was such a lovely evening, and time went so quickly. Ross & Ross sure know how to host a decent pop up, and I'll be keeping an eye out for future events!

P.S. Did you notice the gorgeous crockery? I'd happily have some of those Whichford Pottery plates in my kitchen!
P.P.S. Check out the rural-chic toilet!...