Sunday Bistro Dinner with Family
Photo from The Red Lion Website |
Right up on the hillside between Chesterfield and Matlock, in a lovely stone building with rich wooden beams and furniture inside, The Red Lion at Stanage (as everyone calls it) is relaxed and typical of the area, while still upholding a sense of quality. Luckily for me, my parents house is close enough to this pub that I can call it my local!
As there was a large group of us, we managed to test most of the small Sunday Bistro menu. One thing to be aware of with this pub, though, is that they change their menus regularly so don't have your hopes up for one of these tasty looking dishes!!
Starters
We had a selection of starters ranging from Foie Gras to Fishcake, Black Pudding and Poached Egg to Salmon Tartare, and even a good ole Tomato Soup.
I had the salmon dish which was served with quails eggs and onions - it was absolutely delicious. The salmon had a great texture, not too rubbery as it sometimes can be when its uncooked, and a lovely flavour combination with the delicate eggs and my favourite ingredient, onion.
Everyone enjoyed the starters, but I think there were some envious of my Salmon Tartare... Comparing it to the tasty but not particularly special fishcakes, it seemed to be in a different league!!
Mains
The main course was a lot more like the typical pub food that we might expect from an English countryside pub. A couple chose to try the roast dinner dishes, from tender beef to tasty pork with apple sauce, both served with crispy Yorkshire puddings.
Others were tempted by gammon steak with fried egg and chips, or the more delicate mushroom risotto or sea-bream with capers.
I opted for a very basic, but very yummy fish and chips - the chips were fat chunks of potato with a gorgeous colour and a crunch to match, while the haddock was flaky and delicious with a light and crispy batter, and the best part of the dish was the proper mushy peas which hid under the fish.
Desert
And this needs no introduction...