Sticky Walnut

Ooh look at me going all arty with a photo making a salad and some videos. Oscar worthy my videography skills are not. Luckily I didn’t enter this game to create content, but here. We. Are. Lucky us

Alas, let’s take a closer look at this month’s bistro and early dinner set menu main course shall we?

Both absolute legends in the bistro world, albeit from differing countries. The bistro Messi & Ronaldo if you will.

In the meaty corner we have ‘chicken cordon bleu’ why it’s called that I don’t know, ridiculous name, if you ask me. But trust, it’s delicious. Black Forrest ham, wrapped in cheese, wrapped in a chicken sarcophagus then coated in bread crumbs and fried until crisp. Served with enough creamed spinach to keep Popeye off yer case for a while

In the Veggie corner, aubergine parm. Grilled and marinated aubergines get sauced up with a delectable tomato number, made with the market leading brand, Mutti (I’m open to sponsorship if anyone wants to get in touch.)We then top it all off with a mix of melty mozzarella, power Parmesan and a good glug of expensive olive oil.

Which ones the best? Well there’s only one way to settle this. FFFIIIIGGHTT. Or you could come and try them both.

Thiery Bon-oui, here she is, tonight’s market fish main course

A whole Scottish mackerel, butterflied and deboned, coated in my world famous inauthentic tempura batter, then deep fried. Served with a white cabbage and ranch dressing slaw, and a couple slow cooked tomatoes. NAWTY!!

Listen, I’m not saying ordering a portion of bread and having it as a heavy butty is the ultimate hack. But, I’m also not not saying that either

I was going to do fish and chips tonight but i bottled it, I think this is much better though.

On this evening only as part of our Wednesday fish night promo, where you can get 2 courses for 29 of your British pounds

Let’s take a moment to ogle our current bistro menu starters as they sit there in the great shop window in the cloud. Quite the pair they are too, don’t you think?

As always we’ve tried to keep it super seasonal and quite light, which given the upcoming apocalypse, has turned out to be a good thing. I thought we were done with the heat, especially as I’ve received my first grouse marketing text. Feels wrong to even be thinking about that in 30degree heat. But god would I love an expensive pinto noir with some game

Anyways as always I digress, back to the task in hand. Melon, mozzarella & isle of Wright tomato salad & smoked confit sardines, house ricotta on toast. Both on until the end of the month.

Is there any appetite for grouse, while i’m here? I’m sure it will be cardigan weather soon.

This weeks market fish main course is as follows…

Crispy haddock fillet, tomato à la crème sauce, hazelnut pesto & creamed spinach. A nice summery plate of food on tonight as part of our 2 courses for 29£ market fish deal.

If you don’t fancy cooking this evening and like the looks of this, give us a call on 01244 400 400

Peace & love
X

A new month has dawned, and with that, a new bistro menu has been spawned. Welcome to our August run though….

Summer is nearly over, surely? It has to be, right?? Good God, when will it end?? Well I’m already mentally in autumn, so let’s go and get it

First up, we have Isle of Wight tomato salad, honeydew melon, mozzarella & wild oregano. Super light and with English tomatoes at the height of their season, it would be rude not to showcase them simply to show them off. Luke’s got an infinite supply of wild oregano from his garden, so expect to see it everywhere, bringing a nice lemony herbal note to proceedings

Rubbish picture, but it’s been a runway success when we have run this dish on our Sunday menus: smoked sardines, ricotta, piquillo pepper on ushers sourdough toast. Smoked in-house to satiate our obsession with smoking things in hay. Props to Pets At Home for the supply of the herbal gear. you know it’s just a great dish of lots of nice things, the piquillos are some of the best I’ve ever had and have come from. This would be my pick

On to the mains and we have a bistro classic. Chicken cordon bleu with creamed spinach. I’ve been wanting to do this for ages, but the guys at hispi beat me to the punch a couple of months ago. But it’s my time to shine now, guys. The name doesn’t give much away about what it actually is….

Think smoked black forest ham, think melty Gruyère cheese all wrapped in a chicken breast, then breadcrumbed. Up there with the schnitzel for me as a death row meal. If you are thinking this is the heaviest meal around, you’re not wrong, but don’t worry, you get a wedge of lemon to lighten everything up.

My oozing cut through shot was awful, so I’ll leave that one to your imagination

I’ve plundered the thriving Italian bistro scene for this dish. Aubergine parmigiana, with wild rocket. Thin slices of aubergine have been fried in olive oil and then marinated with some wild oregano and lemon, then layered up with a rich tomato sauce made with the good tomatoes (Mutti, iykyk), all topped off with enough parmesan to make an Italian blush. I’ve added some mozzarella to the top as well I’ll be honest, because I’m basic and I love a stret

Some of our Sunday offering changes up every week. But the main players remain the same. You’ll always be able to get a boom-ting roast beef, chicken and a “butter” roasted cauliflower for the non veggies out there

All served with Lukes now famous roasties (self declared best on Charles Street), maple roasted carrot & mixed veggies. It’s always a big feast, my favourite meal of a week if I’m honest.

We’ve got some space for tomorrow, give us a call on 01244 400 400 if you fancy a bit of this xx

Hi. How was your weekend? Ah great, so good to hear. Me?! Yeah it was decent thanks

Anyways it’s Wednesday, that can only mean one thing!! Market fish Wednesday! And this week we’ve taken delivery of some lovely sea bream which we’ve paired with some herby crushed new spuds & sauce vierge. Dreamy

This is your main course of our frankly silly value 2 course for 29£ market fish offering

Come and get it

Next week marks the final week of our current bistro menu, always a sad time. But, the ink has finally dried on next months offering. And, you guessed it…. I think It might be the best one yet!

While we are letting that sink in, let’s have a moment for our current veggie option. A Turkish inspired stuffed courgette, as hearty as it is delicious.

And as a little treat we are extending our bistro menu times to now cover Saturday lunch. C’mon!!

To paraphrase the icon that is Brooklyn Beckham;

“Girolle & summer truffle risotto on the pass. so hard to photograph, but incredible to eat”

Possibly my favourite dish on the menu at the menu. Yes, risottos have a reputation of being a boring safe option. You know, what grow up.

We are living through peak girolle season, as cute as they are mushroomy. We throw the buttery cooking juices through the risotto and then bosh a load of of chervil and summer truffle

Make risotto sexy again, it deserves some respect putting on its name

Be part of our menu development journey. Our next notebook tasting menu is Friday 7th August, spaces selling fast.