There are always little clues that let you know just how much a restaurant cares about its clientele. Take background music, for example – it may sound trivial but it can make or break the atmosphere of any venue. At Blenheim House Hotel’s new brassiere, the state-of-the-art soundsystem plays a gentle selection of chill-out tunes – it perfectly suits the intimate dining room of this mixed 18th and 19th Century building in the heart of the pretty village of Etwall, a few miles from Derby. In other words, this is a restaurant that takes the details seriously, somewhere that really bothers about its paying punters.
This first impression was soon confirmed by our meal at the hotel’s new brassiere that has recently opened to complement its exclusive 20-cover restaurant. The new dining space has an intimate and welcoming feel – rich red carpets, creamy walls that showcase some impressive abstract paintings (Blenheim House exhibits the work of local artists) and smart brown and taupe high-backed chairs. With clever lighting and the intelligent soundtrack, this is undoubtedly a class act.
Scouring the wide-ranging menu, the choice included Modern British (black pudding, pancetta and packed egg salad); Italian (tagliatelle of asparagus, wild mushrooms, sun-blushed tomatoes, roasted pine nuts and basil leaves); and local produce like Derbyshire country sausages and mash with red onion gravy.
After a marvellous munch of olive bread, we opted for a starter of grilled goats cheese beetroot salad and sauce vierge (£4.95) followed by Thai fish cakes with sweet chilli sauce (£9.95). Other tempting main courses included roasted shank of Derbyshire lamb, horseradish mash, salad of mixed vegetables, and thyme jus (£14.50), battered cod and chunky chips, mushy peas and tartar sauce (£10.95), and maize-fed chicken breast with red pepper, asparagus and tomato pappardelle (£12.95). At lunch-time, a range of gourmet sandwiches is also available – including brie, pear and watercress on tasted ciabatta (£3.95); and pan-fried chicken lemon mayo and mixed leaves (£5.95) – served with salad, olives and fries. A bargain deal, surely?
Everything about our meal was exemplary. From the melt-in-the-mouth creaminess of the goats cheese complemented perfectly by the beetroot salad, to the more than generous portion of spicy Thai fishcakes that tasted fresh from the frying pan. Our accompanying bottle of Argentine Sauvignon Blanc (£13.95) was suitably clean and crisp and the side order of Belgium fries (those home-cooked long, thin ones) for £1.95 didn’t disappoint either. Finally, the pudding of rich chocolate truffle with raspberry coulis was sensationally smooth and decadently delicious. Overall, this was premier league comfort food – ideal for a chilly autumnal night.
Formerly the village pub, Blenheim House was elegantly refurbished to create a stylish country hotel, pub, restaurant, brassiere and wedding/conference venue. There are 10 bedrooms, each with their own individual design, decorated in opulent style – including two four poster suites for the ultimate in romping pleasure. According to the hotel itself: “the bedrooms smell of beeswax and Crabtree & Evelyn. Mulberry fabrics. Goose down pillows and duvets with Egyptian cotton slips. Where nothing is too much trouble.”
Based upon our experience of their excellent brassiere, it might be worth considering Blenheim for a special occasion. And, for business travellers, local gourmands or discerning day-trippers exploring the rugged countryside of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, Blenheim House makes a great stopover for lunch or dinner. As proprietor Peter Simpson explains of his restaurant: “We opened the Blenheim House to provide a context for our passion, simple, quality food with flavours that shine.” There’s no arguing with that. Blenheim House is pure quality.
Blenheim House, Main Street, Etwall, Derbyshire, lunch served Mon to Sat noon to 2.30pm and Sun noon to 3pm, dinner served in the brassiere Mon to Sat 6pm to 9.30pm, restaurant 7pm to 9.30pm, closed Sun eve. Tel: 01283 732254.