During our visit to 10 Castle Street we decided to dine in the drawing room. It’s a beautiful room with an open log fire which adds a lot to the experience and gives you a chance to appreciate this magnificent building. The menu is a celebration of British cuisine and features a lot of game and locally sourced ingredients. Service was friendly and we were provided with detailed descriptions of the dishes to suit our dietary requirements.
Our evening started with two glasses of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee, NV, England Rose. An elegant sparkling wine with citrus fruits and a nice brioche tone. We also enjoyed freshly baked bread with pickled apple and a selection of housemade butter.
To begin, I ordered the pork loin, apple crumble, with cheddar and sage, a delicious combination of flavours in a well-presented dish. My partner ordered the partridge, black pudding, yoghurt, celeriac and pear, another superb starter which left us excited to progress through the menu.
“The menu is a celebration of British cuisine.”
For my main course, I ordered the duck breast, with bacon, squash, polenta, and kale. It’s evident from the taste of the dishes that 10 Castle Street source a lot of their ingredients locally, this was a very rewarding dish. My partner opted for the peppered venison haunch, with marmite, salsify, pearl barley, cauliflower and sorrel. The venison cut was gorgeous and the dish showed a lot of ingenuity with the flavours. We added sides of roasted parsnips with creme fraiche, and mashed potato to complete our main course.
For dessert we shared the carrot cake, with malt and vanilla. A soft, moist, spicy carrot cake that we cannot fault.
The hotel produces its own wine, so we sampled a bottle of their red blend, a 2014, Castle Street, Rooikasteel, Franschhoek, South Africa. A full-bodied red with a rich texture and smooth delivery of ripe fruits. Very satisfying and the perfect accompaniment to our dishes.
We completed our meal with an americano coffee each, sipping them in front of the open fire. 10 Castle Street provide everything you could want for a splendid evening of dining, the building is steeped in history, the food is absolutely superb, and the staff are very attentive.
The Bill: £58 per head
