The Kirkstyle Inn, owned by business veteran Nick Parkinson, is a gorgeously refurbished, 40-seater restaurant in Slaggyford, Northumberland. I’ll grant you, there are much less alluring British placenames than Slaggyford, however you’ll be onerous pushed to seek out them. You’ll even be onerous pushed to seek out Slaggyford itself, as a result of it’s set within the South Tyne valley, in what’s formally Northumberland, however type of additionally on the sting of Cumbria, and alongside a distant lane that may make your satnav go “wibble”.
Slaggyford and the entire of the North Pennines are the British countryside at its most stunning. It’s lush, inexperienced, unpopulated and largely unvisited, as a result of its goal to vacationers is unclear. All the beautiful lakes and the retailers promoting Jemima Puddleduck collectible figurines have given technique to brooding stone circles and “jam on the market – depart cash in field” indicators. As a toddler in Cumbria, one in every of our most enjoyable days out over this fashion concerned an ascent by automotive over Hartside Move, an extended, steep climb – pure Recreation of Thrones stuff. The cafe on the high offered rock buns, which was the height of pleasure, till at some point it burned down and that was that. If Slaggyford looks like an odd place for Parkinson, son of Michael Parkinson (sure, Parky), to arrange store, bringing his 50 years of hospitality expertise, properly, sure, it’s.
‘Delicate’: The Kirkstyle Inn’s sheep’s cheese mousse with mushrooms and heather honey.
Till now, Slaggyford has not been a veal sweetbreads on pickled walnut puree or guinea fowl breast with morels form of place. The Kirkstyle Inn has been quietly and determinedly right here because the 18th century; it’s the solely pub for some miles round, and there’s a feeling that native individuals have been crying out for a particular venue for birthdays and anniversaries. As we arrived on a Friday evening, minibuses had been delivering households and the sensation that the weekend had landed. I shall by no means tire of seeing the facility of a very good restaurant bringing pleasure to its group.
The inn has had a very good lick of paint, contemporary carpets, new loos and a brand new menu, and the phrase is clearly out. I nosed by latest Tripadvisor chunterings to seek out locals who had already been for Sunday lunch 5 occasions. There is no such thing as a larger reward.
Native chef Connor Wilson is serving an astonishingly fairly priced menu, with three programs from the set menu for £30, which at the moment looks like a misprint. His menu is ornate in locations and plain hearty in others: we’re served a starter of Berkswell sheep’s mousse in delicate dollops, with fastidiously positioned drizzles of candy Northumberland honey and strewn with tiny mushroom caps; beef cheek comes delicate, stewed and wealthy, with a walloping lump of creamy mash and an entire glazed carrot alongside. Likewise, there are snacks of fancy salt cod brandade piped into fingers, but in addition selfmade pork and apple sausage rolls to drink with actual ale.
The Kirkstyle Inn’s ‘delicate and wealthy’ braised ox cheek with mashed potato and glazed carrot.
The inn, though refreshed and trendy, is doing a nifty dance of luring in new prospects, and beckoning to the likes of the High 50 Gastropubs crowd with out scaring off individuals who simply need battered cod and chips, which one in every of my household inevitably all the time will, so I can attest that this is excellent, completely seasoned crisp batter with chips stacked up fancily like Hadrian’s Wall, however which might be nonetheless fats, contemporary, home-chipped chips (they’re additionally accessible with the venison burger in a brioche roll). Extra discerning palates would possibly select the rabbit terrine or the hand-dived king scallop with contemporary Isle of Wight tomatoes, or barbecued celeriac with pickled sea greens. But that is nonetheless a pub, so, should you choose, you possibly can order a sirloin steak with braised quick rib, black garlic, cavolo nero and chips.
‘Fantastically executed’: The Kirkstyle Inn’s dark-chocolate crémeux with cherries and almonds.
Desserts are value sticking about for, too: we ate an ideal raspberry souffle with vanilla ice-cream and a darkish chocolate creméux with a fantastically executed tuile, boozy cherries and almonds; there’s additionally a cheese board that includes native ingot and darling blue that comes with date-and-walnut loaf, pickled celery and grapes. There was additionally a sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream ice-cream, which I’m positively having subsequent time.
The Kirkstyle Inn is the type of pub that’s value making a detour for. It has quietly been right here for tons of of years, and now’s its time to roar.
The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Relaxation, Slaggyford, Northumberland, 01434 671526. Open Thurs-Sat, lunch noon-2.30pm (3pm Sat), dinner 6-9.30pm; Solar noon-7.30pm. From about £35 a head à la carte; set three-course menu £30, all plus drinks and repair
Consolation Consuming by Grace Dent (Guardian Faber, £20). To help The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Supply expenses might apply.
