Page 46 - Phonebox Magazine February 2013

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The Malting House
Just love it when a new restaurant opens on the block. And one that comes with a reputation. The old White Hart in Stoke Goldington has reopened, and reinvented itself as a Country Pub and Restaurant - The Malting House. Chef Joe Buckley previously worked at the Red Lion in East Haddon. A pub that just last year, when he was part of the team, won a prestigious Michelin award, the Bib Gourmand accolade, presented for its exceptional quality food and service. But would the reality live up to the anticipation?
but this one tasted of proper pig – in a good way. My choice was the beef in ale, and I expected a few chunks of beef in gravy. What I got was three huge chunks of very slowly cooked meat that fell apart at the touch, glorious gravy, a fiery horse radish mash and perfectly cooked brussels and bacon. Oh, and you know I said big flavours? The portions are big too.
Breathes huge sigh of relief. Because it most certainly did deliver the goods. Big hearty food. Big flavours. Starters range around the £5-£6 mark and included a scrumptious smelling spiced squash soup, a really good looking chicken terrine, a hot smoked mackerel salad, and my choice, the potted Malting House pork. Potted pork is an old-fashioned traditional English dish, a bit like a pate. This one was yummy, much denser, almost heavy in texture, and came with lightly pickled veg. I would have swapped my chicory and apple salad for a couple of thick slices of bread. But other than that, pretty good stuff.
Some of the dishes, like the beef, come with everything you need on the plate. Others, you'll have to pay a little extra for some sides. The buttered allotment veg were fresh and had some bite and the red cabbage was sweetly sour.
photos of the original building many years ago in its original Malting House form. Its got a proper pub part too, on the right as you go through the door. I think that's important for a restaurant in a small village. It makes it more local and rooted somehow.
The main courses included sea bream fillets, Scottish salmon on potato cakes, a shoulder of Malting House pork served on turnip, bacon and cider gratin (£14); and braised local beef in ale (£13). Pork can be a bit tasteless at times, more of a foil for crackling and sauces than the star itself –
The wine (supplied by Bacchus) was good, ranging from £15 - £25 a bottle. The bitters were served well and with reasonable choice. The lagers – a bit uninspiring.
Perk up your pancakes: Cajun style
TIM O’GRADY’S PERFECT BATTER MIX.
CAJUN SPICED CHICKEN PANCAKES serves 6
3. Drizzle olive oil into a frying pan and heat until the oil begins to bubble. Add the chicken allowing it to take on some colour whilst it seals on all sides. Then reduce the heat and cook the chicken through.
Put your frying pan onto a medium heat and put in a small knob of butter. Let it melt, swirl it all around to coat the pan then add a ladle of batter and tilt the pan to get a nice thin coating. Leave on the heat for about a minute before flip- ping over and cooking on the other side.
2 x tbsp paprika
1 x tbsp cayenne pepper
6 x black peppercorns
4 x cardamom pods
1 x clove of garlic
1 x tsp celery salt
4 x chicken breasts, diced
1 x red onion, sliced
4 x tomatoes cut in sixths
half a bunch of coriander, chopped
4. Take off the heat and immediately add the tomatoes and coriander. Stir it all together!
If you’re making a savoury dish and want a lot of pancakes then cook them one at a time, put on a plate to cool then you can stack them one on top of the other.
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I have to report a reviewer fail as none of our party of eight could face a pudding (I mentioned the size of the portions). Desserts are around the £6 mark and include British stalwarts like jam roly poly and plum frangipane tart, together with their posher cousins, dark chocolate tart and white chocolate parfait. We did however share some cheese. And this was the only disappointment of the night – served too cold. It's a minor niggle.
If I'm going to be picky, I would say two things. Firstly, we never got chance to sample that pub part. We were hustled all too quickly to our table, despite arriving half an hour early. And secondly, the staff, whilst efficient and pleasant, lacked any knowledge or passion about the food. I'm there for the experience as much as my dinner, so tell me what type of beef I'm eating, that the veg are from the allotment down the road, what the cheese is. Sell it to me. Make me want it!
It is a tiny restaurant and our table of eight dominated the smattering of tables for two surrounding us. But it is warm and has a nice atmosphere. A good touch are the
But trust me, these are tiny points. This restaurant will run and run. They are serving real food, with real flavour and ultimately that's what counts. HB
1. Place all of the dried herbs, spices and seasonings in to a pestle and mortar and blend until peppercorns have ground down.
Whisk one large or two small eggs in a bowl then add in one mug of plain flour (use self-raising if you want fluffy American style) and then one mug of milk to form a smooth batter. Add a pinch of salt. Ideally let it stand in the fridge for a couple of hours before use.
2. Place the diced chicken breasts in to a large bowl and coat with the spices. Leave for a few hours or over night if possible.
5. Fill your pancakes, roll them up and serve with a salad garnish, soured cream and a wedge of lime.
Thanks to Oli and the chefs at the Swan Inn & Bistro for this fabulously tasty recipe.
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