delectable
Is the best word I can use to describe how wonderful our evening was on Friday at The Alverton Hotel. Executive Chef Nick Hodges and Head Chef Erkki Mikk highlighted the very best from soil, land and sea. The seafood was from St Ives, Beef from Truro, Apples from a local orchard, end of season Blackberries and Sea buckthorn foraged from hedgerows and Cheese from the Helford, Looe and Bude.
This was the first time I've eaten out but sat indoors in over a year and my second evening out out since I've had my not so little bubs. I felt very anxious but was put at ease when we entered the dining room. The high ceilings, opened windows and evenly spaced tables made me feel very comfortable, diners sat in their bubbles and staff wore face masks.
The tables were beautifully set with autumnal squashes uniquely shaped and colourful autumn leaves.
We enjoyed a staggered five course tasting menu paired to a matching wine flight. I loved the name of the first one - 'Whispering Angel'. Great isn't it?
It had a fresh aroma and notes of citrus and pink grapefruit that paired very well with the well cooked scallops and air dried ham for the Entré.
The evening was a lot like one of my 'Chat and Eat' nights, they had Annie Sibert from My Fish Kitchen demonstrating how to fillet the perfect lemon sole using Victorinox kitchen knives before tucking into course number one with a delicate herby broth (nage), poached lemon sole, native mussels and oysters
Each course made us excited. My Father was very impressed with the quality of food, the tentative staff and service and of course the wine flight.
The most memorable for the both of us though was the third course, medium-rare Nanteague Farm beef fillet topped with a perfect runny St Ewe Free Range Eggs and Cornish Gouda crisp and underneath tartare pickles, with a bowl of baby potatoes including some purpley coloured ones that were buttery in flavour and so soft they literally melted in the mouth. The fillet was cooked to perfection.
It is no wonder this hotel has been awarded two AA rosettes for its restaurant. It is the perfect setting for a date night with the option to stay the night too with reasonably priced rooms.
To end the evening guest speaker James Greet of The Greet Cheese Delivery Company talked us through the final course and about the 3 kinds of cheese - Treveador Farm Dairy Whalesborough Cheese and Cornish Gouda Co we were about to eat.
We thoroughly enjoyed the 'Taste of Truro' experience and keeping an eye out for what is next at The Alverton Hotel.
