In its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, Thornbury Castle was a leading gastronomic light. With Kenneth Bell - named by the Good Food Guide as "the monarch of British restaurateurs" - at the helm, it was a magnet for foodies from far and wide.
But in recent years the 60-seat restaurant in a magnificent Tudor castle with 25 bedrooms near Bristol has never achieved the same dizzy culinary heights. Nick Evans, who took over as head chef three months ago, hopes to change all that. "I'd love to get it back to where it once was," he exclaims.
To this end, Evans, who was previously head chef for two-and-half years at Newbury Manor and earlier worked at 36 on the Quay, Lettonie and Llangoed Hall, has completely revamped the menu. He now offers modern European cooking from a weekly changing lunch menu at £22 for three courses and an à la carte dinner menu, priced at £42 for three courses, canapés, an appetiser and a pre-dessert.
Biggest sellers among the choice of six starters is the crab risotto, served with roast prawns, crisp seaweed and crab foam; and a dish of seared scallops, which are partnered by cauliflower fritters, creamed cauliflower and parsley sauce.
Evans himself has a penchant for a tomato terrine because of its "fresh and vibrant colours and flavours". Slices of plum tomatoes, de-skinned and de-seeded, are layered with basil leaves and a touch of tomato jelly in a terrine mould that has been lined with spinach. After being pressed overnight, the terrine is sliced and served with a goats' cheese fritter - made with the mild Golden Cross cheese from West Sussex - and a ratatouille made from courgettes, peppers, tomatoes and black olives.
Among the six main courses, two fish dishes are on offer and, perhaps surprisingly, it is the John Dory that outsells the perennially popular sea bass. Evans pan-fries fillets of John Dory and serves it with an artichoke pur‚e wrapped in spinach, truffle gnocchi, roasted salsify and a light truffle sauce made of chicken stock, shallots, mushrooms, a little cream and finely chopped truffles.
For meat lovers, there's a choice of beef, duck, lamb and pigeon, with the beef regularly being the most popular choice. "Half the guests on Saturday evenings go for the beef," says Evans.
Duck also sells well. Evans roasts the breast on top of the stove to produce a crisp skin and pink flesh, while the legs are confited and combined with diced cooked shallots, chicken mousse and parsley to provide a filling for some ravioli. Roast garlic, baby onions and some girolles, together with buttered cabbage and a honey and five spice sauce, are the accompaniments.
As well as a choice of some 20 British and Irish cheeses, there is a selection of five desserts, including Evans's version of the Snickers bar. For lovers of peanuts and caramel, this is the ultimate dessert. Layers of rich butter caramel and peanut butter parfait are covered in chocolate and served with roasted peanuts in a caramel vanilla.
Evans, who heads a brigade of eight chefs, intends to change the … la carte menu once every three months, introducing four dishes to each course at a time.
Thornbury Castle, Castle Street, Thornbury, Gloucestershire BS35 1HH. Tel: 01454 281182. Web: www.thornburycastle.co.uk.
By Janet Harmer
CHEF'S CHEAT
When rolling out sweet pastry, lay it between two sheets of clingfilm. It makes it easier to handle and to transfer in and out of the fridge.
WHAT'S ON THE MENU
(Three courses £42)
- Pan-fried cod with pea purée, crisp potato, confit tomato and gribiche sauce
- Chicken and mushroom tortellini with foie gras, asparagus, braised onion and roast chicken sauce
- Terrine of duck confit, ginger, spring onions and five spice with marinated cucumber and plum sauce
- Roast sea bass, celeriac fondant, cèpes, braised leeks and asparagus with red wine essence
- Loin of lamb shepherd's pie, white bean purée, garlic fritter, tomato and rosemary sauce
- Roast squab pigeon, sweet potato, braised lentils, spinach and pumpkin
- Banana financier, caramelised banana galette, banana sorbet and toffee sauce
- Rhubarb cream, hazelnut biscuit, mascarpone sorbet and a red wine syrup
- Pistachio mousse, hot chocolate, waffles and pistachio ice-cream