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DINING OUT: The next best thing to a home-cooked roast
The Devonshire Arms, Middle Handley.
SUNDAYS are made for rest, relaxation and roast dinners.
And while it is true there is no roast better than the one you cook up at home, spending the weekend’s last hours slaving over a hot stove isn’t always a desirable option.
Luckily, wherever you happen to be if out and about, there will surely be a pub nearby offering its own version of the traditional British Sunday dinner.
One such eatery, is the award-winning Devonshire Arms, in Middle Handley, which was packed to the rafters when I arrived to dine on a cold Sunday afternoon.
My fellow diner and I were ushered to our table, past a central bar serving an array of real ales from local breweries as well as a decent selection of continental lagers and beers.
Despite an unassuming exterior, the owners have transformed the pub into a cool, contemporary haven for those looking for a refined gastro-pub experience.
Our orders were taken at our table, and we both chose a starter of creamy garlic mushrooms (£5.75) out of a small selection of appetisers, including crayfish cocktail and soup of the day.
The starters arrived quickly and were presented neatly as a stack of mushrooms in a cream sauce with a parmesan and breadcrumb crust – although my tower was suffering from a bit of subsidence. While it may have benefited from more garlic, the dish was tasty and we both happily cleared our plates.
Having seen the waitresses ferrying plate after plate of roasts from the kitchen, we were braced in anticipation for the main event.
The day’s roasts were prime sirloin of beef and leg of Derbyshire lamb, with a salmon and nut cutlet option on offer.
I chose the beef (£9.95), while my fellow diner opted for the lamb (£12.50), which both came with mammoth home-made Yorkshire puddings, goose-fat roasted potatoes, mash and vegetables. As someone who prefers gravy with the Sunday dinner on the side, I was delighted to have my own jug of the stuff, to pour over my plate at will.
The beef, which came sliced thickly and cooked to perfection, was tender and flavoursome, complemented by the Yorkshire puddings, which my fellow diner declared were the best he had ever tasted.
Usually a let-down outside of the home, the roast potato was crisp and golden – I refer to it in the singular because we were, disappointingly, given only one each. It wasn’t until we had finished, that I noticed the couple at the adjacent table mention this to the waitress, who promptly brought them half a dozen more to share.
Not that it really mattered as the meal was enough to contend with and despite a valiant effort, I was unable to clear my plate.
With no room for dessert, we picked up the bill, with our meal coming to around £20 a head for two courses including drinks. Not cheap, but as my fellow diner said to me, The Devonshire Arms offers the next best thing to a home-cooked Sunday roast.
Rating: Four stars
Devonshire Arms, Middle Handley, near Eckington
Opening hours: Mondays - closed; Tuesdays to Thursdays - noon-11pm; Fridays and Saturdays - noon to late; Sundays - noon to 9pm.
Food serving time: Mondays - closed; Tuesdays to Thursdays - noon to 9pm; Fridays and Saturdays - noon - 10pm; Sundays - noon-6pm.
Contact: (01246) 434800 or www.devonshirearmsmiddlehandley.com
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