Prana – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 10/01/2024 by One Two Culinary Stew

This year Prana will be celebrating their 14th anniversary – 8 of those years in their extensively refurbished space (with more changes to come). This upscale yet informal Indian restaurant in the heart of Mill Road has come a long way since its beginnings as a tiny takeway, even winning a slew of prestigious awards.

It’s no secret Paulo and I have been regular customers for many years as the food is always flavoursome and prepared with quality ingredients. Prana continue to use their own spice blends rather than curry powder – the results are clean, vibrant flavours that are a delight to the taste buds. We have our tried-and-true favourites but also look forward to trying more dishes on the menu, which has been streamlined over the years to simplify the previously overwhelming choices.

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The Three Horseshoes – Stapleford, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Posted on 31/12/2023 by One Two Culinary Stew

The Three Horseshoes is a cosy independent pub in the village of Stapleford, just a few miles south of Cambridge. It changed hands a few months ago. The previous owner (Chris) introduced a Greek menu in 2019 and the new owners (Duncan and Justine) continued with the popular Greek menu.

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King William IV – Heydon, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Posted on 04/08/2023 by One Two Culinary Stew

The historic King William IV, which dates back to the 16th century, is a unique pub located in the beautiful village of Heydon, which sits peacefully between Royston and Saffron Walden, south of Cambridge.

It’s a scenic drive to Heydon’s only pub where there is ample parking. The tables at the front are perfect for taking in the village vibes and the spacious beer garden at the back offers unspoilt views of the Cambridgeshire countryside.

This well known pub has a more recent history, notably a series of owners that have come and gone over the past several years. New owners Carole (who I had the pleasure to meet) and her son Alex took over the pub in December 2022 and have painstakingly restored it to its former glory. Even the small things, like the bouquets of fresh flowers inside and outside, demonstrate the love and attention put back into the whole place.

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Sunday Lunch at Cotto, Cambridge Country Club – Bourn, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Posted on 22/01/2023 by One Two Culinary Stew

It was a huge blow to Cambridge’s food scene when Cotto had to close its doors at The Gonville during the pandemic in 2020. This revered restaurant owned by chef Hans Schweitzer and his partner Ruth was a top dining destination, having begun its existence on East Road in 2008 and steadfastly becoming a Cambridge institution over the years. I wrote about Master Chef Hans Schweitzer’s prestigious culinary history and my past dining experience here.

Those of us who missed the gastronomic delights and fantastic hospitality provided by Hans, Ruth and their team are delighted that Cotto is back. The restaurant has a new home in the impressive Cambridge Country Club, which boasts a golf course as well as wellness, spa and dining facilities in Bourn, Cambridgeshire – about 10 miles west of Cambridge.

The entire F&B service at the Cambridge Country Club is being run by Cotto, which includes the Spikes Bar (casual breakfast, lunch and drinks), Cotto Lounge (lunch, Afternoon Tea, Sunday Lunch and evening fine dining) and Garden Suite (parties and events). The Food & Beverage facilities are open to everyone – not just members of the Club. Cotto’s much-missed evening fine dining is due to start after some finishing touches, so diners will once again be able to enjoy chef Hans’ beautiful and delicious culinary masterpieces.

In the meantime, my Sunday Lunch in the Cotto Lounge was a fine dining experience in itself with chef Hans’ signature style, presentation and menu, all impeccably executed by the team and coupled with the same excellent service I’ve always experienced at Cotto.

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That Chicken And Olive Thing (Recipe from The OliveOlive Mediterranean Cookbook by Pam & Rob Marsden)

Posted on 31/07/2021 by One Two Culinary Stew

I’ve been a loyal customer of OliveOlive for several years now, regularly stocking up on their excellent halloumi and extra virgin olive oil from Cyprus. I have the added foodie bonus that this Cambridgeshire based company is local to me so my orders are delivered by owners Pam and Rob Marsden – a nice opportunity for a little chat. I often see them at markets and foodie events too.

Their first press, unfiltered olive oil comes from Pam’s family farm in Cyprus. It’s produced in a coastal village using handpicked local olives and cold pressed within 24 hours. It really is of superior quality, including their olive oils fused with basil, chilli, garlic, lemon or oregano. Their Cyprus Village halloumi is handmade the traditional way by their friends in Cyprus, the Stefani family. It’s way better than the supermarket stuff. These personal connections are the best kind of quality control.

Our cooking often features their products so I was excited to learn that Pam and Rob wrote their own recipe book – The OliveOlive Mediterranean Cookbook, published by Meze Publishing. I was looking forward to checking out all the recipes so I was delighted when Pam and Rob gave me a complimentary copy.

The cookbook features 45 recipes contributed by Pam, her family, their friends, customers and chefs who use OliveOlive’s products in their restaurants. There is page after page of mouth-watering photography of the dishes but I also liked the personal photos… the family farm, Pam’s relatives (mum, dad, aunt and uncle) in Cyprus as well as Pam and Rob on the farm and in their kitchen.

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Kingston Arms. Kitchen, Hummus and Wine – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 19/07/2021 by One Two Culinary Stew

UPDATE: This pub is now under new ownership. It has no in-house food offering.

The circumstances that brought Tel Aviv chef Maoz Alonim to Cambridge may not be food related but it was inevitable that he would eventually open a restaurant and contribute to our flourishing foodie scene. Alonim is one of Israel’s most famous chefs renowned the world over for founding Basta in 2007, a small restaurant and wine bar in proximity to Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. With produce straight from the market’s stallholders only a few steps away, the menu changes daily (sometimes twice a day) and consists of main headings with handwritten dish updates. This is Alonim’s concept… a creative menu led by fresh, seasonal ingredients paired with an impressive wine list. And this is precisely what he has brought to Kingston Arms, located just off Cambridge’s vibrant and diverse Mill Road.

Always one to defy expectations, Alonim defines Kingston Arms as Kitchen, Hummus and Wine. He has even gone so far as having the serving presentation designed for their hummus and pita, a clever combo of zisha (Yixing clay) bowls with a round cork cover that doubles as a board for the pita. More on the amazing hummus later!

This independent pub is a real food and wine lovers’ gem. The interior is warm and inviting, with tables by the windows and back door as well as bar seating for perhaps a more wine or beer focused experience. There is a large walled garden with heaters that is pretty much rain proof, a definite advantage for a business that opened during the pandemic. The staff are so friendly and welcoming and there are knowledgeable sommeliers for their well curated wine list.

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The Wine Rooms – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 05/06/2021 by One Two Culinary Stew

I was delighted to get a sneak peek of The Wine Rooms ahead of their official opening on 8 June. Located at 57 Hills Road near Station Road, this place is an exciting new addition to Cambridge’s independent food and drink scene. The focus is on wines paired with a modern, seasonal menu with New Zealand-born Cambridge chef Liz Young at the helm.

The Cambridge based owner of The Wine Rooms is an experienced vintner and wine management and cellarage provider so the wines naturally take centre stage. It’s more of a wine bar and shop for high end wines than a restaurant but that in no way diminishes the food offering. The changing menus, featuring an All Day Bar Menu of Small Things and Sweet Things and an Evening Menu of more substantial dishes, are designed to complement the carefully curated wines by the glass.

The wall of wine bottles on wooden shelves (some only accessible by ladder), the combination of table and counter seating, the specials boards next to the small window into the kitchen, the bar at the back complete with brass pendant lights and antiqued mirror… they all set the scene for fine wine and good food in an unpretentious atmosphere with friendly, knowledgeable service.

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Mercado Central – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 12/12/2019 by One Two Culinary Stew

Mercado Central is bringing expertly prepared, market fresh produce to the heart of Cambridge. The painstakingly refurbished building on Green Street now has a cohesive presence with its uniform colour and striking hand painted sign. This independent restaurant is warm, classy and welcoming – the type of place that stops you in your tracks and makes you want to step right in.

The interior is elegant and modern, with subtle Spanish accents such as greenish-blue tiles (reminiscent of Cambridge Blue) and a gorgeous Sargadelos ceramic tap for pouring Estrella Galicia beer. There is a cosy area near the bar where customers perched on stools can enjoy drinks and nibbles.

There are more tables at the back but the main dining area is on the first floor. It’s a stunning space with high ceilings, soft lighting, beautiful wood flooring, sumptuous curtains, linen napkins, wooden and velvet chairs as well as tables without stuffy tablecloths.

The inspiration lies in Spain’s historic markets and restaurants and Mercado Central certainly deliver. It’s clear in their excellent food and drink offering but the owners (the majority Cambridgeshire locals) have the background, expertise and experience to bring a restaurant of this calibre to Cambridge. They are Daniel Grana of local company Pata Negra Spanish Food, Spanish retired footballer Gaizka Mendieta who is a childhood friend of Daniel’s, and brothers Lee and Mark Hughes, part of the popular Provenance Catering Airstream and horsebox.

Instagram @Gaizka Mendieta6

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Cam Spice – Great Eversden, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Posted on 23/10/2019 by One Two Culinary Stew

Cam Spice has been on my list of Indian restaurants to try so I’m happy we finally had the chance to visit. It’s located in Great Eversden, Cambridgeshire in a pub named The Hoops and it has retained its charm despite the refurbishment. The big car park is a bonus.

The restaurant makes great use of the space with a cosy bar that’s popular with the locals, an area with additional seating amid the exposed beams as well as round tables ideal for groups behind the impressive bubble water wall.

Paulo and I were warmly welcomed by Baba and given a table in a little nook by the window – very charming! Baba was very helpful and helped us decide what to order, as the menu was so tantalising it was hard to choose. He was the perfect person for a foodie like me to talk to as he is a chef himself and he took the time to understand our tastes and preferences. I liked the fact that the kitchen was flexible enough to adjust any of the dishes – in my case less spicy and for Paulo, kicking the chilli level up a few notches.

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68 Market Street – Ely, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Posted on 29/07/2019 by One Two Culinary Stew

UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed.

Ely’s foodie scene is expanding and 68 Market Street is an exciting addition to the city’s food and drink offering. It’s all in the name. Not only is it the address but the word market denotes freshness, provenance and sociability… and this eco-friendly, sustainably-focused restaurant delivers in spades.

The street name is certainly a lucky coincidence but the rest is down to a clear vision of sustainability and a strong environmental ethos. The focus is on the region’s seasonal produce which supports farmers, producers and the local community. Food wastage is also of utmost importance as it impacts the environment. This is one of the reasons for 68 Market Street’s already popular Sunday Spread, which needs to be booked in advance.

It doesn’t stop there – the business recycles as much as possible with all non-recyclable waste going to a zero-landfill waste carrier. The furniture has been reused or repurposed. There are even bespoke branded tables. Works by local artists adorn the walls.

The bar area is a welcoming little space to sit and have a drink. In fact, the whole refit is well laid out, considering the limitations of the building and awkward corners and levels.

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A Bubbling Cauldron of Food Experiences

Tag Archives: Cambridgeshire

Prana – Cambridge (UK)

The Three Horseshoes – Stapleford, Cambridgeshire (UK)

King William IV – Heydon, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Sunday Lunch at Cotto, Cambridge Country Club – Bourn, Cambridgeshire (UK)

That Chicken And Olive Thing (Recipe from The OliveOlive Mediterranean Cookbook by Pam & Rob Marsden)

Kingston Arms. Kitchen, Hummus and Wine – Cambridge (UK)

The Wine Rooms – Cambridge (UK)

Mercado Central – Cambridge (UK)

Cam Spice – Great Eversden, Cambridgeshire (UK)

68 Market Street – Ely, Cambridgeshire (UK)