Tag Archives: Cambridgeshire

Hot Chip Official Launch in Cambridgeshire at Burwash Manor – Barton, Cambridge (UK)

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Hot Chip was founded by Hugh Crossley (Lord Somerleyton) and Toby Marchant. Their combined business acumen and restaurant expertise led to the creation Hot Chip, purveyors of gourmet chips matched with intriguing sauces and toppings. Some of their combinations with the humble chip taking centre stage don’t readily spring to mind, but they work!

Collage Hot Chip

Hot Chip had a presence in Norwich for two years and built quite a following at their shop. In order to bring their delicious chips to a greater number of customers, they decided to embrace street food and go mobile… and so the eye-catching Hot Chip Land Rover was born.

Hot Chip Land Rover

Hot Chip plates

They have already started taking East Anglia and London by storm but held their official launch in Cambridgeshire on 16 October at Burwash Manor. The fabulous launch was organised by Vhari Russell and Emma Bearpark of The Food Marketing Expert.

Vhari Russell

Lord Somerleyton

I was delighted to be invited to Hot Chip’s launch to sample some of their original menu items. Firstly, I was impressed by the chips themselves. Hot Chip definitely have the foundation right. It’s not a matter of heaping sauces and toppings to disguise an inferior chip. In fact, the chip is the focus and the other ingredients serve to enhance the dish.

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Grub Club Cambridge British Food Fortnight at The Larder at Burwash Manor – Barton, Cambridge (UK)

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Grub Club Cambridge celebrated British Food Fortnight at Burwash Manor’s The Larder on 22 September, 2015. British Food Fornight, organised by Love British Food, is the annual national celebration of British food and drink.

“Since its beginnings in 2002, British Food Fortnight has become THE opportunity for those who work in any aspect of food and drink, to come together and promote the benefits of buying and eating from our home produced British larder.” (Official Website)

However, it wasn’t the only celebration that evening… founders Kelly Molson and Vhari Russell marked Grub Club Cambridge’s first birthday. I wish them many more years of success!

Grub Club Cambridge Kelly Vhari

Grub Club Cambridge is a networking club for people in or supplying the food and drink industry. For the past year, Kelly and Vhari have been running their increasingly popular social networking events for food and drink professionals, giving them the opportunity to chat and discuss future collaborations, with some fabulous dinners at the centre of it all. Kelly and Vhari certainly know their stuff. Their respective companies, Rubber Cheese and The Food Marketing Expert, focus on marketing for food and drink businesses among other services.

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Provenance at Burwash Manor – Barton, Cambridge (UK)

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Provenance, a mobile purveyor of seasonal, restaurant quality food, operate from a stunning vintage Airstream caravan that’s been converted into a kitchen with wood fired oven. I attended their launch party earlier this month (I wrote all about it here) and I was so impressed by the food and drink that I vowed to follow their whereabouts for my next Provenance craving.

Burwash

On Saturday 11 July, Provenance served up delicious food at Burwash Manor, located in the village of Barton, about 5 miles from Cambridge. Provenance’s gleaming Airstream caravan looked right at home amid Burwash Manor’s lovely independent shops, including foodie haven The Larder in its Food Hall.

Collage Provenance Burwash

Burwash Manor is situated on a working organic farm where they grow produce and rear their own rare breed pigs. Dynamic Organics, a three-acre market garden on the farm, use biodynamic principles to grow a variety of vegetables many of which were featured in Provenance’s Burwash menu, such as spring onions, rainbow chard and new potatoes.

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The Cock – Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire (UK)

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A few months ago, I was kindly invited to sample The Cock’s new à la carte starters and mains menu, designed by talented head chef Wil Findlay. I was seriously impressed and raved all about it here. I also vowed to return and experience the restaurant as a customer. I had that opportunity on Monday!

The Cock sign

The Cock side sign

The Cock, which is one of the restaurants operated by Cambscuisine, isn’t one of their Cambridge locations. It’s located in the picturesque village of Hemingford Grey in Cambridgeshire (out Huntingdon way) and it is definitely worth the drive. Its focus is on high end casual dining, with no sign of pretentiousness. Reservations are strongly recommended as The Cock has been garnering rave reviews and has even been named the 2015 Cambridgeshire Dining Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide.

Collage The Cock

Paulo and I arrived 10 minutes before the restaurant opened at 6:30pm for dinner so we were able to enjoy a drink in the cosy pub, which has a separate entrance but still connected inside for staff to make their way from one section to another. The Cock’s building dates back to the 17th century so some parts have a quirky layout but it is all quite charming.

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Menu Tasting at The Cock – Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire (UK)

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The Cock in the beautiful village of Hemingford Grey is one of the fabulous Cambridgeshire restaurants operated by Cambscuisine. I’m already a huge fan of one of their places – SmokeWorks, which I raved about here and here. I have been meaning to try out their other restaurants so I was delighted when Jessica Hope, who’s in charge of marketing and people development at Cambscuisine, invited me to a sneak peek of The Cock’s new à la carte starters and mains menu, which launches on 14 May, 2015. I was impressed, not only by the delicious 20 or so dishes served, but by the very well organised, professional and hardworking team. It was also great to meet one of the owners, Oliver Thain, as well as head chef Wil Findlay who designed the new menu. I was joined by fellow blogger Miss Sue Flay, who made a rather neat video of the tasting session. You can view it here.

Tasting table

The Cock’s ethos is to provide high end casual dining and they’ve definitely hit the mark with their menu and decor. The food is guided by the seasons and there is an emphasis on sourcing fresh, local ingredients. It’s no wonder The Cock has been named the 2015 Cambridgeshire Dining Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide.

The Cock Collage 2

It’s worth noting that the new à la carte starters and mains menu is mostly gluten free, which will please coeliacs, allergy sufferers and those with dietary preferences. There are plenty of meat-free options too, such as risotto, polenta, truffle gnocchi and smoked camembert.

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The Dining Room, Poets House – Ely, Cambridgeshire (UK)

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Poets House in Ely, Cambridgeshire has a city centre location but once you enter the courtyard, there is a little hideaway waiting for you. With its luxury rooms, upscale restaurant (The Dining Room) and bar serving afternoon tea and casual food (The Study), Poets House has everything you need for a lovely getaway. They even offer private dining and 24-hour butler service.

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Collage Room1

We chose the Classic Stay Package, which included two cocktails at The Study, dinner at The Dining Room, bed and breakfast. Check in was effortless and valet parking was available at no charge. Very convenient for a city centre location, in front of the majestic Ely Cathedral.

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No.77 – Caxton, Cambridgeshire (UK)

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UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed.

Once the old Cross Keys village pub in Caxton, No.77 has been transformed into a freehouse and Thai kitchen. It’s been described as a pub full of “local loveliness and faraway flavours” and I can see why. The pub retains its village feel whilst offering a taste of Thailand. There was a gap in the market for a good Thai restaurant just outside Cambridge (this place is only 13 miles from the town centre) and No.77 certainly delivered. A complete refurbishment was commissioned by the new owners, not only inside but outside as well. It is now definitely eye-catching!

77Sign

As soon as we entered, we were struck by the tantalising aromas emanating from the kitchen as well as the sumptuous ambience and decor. Cosy and atmospheric with its dark blue and copper tones, we immediately relaxed as we were shown to a table with surprisingly comfortable velvet cinema seats.The crystal decanter chandeliers illuminated the place and reflected light onto the furnishings, including the stunning copper bar. All of our senses were intrigued.

Tables

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