The Druid Inn |
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The following review has been written by Sheffschefs after a visit to the establishment. All visits are made anonymously, as ordinary paying customers. Situated in the pretty Peak District village of Birchover, The Druid Inn has long had a reputation as one of the finest gastropubs in the area. We realised with a start that it was probably about 10 years ago that we last called in for a meal and since then it has changed hands a couple of times, including a short spell of ownership by the Smiths of Thyme and Artisan. It's now owned by chef proprietors Michael and Bryan Thompson, who seem to be doing a sterling job of upholding its reputation for great food, having received the the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand award in 2008. We arrived without a booking at about 8:30pm on a Thursday evening, following a very pleasant visit to see some lovely contemporary artwork at the Studio 61 Gallery in Lea. We were offered the last remaining table in the upstairs restaurant, but plumped instead for a cosy seat by the fire in the quieter bar area.Given the time, we went straight for main courses, ordering a curried haddock risotto with poached egg and a meat and potato pie. Had we wanted starters, the menu included some luscious sounding dishes such as crispy black pudding, fresh bread and dips and homemade soup. Sipping drinks whilst we waited, we took in the very pleasant surroundings. The bar area is very stylish, but still retains a classic pub feel, with old black and white prints on the wall and a range of fine cask ales. Various plates of very tempting looking food passed us on their way to the restaurant upstairs and soon enough, the waiter stopped at our table with gourmet sized white platters. Served in an individual dish, the meat and potato pie was a generous size, accompanied by fresh crisp green beans. Hubby cut through the nicely browned crust and tucked into it and after only a few mouthfuls, he declared it to be one of the best meat pies he'd ever tasted, with 'amazingly good' pastry. Praise indeed from someone who is a bit of a pie connoisseur. The risotto too was delicious, with rice that had just the right bite, perfect spices and a gloriously runny yolk in the poached egg. The only criticism I could come up with was that the portion size was on the small size, especially when taken against the more than ample dish of pie.
A party opposite were working through puddings, which include classic favourites such as sticky toffee pudding, rice pudding and fruit crumble, but as time was getting on by now, we headed off on the drive back to Sheffield. It took less than an hour to get back, making the Druid Inn a definite choice for a night out in the Peak District, especially as we move into summer months.
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