Eating Dinner at a Local European Restaurant
About a ten minute drive from my home is a casual European Brasserie called ‘Pulp Kitchen’. I had been there for breakfast once but never for dinner, so when a friend of mine invited me, I jumped at the chance.
There are both French and Italian influences on the menu and several vegetarian options. Chef also offers to make the meals vegetarian if asked – which is great. It was a special occasion so I brought a bottle of champagne for the three of us to enjoy.
To start off my friends enjoyed the thyme and garlic baked cheese (which was served hot) with sourdough. My friend’s lovely young son Harry, who knows me too well, said to me that I couldn’t eat the dip because it contained animal-rennet cheese – lovely boy!!
My friends ordered the beef tenderloin medallions, pommes frites (lovely way the French call ‘chips’ ) and béarnaise sauce and also the lamb rump, braised lamb belly with charred leek and pickled enoki mushrooms. My friends absolutely loved their dishes. (Sophie you will have to tell me if these dishes are true French cuisine)
The meals were served with a fresh salad of rocket, pear and gorgonzola cheese with a caramelised walnut vinaigrette and a side order of fresh baby braised peas with bacon and lettuce was also ordered (delicious they said).
I ordered the garlic and chive Parisienne gnocchi with wild mushroom fricassee, porcini sauce and toasted pine nuts – it was cooked beautifully and so tasty.
And of course we ordered and shared a bowl of shoestring french fries with aioli.
There are many desserts on offer but as usual I had eaten too much so did not partake. My male friend ordered the deconstructed peanut butter mouse [he said it was to share with Harry but I think it was more for him], with caramelised bananas, chocolate crumb and blackcurrants. A lot of restaurants these days serve the deconstructed dessert; I prefer when the dessert is all together really…I forgot to take a photograph of this one it was eaten so quickly…
Am sure I will return as it’s close enough to walk in summer and food is really good.