Qype User (barnab…)
Yelp
We were the first customers into the restaurant, but nonetheless received a great level of service. Our waitress, who I presume to be the manager, was polite and helpful. Nibbles were olives and slightly peppery cashew nuts, which went down well. We selected the house Merlot and enjoyed a rich, fruity flavour which was full of character and worthy of the £15 a bottle price tag. For starters, I had a terrine of chicken and ham served with a little truffle oil. This went down well and the flavours were well complemented. My mother's King Prawn dish was well-executed but a bit stingy in size.
Braised blade of beef represented a much more satisfying portion and was a great success. The use of red cabbage, intertwined with the blade was intelligent cooking and provided a richness that contrasted with the vegetables and fondant potato. I feel this course was overpriced at £19.95, though. £15-17 would be the very most I feel it should be valued at. As a dish replacing the duo of beef that included fillet, offering no drop in price was ambitious to say the least.
Whilst the first two courses presented a pleasant experience, they didn't really provide the kind of stratospheric triumph one might hope for from other comments. Then, of course, came the dessert. A magically designed and constructed Prune and Pressed Apple dish, served with an Armagnac Ice Cream Quinelle was an absolutely inspired combination that would likely be worthy of a star from the Michelin inspectors. Original and complimentary flavours combined well with contrasting textures and flawless presentation to culminate in an exceptional dish. This course was light years ahead of the rest of the food and a real stand-out dish from anything I've seen served in the area.
Whilst I'd like to see the prices toned down a touch (I feel that they're a little excessive for the food served, except for dessert, which was worth every penny), there is no doubt that Stones is the best restaurant in Matlock right now and has a bright future ahead of it. A planned conservatory extension this summer will bring much-needed extra space. I understand that work is to be carried out over lunchtimes this summer and that consequently Kevin Stone will be working at the nearby '2010 Restaurant', on a slightly lower-priced menu. This will be an exciting time to follow his work.