Despite enjoying previous visits (see
here), it’s been a couple of years since I have eaten at Simon Rimmer’s EARLE in Hale - I am
pleased to report that since my last meal there, the food has really come on
and stepped up a notch.
Helming the kitchen, young head chef
Eddie Saunders (an alumni of Northcote Manor) is producing gutsy, uncomplicated
food with flavour and produce at the fore.
What I ate:
Ham hock pressing, piccalilli vegetables, crispy quails egg and bread
crisp – despite
looking the part and ‘working on paper’ this dish did not come together for me.
I felt there was far too much harsh mustard mayo; even trying to eat around it,
did not do the trick – I’m pleased to say, this was the only disappointment of
the day.
Scorched mackerel fillet marinated in mustard yoghurt, horseradish
potato salad – a
beautiful looking plate of food with wonderful vibrant colours; I enjoyed the
seared mustard yogurt but, nit picking as it may be, I felt the horseradish in
the potato salad could have been more prominent.
Slow braised BBQ short rib of beef, Simon’s Boston beans with pancetta
and coleslaw –
although at first this dish seemed a little out of place on the menu, its bold
flavours and sticky sweet goodness more than justified its inclusion. I found a
Simon Rimmer recipe for Boston beans online (see here);
I’ve not tried it out at home yet but I reckon they will go down a treat at
this year’s bonfire night.
Sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce & mascarpone cream – a classic dessert, done well.
Disclaimer: the good people at Earle
were kind enough to sponsor me in my recent weight loss; as such, they knew I
was coming (to collect they sponsorship) and kindly provided two complimentary
courses.
Halibut with oriental spices – a lovely piece of fish with well balanced spices and use
of sesame oil; I particularly enjoyed the crunch of the vegetables.
Pork fillet with oyster mushrooms & (a delightful) toffee apple – a delicious heartily flavoured autumnal dish,
without being too heavy. The toffee apple added just the right amount of
sweetness. With the pork cooked beautifully, retaining a little pinkness with
flavoursome caramelisation on the outside, this was the “dish of the day” for
me.
Verdict
(Would I return?): It was over two years since I last
returned; based on the quality of the food I ate this time, I’m certain it will
not take so long for me to revisit this time. In my opinion, for the first time, EARLE is now a
local restaurant truly befitting and worthy of Simon’s high profile, as opposed
to one simply relying on it.
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