YOUNG people sometimes get a lot of unwarranted bad press - whether it's causing anti-social behaviour in the streets or not bothering to get a job.
Of course, some of that may be merited; however, the majority of teenagers I have encountered are good-natured, polite people.
And that was the case on Wednesday (October 25) evening when I was invited to see a refurbished restaurant at Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College.
ALSO READ:
The catering students are at the heart of the Cider Orchard Restaurant - preparing and serving all of the food so that they are fully ready for the real world when they are fully qualified.
Open to the public at various times from Tuesdays to Fridays, the Folly Lane-bases restaurant - which has been brought to life thanks to a grant from The Savoy Trust - offers a mouth-watering menu.
After having some tasty canapes, I sampled the following:
Bread: Mini brioche loaf with whipped marmite butter
Even though I am a fan of marmite, I was unsure about what it would taste like. But my word, it was amazing - not too strong and on a lovely brioche, was the perfect start.
Amuse-bouche: Mushroom velouté, mushroom crouton, BBQ mushrooms
I am also a fan of mushrooms so was happy that this was the amuse-bouche. The sauce was really nice. No complaints from me. Two down, five to go.
Starter: Pigeon breast with celeriac fondant, puree, toasted hazelnuts, sherry jus, blackberries and frizze
I've never eaten pigeon before so was not sure what to expect. It was very tender although I did think it was a little bit too creamy for a meat.
Fish: Herb crusted salmon, sauce vierge, pommes anna and samphire
This dish was stunning. I love salmon and could easily have had another one. As well as the marmite butter, this was my favourite course.
Main: Pork belly, pommes puree, choucroute, crackling, parsley oil, broad beans, jus
I love pork, but I must admit, this was a little bit too tough for my liking. The crackle was also very hard - I had to use my hands to bite into it. However, the pommes puree was really tasty.
Dessert: Apple parfait, mini doughnuts, apple puree and crème pat
To round off proceedings was the dessert consisting of some apple-flavoured mini doughnuts. By this stage, I was starting to feel a bit stuffed but I definitely had room. The doughnuts tasted more like cinnamon then apple but were very nice, and not too sugary.
My wife, who accompanied me, had the vegetarian options. That consisted of caramelised goats cheese, roasted beetroot, pickled beetroot, gastrique, hazelnuts, frizze and parsley oil for the starter; spinach and ricotta tortellini with sauce vierge and pea shoots instead of fish; and gnocchi, butternut squash puree, roasted butternut squash, chard, roasted chestnuts, pea shoots as the main.
Like myself, she was really impressed with each dish, although she did think that maybe one of the dishes could have been a non-cheese one.
Overall, you would be forgiven for thinking that you were in a Michelin-starred restaurant. There is a glass window in the kitchen so diners can see the students at work. The tables are well presented, and the bar is the perfect setting to enjoy a drink.
As well as the food and drink, the customer service is just as important in hospitality. I could not fault the students - they were attentive throughout the evening, never getting stressed, and always asked if everything was okay with our meal. The future certainly looks bright for them.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel