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Thursday, March 5, 2015 www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk
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No. 3 The Yard, Ironmonger Street, Stamford tel 01780 756 080 www.no3theyard.co.uk @No3TheYard www.facebook.com/no3theyard
Somethings never change
A Yardstick
to measure
good food by
By Brad Barnes
[email protected]
follow me on twitter @PTbradbarnes
W
ell, today’s venue
has new owners,
new name and
new emphasis on
the menu from
the last time I visited, but thankfully one thing
hasn’t changed: the food is as
good as ever.
It’s a good year or more
since I last ate at what we now
call No3 The Yard, a little oasis
hidden away in a courtyard
off the pedestrianised Ironmonger Street (between High
Street and Broad Street).
But it was the first time
under the stewardship of owners Simon McEnery and chef
Tim Luff, who enjoyed a stint
in the kitchen while it was still
known as Jim’s Yard.
Expectations were high the place has long enjoyed a
good reputation (and a Michelin Bib Gourmand rating) and I
doubted that would be allowed
to slip.
I was right. For starters
it is a lovely little venue - the
ground floor eating area is cosy (still plenty of room for our
baby buggy) in a stone-built
conservatory looking out onto
the delightful patio area.
There’s no draught beer,
but a decent selection of bottles and a good wine list.
At lunchtime there is a set
menu - three courses for a very
reasonable £17.50) - or you can
go a la carte.
Despite the limited choice
on the set menu (which is not
unusual) I quickly came up
with a great combination:
Chicken liver parfait, chutney
and toasted brioche; Confit
duck, chorizo and tomato cas-
soulet and braised red cabbage; raspberry cranachan - in
my mind a lovely, light lunch
with a cold bottle of Peroni to
wash it down.
Of course, all that went out
of the window when I saw the
specials board and my eyes
lit up.
So Plan B saw me back on
the main menu and a smoked
haddock chowder with queen
scallops starter.
It’s something I have had in
Loch Fyne and really enjoyed.
This, however, was on another
level.
The rich creamy taste is irresistible, and with big meaty
chunks of wonderful tasty
smoked haddock and soft
pieces of scallop it was a pure
delight.
Donna, meanwhile, treated
herself to the tempura battered king prawns that were as
delicious as they were strange
looking - they come with everything attached. Nice and
meaty with a light, crisp batter
they were served with a spicy
little chili and ginger mayonnaise. Her only complaint was
she needed a finger bowl afterwards, rather than use her
napkin.
Next up (from the specials)
came my braised Highland
oxtail, with root veg mash and
buttered curly kale.
It is not the most elegant
dish, but the meat, soft and
tasty, came off the bone easily
enough. The mash was incredibly moreish and even when
the going got tough - this was
one rich dish on top of my
starter - I couldn’t resist finishing it. Luckily the kale added a new texture and flavour as
way of contrast.
Main course for Donna was
a generous serving of coconut breaded, day boat pollock
The charming entrance to No3 The Yard in Stamford.
LUNCH SET MENU
The tempura battered king prawns
Service was spot
on and food superb
in what remains a
lovely little bolthole
in Stamford
goujons.
They smelled good and
tasted great - soft, flaky fish
and a yummy, crunchy coating. There was bags of flavour
too in the lovely curried lentils and the yogurt and mint,
which she would have preferred served separately.
My only gripe: our main
course came out too soon after our starters - meaning we
were too stuffed for desserts
and in and out within an hour.
Nevertheless the service
was spot on and the food superb in what remains a lovely
little bolthole in Stamford.
BRAD’S
RATING:
(out of 10)
9
MENU HIGHLIGHTS
STARTERS
Butternut squash and sweet
potato soup, croutons.
Chicken liver parfait, chutney and
toasted brioche.
MAINS
Pan fried salmon, pea, mint and
goats cheese risotto.
Confit duck, chorizo and tomato
cassoulet with braised red cabbage.
DESSERTS
Raspberry cranachan .
Milk chocolate brulee and homemade shortbread.
(2 courses £14.50/ 3 courses
£17.50)
LUNCH MAIN MENU
Coconut breaded, day
boat pollock
Smoked haddock
chowder
“They smelled
good and tasted
great”
“The rich
creamy taste is
irresistible”
STARTERS
Manchego and sunblush tomato
potato cake, with balsamic salad...
................................................ £7.50
Ham hock and foie gras terrine,
toasted brioche, grape and apple
chutney................................. £8.50
Smoked sprats, pickled red cabbage, lemon and garlic mayonnaise ..................................... £6.50
MAIN COURSES
Pan fried sea bass, buttered
mash, spinach, lobster and prawn
bisque sauce ........................£17.50
Mediterranean vegetable goats
cheese lasagne, garlic bread and
mixed leaf salad.........................£13
Roast duck breast, sweet potato
pomme anna, honey roast carrots, beetroot, crispy kale . .£17.50
67