Fish and local game night at The Nettle

The Nettle does themed food nights every couple of months but we have not previously been to one.  But when we saw that they were doing a fish and game night while Ian was with us, we just had to book!

We got there at 7, just in time for a nice glass of wine before starting dinner.

And oh boy - what a dinner it was!

We started with a sharing platter with smoked mackerel, various game terrines and pates, and some very rare pigeon breast, together with salads, chutneys and a chilli foam, plus a huge bowl of steaming garlic mussels.  And then we got another bowl of steaming garlic mussels, rejected by another table!

I have never had pigeon before.  I had a VERY small, tentative taste.  I have to say - it tastes remarkably like rare roast beef.  I think I might have cooked it a bit more but it was extremely tasty

A pause

Then we were summoned to the carvery, where we found serving bowls filled with sea trout, salmon in a ginger and sweet chilli sauce, braised rabbit and roast partridge breast, roasted pheasant, braised venison, parsnip chips and boiled potato slices in cream.  There was a wild mushroom combination under the partridge, and various vegetably treats with the other meats.  But mostly, it has to be said, it was a protein feast!

I haven't had pheasant before.  I quite liked it.  But I did prefer the partridge.  The salmon was exceptionally delicious!

And to finish we had a cheese platter with lots and lots of different cheeses.  I know that some of them were local - I recognised them.  Not sure if they were all locally produced though.

And with this we had white wine and then red wine and Ian and The Builder finished up with coffee.  And then suddenly we were all extremely full indeed - and all the other diners had gone home!!!  The Builder drove us home and then had a well-earned "I've finished driving for the evening now" extra glass of wine.

Alas - I forgot to take my camera and it was too dimly lit for my iPhone to cope. So no photos for you to drool over!!

I wonder what their next theme will be.  Must keep a close eye open!