Pop Up Restaurant at Woodfarm House – November 2013
This was the Blog Post for our Pop Up Restaurant in November 2013. There is now a new page all about what we are doing moving forward so check it out here.
The 2013 post:
Well, where do we start?
Probably with a quote from Jenny & Derek, two of our guests – “I wanted to say a very big thank you to you both for a superb meal. At the top of our list of really good food was the Orient Express and then Concorde, but they have been knocked off their pedestal!!”
Jenny ran out of superlatives as I delivered each course at our 2nd Pop Up event in November 2013, combining the very best in fine dining, with the rustic charm of our beautiful 500-year-old Suffolk farmhouse. We now have our next dinner services coming up on February 28th & Saturday 1st March, as well as Sunday lunch on March 2nd.
We are about to host another 7-course fine dining experience, along with a Canape’ & Bucks Fizz reception;
If you scroll down you can see the full run-down of the November 2013 event including photos and testimonials but first, here are the details of the forthcoming one:
Friday 28th February – Dinner – £55 pp
Saturday 1st March – Cookery Class including a light lunch made by you! – £65 pp
Saturday 1st March – Dinner – £55 pp
Sunday 2nd March – Lunch – £55 pp
Dinner & Sunday Lunch Menu
Amuse Bouche of
Smoked Hatfield Forest Venison, Horseradish Pannacotta
***
Suffolk Gold Cheese, Baby Pickled Vegetables, Spring Onion Chutney
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Blood Orange Marinated Carp Fillet, Shitake, Lemon Grass Shards, Soy Crisp
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Pink Champagne and Mint Sorbet
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Rare Breed Suffolk Pork Belly & Tenderloin, Rhubarb and Apple Crisp,
Ginger Foam
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Cardamom and Pistachio Ice Cream, Coffee infused Pear.
***
A selection of Suffolk Cheeses from the Earsham Street Deli, Bungay
***
Freshly Ground Coffee and Truffles
Part of the relaxed atmosphere is created by allowing our diners to bring their own wines, with NO corkage charge. This way we can offer a unique fine dining experience in a beautiful, atmospheric setting at a very reasonable cost.
We will also offer a small range of excellent wines that Mark can source and these will be available for you at or below retail prices;
Domaine Phillippe Raimbault Apud Sancerre 2011
Bottle £18.00 Glass £4.00
Alpha Domus Merlot 2010
Bottle £14.00 Glass £3.50
Rocheron Grenache Rose
Bottle £13.00 Glass £3.00
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
Bottle £40.00
*Some items may be subject to change due to market availability
To book a table:
Email; eat@woodfarmbarns.com
or call Carl on 07810 371218 or Mark on 07974 197430
So, this is what happened in November 2013……………
Michelin Star trained Chef Mark Peters had such a great time when we held Suffolk’s first Pop Up Restaurant in May 2013, that we decided to do it again. Despite an exhausting weekend we are now hooked and are planning on hosting more on a regular basis.
With our concept of fine dining in such a relaxed atmosphere at a very reasonable price, we had an immediate response and very quickly sold out the Friday and Saturday night. Sunday lunch was a more relaxed affair, nonetheless still very well attended with all tables full with couples rather than groups.
Sofas were removed the day before and replaced with antique tables and chairs to start getting ready. Mark arrived early on Friday morning with his sparkly new van, an advert on wheels!
We then spent all day preparing food and the two dining areas ahead of our guests’ arrival. Dead on 7.00 we found a long line of diners, drooling with anticipation, coming up the garden path. Literally!
A drinks reception in the long hall with Canapes and Prosecco soon had our ‘restaurant’ buzzing with conversation.
With Mark at the helm, assisted by the front-of-house team of Mark’s daughter Chloe and Mr Woodfarm Barns, Carl, the service went very well and plates were coming back very empty!
This was the dinner menu for both evenings;
Amuse Bouche of Beetroot consommé
Salad of local Bantams Egg, Serrano Ham, Apple Purée
Brightlingsea Seabass, Scallop, Point Clear Oyster, Pea and Tarragon Foam
Blood Orange Sorbet and Black Peppercorn Crisp
Cumin Spiced Local Duck, Smoked Water Melon, Black Garlic Potato Purée
Raspberry Vodka Jelly, White Chocolate Cream, Pistachio Sugar.
Freshly Ground Coffee and Truffles
At the end of the evening, we passed around a comments book, which was readily filled in! Here are a few of them;
Thank you for a wonderful evening. We fully enjoyed and appreciated the imagination that went into the menu. We particularly enjoyed the sea bass and oyster course. Sara & Karl
We have had a wonderful evening and particularly enjoyed the sea bass and blood orange sorbet. Anne & Alan
Delicious experience – thank you so much. Black garlic mash – yum! Beautiful setting, well worth another visit. Mary & Peter
What a fabulous night – fantastic food, great company and a beautiful setting. Thank you so much. Kathy
Lovely evening – fab food and beautiful setting. Kate
Thank you for making us feel so welcome. It’s like eating at home regarding hospitality. The thought process involved is each fresh, local course has been great! Thank you. Sam, Becky & Sophie
What a lovely meal we’ve had. A great selection of local produce, presented in a modern way. Thoroughly delicious. Helen, Peter, Tony & Angela
A very pleasant evening, lovely food, great atmosphere. We look forward to the next time. Kevin & Tracy
Really enjoyable evening, thank you. Fiona and Stuart
Saturday morning saw bleary, tired eyes and a mountain of clearing up!
Mark then held a fabulous Cookery Class in the farmhouse kitchen, which received phenomenal feedback. This included pasta making, filleting fish and how to smoke a chicken using hay and lavender! The eager students then sat down for lunch, enjoying the fruits of their labours.
Some feedback from the Cookery Class;
A beautiful lunch – I can’t believe we helped make it! – Angela
Informative, entertaining and fun day. Thank you for some great tips – Pete
Really enjoyed the cookery course – thank you Mark. An opportunity to try techniques I wouldn’t have done at home – filleting fish and making pasta – Mark (not the Chef!)
I can’t think of a better way to spend a few hours on a Saturday. This was my first cookery course experience. Very enjoyable, thank you – Jo
Saturday evening saw the same menu served to the same level of approval, the same empty plates and more praise;
Thanks for the warm welcome and delicious food, we will be back! We liked the principle of a set menu and liked everything on it. Imaginative combinations such as apple with the ham, duck with smoked water melon (a first for us) and raspberry coulis to offset the sweetness of the white chocolate cream – Chris & Caroline
Thank you, it was delicious. The flavours worked very well together and all in a friendly atmosphere – Tim
Wonderful food and setting. An absolute pleasure to be part of such a unique culinary experience – Alex & Paul
The best food ever! Relaxed, rustic country setting, combined with amazing food ideas, perfectly executed. Thank you so much for letting us in on it. Don’t tell too many people! – Doreen & Stephen
I had promised Mark that I wouldn’t mention the little incident known by us as ‘Pesto-gate’. But I lied. It’s amazing how slippery a tiled floor can be with just half a dozen drops of pesto on it. Having spilt those little drops, I immediately set to clearing them up with detergent, only to have Mark walk back over them whilst my back was turned for a split second. If anyone wants to know what a chef looks like in slow motion as he goes flying backwards whilst simultaneously covering himself from head to toe in green pesto, then just ask me, I have a very clear picture in my head!
Despite this, we had enough pesto left to ensure our diners were unaware! Until now of course. Oops!
Sunday morning arrived to the realisation that we had to do it all again. A change of menu now to these delights;
The Amuse Bouche of Beetroot consommé again
Salad of Blythburgh Pork Belly, Green Apple Ice and Five Spice
Salmon Fillet, Teriyaki Glazed Brule’ and Micro Coriander
Pink Grapefruit Sorbet float in Ginger Cordial
Seared Fillet Steak, Wild Mushroom Cannelloni and Rocket Puree’
Dark Chocolate Mousse, Lemongrass and Mango Textures
Freshly Ground Coffee and Truffles
Again, all extremely well received to glowing comments, guests lost for superlatives and again, empty plates like this. I did say empty!
Feedback from Sunday lunch;
Best food ever!! – Marcel
Excellent food, most enjoyable, thank you – Ian
What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday! Superb food. I can honestly say I haven’t enjoyed a meal so much as your lovely lunch. We both look forward to coming again next year – Jenny & Derek
Fantastic food! Couldn’t fault anything! Would definitely recommend to all – David & Kim
To book a table for the forthcoming event;
Email; eat@woodfarmbarns.com
or call Carl on 07810 371218 or Mark on 07974 197430
