The Pack Horse

"I live about 20 mins in a car from here, a lovely drive over the Derbyshire dales, and I only went for the first time in January this year when my son took me there for my birthday. His mate who had been head chef at Hispi was working there as a sous for a bit of a rest and had suggested it. Wow. It's a pub, which if the last time I went two Sundays ago is anything to go by, is full of walkers. And you can be eating in the pub if it's full, although the dining room next to the pass is more secluded from the melee. But the food is extraordinary. On a Sunday they serve traditional Sunday roast mains with veggies and a huge yorkshire, which meets the demand, and one or two other mains from the usual menu. The starters and puds are as per. My companion had beetroot in an ajo blanco as a starter, which was delicious, and I had the glazed breast of lamb, which looked more like a slice of dark chocolate. It was unctuous and I will kill to get the recipe. Then She had the roast pork, which was entirely up to snuff for Sunday lunch, and I had the hake, which was much more than that. A revelation, really, in a superb sauce. The extra chips were ok. The salted caramel tart had gone so she had the creme brulee which was exactly on point, a fine thin shell over a very creamy almost mousse, and I had the orange and olive oil cake, which was very light and friable, when it can be a bit claggy. She had beer, I had house red, and it was all delicious. We will be back, but probably not on Sunday lunch. The chef seems to have changed since it was last reviewed, the chap we met was called Paul. "