Restaurants at home kits
Discussion
Just discovered this thread.
We had a Smokestak meal a month ago and that was pretty good but we said we could have easily just have had the meat from them and made the rest ourselves. There was plenty of it though and half the main (pulled pork and brisket) is now in the freezer for another day.
Today we took delivery of the latest Northcote 'spring gourmet box for two' so we'll be giving that a go tomorrow. There looks to be plenty of it but I'll try my best to finish it all off.
We had a Smokestak meal a month ago and that was pretty good but we said we could have easily just have had the meat from them and made the rest ourselves. There was plenty of it though and half the main (pulled pork and brisket) is now in the freezer for another day.
Today we took delivery of the latest Northcote 'spring gourmet box for two' so we'll be giving that a go tomorrow. There looks to be plenty of it but I'll try my best to finish it all off.
dapprman said:
By coincidence, there's a BBC article today which part covers the kits - Lisa Goodwin-Allen does say she got the idea from the last Great British Menu, where they adapted their courses for home finishing - can't remember which, but one of the other chefs was already producing these meals and had set up an industrial unit for that purpose which they used.
It was Tommy Banks, and I’ve just enjoyed one of his boxes tonight - https://tommybanks.co.uk/product-category/foodbox/This is the second we’ve had from him, and they are super simple to do. I’m a fan of cooking and been to both of his restaurants (Roots in York is excellent value for money for a Michelin starred tasting menu and we got there a few times a year) so it’s not surprise I like his boxes but they are well worth trying. They do sell out quickly though!
Greshamst said:
Really really nice food. Weirdly enough the soup was the favourite course, which is unusual for me.
All very easy to make. Hopefully can go eat at the actual restaurant in the not too distant future.
Oh and not knock a glass of red wine on to a light carpet at the end of the night
FurtiveFreddy said:
Today we took delivery of the latest Northcote 'spring gourmet box for two' so we'll be giving that a go tomorrow. There looks to be plenty of it but I'll try my best to finish it all off.
Hope you update the thread on your Northcote box, really interested to hear what you think of it compared to my experience.We got married at northcote the weekend before lockdown really hit. We did the chefs table on the Friday which was awesome and the wedding breakfast was mega on the Sat. We really want to go back so will be glad when it reopens.
We are trying a Simon rogan box (L’Enclume) next weekend. Hoping it’s good!
We are trying a Simon rogan box (L’Enclume) next weekend. Hoping it’s good!
dogz said:
We got married at northcote the weekend before lockdown really hit. We did the chefs table on the Friday which was awesome and the wedding breakfast was mega on the Sat. We really want to go back so will be glad when it reopens.
We are trying a Simon rogan box (L’Enclume) next weekend. Hoping it’s good!
L’enclume is our local top restaurant, still the best meals I’ve had worldwide-I’m reluctant to try it in case is sours the experience!We are trying a Simon rogan box (L’Enclume) next weekend. Hoping it’s good!
Simon’s a great guy, he regularly did a local food festival with a pop up restaurant where all the staff came from the local catering college.
Wherever it was you could just go into the open kitchen and ask what they were cooking and how they did it and generally have a chat.
He had a 911 back then (because PH!).
I get the impression from TGBM that he and Lisa get on quite well, we’re going to Northcote when things allow to compare.
Just to close off my Northcote experience, I did email them my thoughts on the valentines box and they refunded the cost of the food. I feel I owe them it back in return however so when we’re allowed I’m going to take the Mrs.
FurtiveFreddy said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Hope you update the thread on your Northcote box, really interested to hear what you think of it compared to my experience.
I've deliberately not read your review so I can be objective!We're having it tonight so I'll let you know.
Just remember every rack of lamb on Masterchef for your timings!
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Just remember every rack of lamb on Masterchef for your timings!
I used a thermometer, just to be sure...So, I still haven't read your review, but I will do after I've written this:
This is the Northcote 'Spring Gourmet Box for Two'.
Northcote Cheese Loaf with butter :
The loaf didn't look particularly spectactular when I unwrapped it, but once baked for a few minutes it was lovely. Really light texture inside and crisp cheesey crust. Yummy.
Free range Chicken Turnover with Piccalilli:
This arrived in perfect condition, was a nice colour out of the oven and held together very well. Chicken was tender and Picalilli was made well and not too vinegary. I'm sure the restaurant version would be a little more delicate, but it was a good version. Probably could have done with a bit more seasoning.
Lancashire Chowder, Morecambe Bay Shrimps, Potato, Leek Oil:
Now this was probably the closest to a dish you might be served at the restaurant. The chowder itself was velvety smooth and the accompaniments were perfect. Very nice indeed. Probably the best dish for me.
Roasted Rack of Lamb, Lamb Sausage, Young Leek, Sheep's Curd, Wild Garlic Pearl Barley:
Cooking the lamb. Nice piece of meat for sure:
Plated up:
I purposely followed the cooking instructions in the box to the letter for all courses just to make sure I wasn't going to influence how it all turned out.
The lamb itself was the best part of this course. 5 cutlets between 2 is a bit annoying though.
The instructions for cooking might have been a bit confusing for someone without much lamb rack experience.
It said to put the lamb in the oven for 18-20 minutes and then put the leek and sausage in for the "remaining 10 minutes". So some might take that to mean the lamb rack should stay in for a total of 28-30 minutes which would have taken it over.The sausage ended up a bit pale (nothing like the photo in the instructions) and would have benefited from a bit of colour in the pan first. In fact it probably would have been better just to fry it in the same pan I used to colour the rack. Anyhow, it was a perfectly decent sausage.
The leek, barley and curd were fine. The lamb sauce was a bit disappointing. No depth to it, could have done with more reducing but I think it then would have ended up too salty. It was more like a stock than a sauce if I'm honest.
The biggest problem with this dish was a lack of seasoning. Apart from the sausage, I'd would say nothing else was seasoned at all, especially not the lamb. Now there are some good reasons not to season a piece of meat too far ahead of cooking it, but if this was why they didn't, why not point that out somewhere? A big notice on the first page could say something like "We do not season raw ingredients, so feel free to do this yourself before cooking".
So not a bad course by any means, but it could have been improved with just a few small touches and better instructions.
Lemon Meringue Gateau, smashed Meringue, Runny Cream:
This is how it arrived.
Not quite well enough packed for the journey. On the plate:
Most of these boxed restaurant meals will have been modified in some way to last a bit longer than usual and survive the journey, so I expect more stabilisers to be added for instance, but with this gateau there was so much gelatin in the 'glaze' it was more like a plastic cover designed to be removed before eating! Other than that, the lemon filling was pleasant enough and the meringue shards were still crispy. The cream was a bit over whipped, or maybe was also stabilised so not what you'd call runny and was flavoured with thyme, which I found a bit overpowering. If I didn't know better I'd have said this dessert came from M&S rather than a Michelin-starred restaurant, but maybe the glaze is the real culprit here.
There were 4 chocolates also included but we ate them before I could take a photo. They were lovely.
In summary - These boxes aren't going to be (nor can they be) the same as if you were in the restaurant. But with better attention to seasoning and the instructions provided, they are a great way to have a near-restaurant quality meal at home with minimal prep.
OK now I'm going to read your review...
... So,
Instructions lacking - check
Meat sourcing good - check
Adding veg to main - that was also suggested in our menu but TBH we felt there was enough food there so didn't feel inclined to
Bland chicken & sauce - that seems a common theme. Lack of seasoning generally and a sauce they didn't actually spend much time on sounds very similar to our experience.
The bottom line is I think we both felt this wasn't Michelin-starred restaurant food, but how much of that is down to the compromises they would have made on modifying the courses to survive boxing and transportation is debateable.
We'll be trying another box from another restaurant soon, but I'd much rather by sitting in one TBH (a restaurant, not a box).
Had Vurger Co last night (Vegan burger company) - https://www.thevurgerco.com/
Really, really good - their 'bacon' for the Caesar salad was baked coconut crisps in paprika, lovely. Caesar salad is my favourite salad, and their vegan interpretation knocked it out of the park.
The burgers though, are available from Costco, and we already have in the freezer!
Really, really good - their 'bacon' for the Caesar salad was baked coconut crisps in paprika, lovely. Caesar salad is my favourite salad, and their vegan interpretation knocked it out of the park.
The burgers though, are available from Costco, and we already have in the freezer!
BobToc said:
thebraketester said:
We had the Dishoom Breakfast Naan this morning... Its a glorified bacon sandwich but it was very good.
Oh good lord, it is so so so good.Off to Clay's Kitchen in Reading tonight - highly rated by Jay Rayner for their kits, but we are eating in.
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