At the St John’s Chophouse
The other Chophouse in Cambridge – oft-frequented by my fellow anotherfoodbloggers – is always a good choice. It’s a bit off the centre-of-town track, so quieter, and has a garden for al-fresco dining.
On a summery Friday evening, we sat outside and picked the house rosé to drink with our meal. There was only one real option for the starter: I love sweetbreads! Whilst the smoked venison looked good, and the other options too, this rarest and most delicious of offals caught my eye straight away. It was good, well cooked, with broad beans and a dark salty sauce (including the odd salt crystal.)
The Chophouse’s suet puddings are the stuff of legend; I was drawn to one on the specials board – a “mini” suet pudding aimed as a starter. I topped it up to a main course with apple mash. So, what was it that caught my eye? The filling: squirrel and hazelnut. I’ve never had squirrel before; it was worth it! Dark and gamey, but very soft and tender. Delicious. My dining companion opted for the smoked pigeon breast salad with bacon for her main course – a Chophouse favourite and always good.
We had a little room left, and split the sticky toffee pudding. It was good, with just the right stickiness and the rich fruitiness that dates bring to the traditional recipe. The trap of too-many undercooked dates was duly avoided. Vanilla ice cream cut through the sweetness, but the sauce was a surprise. Sadly, as the sheen in the photo tells, it had split – the oils of the butter coming out of the sauce. Sad, really, but nothing a little brisk work with a fork couldn’t easily fix!