Bennetts Hill’s Pint Shop burst on to the city’s food and drink scene late last year and is fast making a name for itself. Serving an incredible selection of craft beers from small breweries across the UK and a tasty seasonal menu from head chef Mark Walsh, dluxe went along to try their spring food offerings for ourselves.
Make your way past the bustling bar to the restaurant upstairs and you’re in for a treat. Moody and intimate with an open kitchen (I do love watching chefs at work and so this was perfect) we ordered our drinks of a Brummie G & T and one of the craft ales and looked at what to order off the new menu. Choosing was hard! Being a seafood lover, I went for Coal Cured Loch Duat Salmon with lime dressing and crispy seaweed while my partner went for the Warm Rillette Of Duck & Chicken, Pickled Veg and Sourdough.
Both looked gorgeous and tasted wonderful. The salmon was thinly sliced and I loved the lime as opposed to the usual lemon with the seaweed adding a welcome crispy texture to the dish. The Duck & Chicken was just as good, the duck was particularly full of flavour and the pickled veg crunchy and tangy. The addition of the sourdough was perfect to mop up the remaining amazing flavours.
Plates cleared and on to the mains. Feeling fishy I went for Whole Grilled Plaice, Cockle, New Potato with Parsley and Brown Butter whilst my partner went for Lamb Leg Steak on the Bone with Green Pea Cassolette. We ordered additional sides of Buttered Kale and Cheese and Onion Chips with Salt Beef Ends. My plaice was cooked beautifully and fell off the bone. I loved the little cockles and the buttery new potatoes were wonderful. The lamb steak was another big hit! Cooked to perfection, the lamb was juicy and tender and we loved the pea cassolette. Now we come to the sides. We are both big fans of kale and for some reason, never cooked it in butter. We certainly will be now as it was delicious. The real star side was the cheese and onion chip with beef ends! They were an absolute winner.
As puddings use a separate stomach, we found room! I went for the Caramelised Apple, Walnut Sponge Tart with Roasted Cinnamon Ice Cream and my partner went for a Chocolate Knickerbocker Glory. My apple tart was lovely and the walnuts really shone in this alternative frangipane based dessert. The Knickerblocker glory disappeared in a flash, so I think we can safely say, it was a huge hit too.
Pint shop offers a contemporary take on some great British classics and the new spring menu is brimming with things we can’t wait to try (the onion bhaji scotch egg’s are apparently amazing!) We are definitely eager to go back and with a lunch menu featuring all dishes under £10, I don’t think it’ll be long until we do!
