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The Rat Inn, Anick, Northumberland
Apr 4 2008 by Geoff Laws, The Journal
THE Green Room was a top-notch restaurant. When I heard it had closed, I regretted not going there more often, then, joy of joys, the grapevine stretched its tendrils my way and told me The Rat at Anick near Hexham in Northumberland had been taken over by none other than the people from the GR.
This is when delayed gratification kicked in. It’s my policy not to rush to a new restaurant because it’s either finding its feet or pulling out all the stops to make a big impression and neither is a true representation of what it’s really like. I wait my time, give it a few months and then slide in when things have either settled in or calmed down.
Even though I was confident the expertise Phil Mason and Karen Errington had shown at GR would be easily transplanted to The Rat, I bided my time before booking a table. Now there’s a test of maturity!
The rewards were well worth the wait because I can tell you that what is run of the mill for the Rat is exceptionally good for us.
It shone from the beginning. My roasted tomato, red onion and hot goats’ cheese salad came with a balsamic dressing. The sweetly softened tomato halves were covered with a cuffed slice of melted cheese, gently melding with the purple onion and glazed salad leaves. Each ingredient was a delicious flavour layer.
My companion’s cream of mushroom soup, a mini-tureen of densely creamy mushroom, had tiny French mustard croutons floating on the surface. Hunky chunks of seed-crusted bread made this a very filling starter. Stamina was needed to manage the main course and beyond.
There are certain test dishes for a chef and producing a good steak is one of them. It may sound simple, but knowing how hot to have the surface and when to stop the cooking is a matter of fine timing and Phil had it just right. My pepper fillet steak, locally produced by the renowned Mr Tom Stephenson, had been spice spiked and reverentially cooked to medium-rare perfection.
Proper chips, like a golden log-pile, mounded up against the immaculate meat, with roasted tomatoes and watercress making a brave effort to balance up the fats. Once in a while, and with food this good, it doesn’t hurt to throw cholesterol caution to the wind and eat heartily!
My companion’s sage and onion risotto, with pan-fried pigeon breast, showed Phil’s subtle side. His blending of hazy sage and soft onion in the creamy sauce beautifully matched the texture and flavour of the rare pigeon breast fanned across the bowl. Cutting through the meat released a trickle of juices that mixed with the risotto, linking the elements.
Desserts continued the delight as we strode through the final furlong. My steamed treacle sponge with treacle sauce was a desperately indulgent wedge of foamy sponge saturated with syrup. My companion’s blueberry and apple crème brulée was smooth and slightly fluid, but firm enough to hug the fruit firmly and hold the thick sugar crunch of the brulée.
The desserts’ local tag is that they’re made on the premises and, if we’re counting food miles, you can’t get more local than that!
So now I’ve been there, tasted how good it is and seen how much more there is on the menu, I shan’t be biding any time before going back.
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