What’s on the Docket for today? Dinner. #Blog

Victoria Hayes
5th October 2020

A Docket. What is it? Well, its piece of paper describing something that’s been ordered. It is quite literally the communication between the front and back of house in a restaurant. Docket no. 33 is literally the connection between husband and wife team of Front of House Frances and Chef Stuart Collins.

Even the very location of Docket no.33 is in it’s own way a Docket, located literally at the middle point between the couple’s original homes. Docket no. 33 is a beautifully atmospheric, cosy place, and is now the home of this fabulous foodie couple’s dreamy restaurant.

Briony and I have been fortunate enough to eat Stuart’s food at both his sadly now closed Chester venue and at the South and West Cheshire Colleges where he encourages and develops the next generation of chefs, he never fails to blow us away with the most imaginative, delicious and beautiful food.

Stuart creates dishes that we have literally obsessed over, discussed for weeks afterwards and get excited about all over again when we see them. For two people who by job function and desire eat out a lot, anything with his name on sets off a spark of excitement.

When it comes to drinks, the wines are impeccably paired by Francis plus  she has a fabulous cocktail selection that is second to none. It is beyond difficult to find fault with this venue, the décor is stylish and interesting, featuring stunning statement wall art by a local artist and the staff are without exception delightful, attentive and knowledgeable. 

This is a team that is truly passionate about what they do and how they present it and I defy you to not find their passion infectious.

So off we popped this Friday night, to Docket No.33, It was a nice easy journey which gave us just enough time to discuss our hosts and what we were looking forward to.

Based on Whitchurch High Street, it’s easy to find Docket no.33, although if you are ever early for your booking, as we were, we thoroughly recommend the lovely little wine bar Luke’s, just across the road for a lovely drink before hand.

Every one eating at Docket No.33 at the moment is eating their Tasting Menu. You get to eat EVERYTHING on the menu, it just keeps coming and you can go for their wine selections or choose your own.

The tasting menu is very cleverly put together and if you go for the accompanying wine flight, you will not be disappointed. Both the tasting menu on its own at £55 per person and the paired alcoholic drinks at £30 per person are terrific value for money.

We began with a cocktail, for me and a mocktail for the driver! She was super happy with her mocktail though as it was the first time we’ve been somewhere that really gave us the same drink, just one with booze and one without. It was fruity, delicious and as you can see Briony was very happy with it!

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We began with “Snacks” – hardly the fitting term except it suppose if you we referring to the size. Firstly the incredibly soft and fluffy chickpea chips with smoked garlic custard. If you know me, you know how much I rave about Stuart’s garlic custard. If he could bottle the stuff he would be a billionaire by now.

Add to this the delicious Cod skin with Taramasalata, which was crispy, creamy, salty and moreish and I was already in heaven only two mouthfuls in.

Freedom Four Beer Bread with salty delicious Appleby’s Butter. Never have two people been so obsessed with bread and butter as Briony and I in Docket. The bread is handmade on site and utilises a local beer, we love it’s crispy crust, its fluffy texture, we even love the way they brought it to the table. Nothing in this restaurant is over looked or taken for granted. Every moment is part of the experience and it is perfect.

Pan Roasted Quail with globe artichoke, Girolle a la Grecque. black truffle egg yolk

The quail was perfectly cooked with the rich umami flavour from the truffle. The vinegary mushroom was the perfect foil for the rich artichoke.

Paired with Cicada Blanc by Chante Cigale, this wine was dripping with tropical notes and unoaked despite being predominantly a Viognier, seriously easy drinking.

Beetroot cured Fjord trout with candy beetroot, shallot confit, baked potato jelly

Baked potato jelly…Don’t Docket til you try it! What a dish. This may be the best thing I’ve eaten all year.

Fresh, colourful, a mixture of textures with the jelly offset by popped wild rice, decorated beautifully with Nasturtiums from Felix’s garden, a local supplier. 

Weingut Diwald Gruner Veltiner Gosing was the suggested wine. It’s intense and classically Grüner Veltliner, crisp and fruity with lively acidity and spice. Just zingy enough to pair with this bowl of fresh heaven. I could eat this every day and we have not stopped talking about it since….Actually I could eat this right now.

The amazing thing about this tasting menu is the variety, every dish so different from the previous but each so intricate and exciting, all your senses are engaged throughout.

Next up, Lamp rump, with cauliflower, golden raisin, cumin and coriander paired so well with the fresh, fruity tones of Nieto Senetiner Malbec DOC 2015.

The rump so succulent and pink and the cauliflower puree so earthy was in danger of being a little too rich, but I thoroughly enjoyed the “surprise”  mini cauliflower beignets, breaking up the texture.

The accompanying Malbec had a juicy fruit palate and a long persistent finish. Lots of blackcurrant, plums and figs. Supported with a little spicy and vanilla. Just robust enough to cope with the earthiness of this dish and a hint of sweetness to support the lamb.

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The Selection of local cheeses is an optional course with a small extra cost but absolutely worth it. We had Shropshire Blue, pearl Las and cheese with a cider rind with tomato jam, candied walnut and home made crackers one with fennel seeds, one with sea salt, one wit poppy seed.

On to the sweeter side, the Green Apple Jelly with caramel custard, cider granite, and Apple Jack espuma was a taste explosion in your mouth, a light, freshy and fruity flavour bomb. In this case, you could absolutely be forgiven for licking the bowl…even in polite company.

Menade Organic Verdejo 2019 was the suggested wine and with it’s white peach and herbal characters, balanced by crisp acidity and minerality, it went beautifully, the lightest of touches with this floaty light sweet.

This was followed by the stunning chocolate finale of Dark Chocolate & nougatine bar with hazelnut and feuillantine.

Paired with the Domaine Fiumicicoli Muscateddu served beautifully chilled. The wine was exciting, naturally sweet and full of red berries and plum tones which offset the rich, dark chocolate. 

This was quite the end to a phenomenally delicious evening.

Plates were scraped clean, glasses wrung dry of every drop and despite being totally full and ready to roll home, we could not wait to do it all over again.

Docket no. 33 is a truly wonderful experience from start to finish.

Bookings are now open until the new year with limited availability. To book your table visit their website www.docketrestaurant.com.