The Carden Arms – Especially, uniquely, Cheshire #Review
Stephen Wundke
7th November 2018
We decided to visit the Carden Arms, we had heard good things but hadn’t eaten there and we love to get out in the countryside wherever possible on the lookout for special places that you all need guiding to. With that in mind we set about our journey to the village of Carden/Tilston.
Carden is right smack in the middle of the Malpas triangle, if don’t know, this an area of a convergence of “ley lines”, according to John Bourne, local Master Cheesemaker, where the soil and climate create the most special, magical flavours, be it milk, cheese, beef, lamb or vegetables. It’s where the Veg Men have their poly-tunnels to supply to the Chefs Table, and it’s where God intended his private garden to be placed, or something like that, according to John, not the disciple, the cheesemaker and they are blessed as you know.
For those who haven’t been before, the village sits at the back of the impressive Carden Park Hotel and Golf courses and the leafy tree arched roads that deliver you to this fabulous pub make the entrance in, as special as the experience. This is a must visit if for nothing else, the scenery that surrounds it.
From the outside the Carden Arms, which like all good pubs, is situated as the village centrepiece, looks like most others. A lovely white building with great outdoor seating and a generous car park that overlooks the surrounding fields. As you enter we were struck buy both the village and the pubs decoration and recognition of the up-coming Remembrance Day. You don’t find many places that truly honour our fallen heroes of the past and both village and pub are united behind our forces. The pub décor is a homage to the past as well, with proper wooden tables sanded back and spindle chairs with cushions, a fire raged and dogs greeted us, with people enjoying both coffees and a tipple in the snug rooms and bars. We went through to the restaurant area and I reluctantly use that word; to explain it was an area more dedicated to eating than the rest of the areas but I wouldn’t want you to think it was a dedicated restaurant, it was just a very nice area where more people sit to enjoy food and slightly away from the bar. It still felt like a pub and not a pub trying to be something it wasn’t. There were various notices about the food and wine on blackboards and it was evident from the humour and language that this was run by people who care and as we contemplated our menu it became apparent we were somewhere unique. I couldn’t recall one place I had been in the last 10 years that was anything like this.
We decided upon the The Taste of Tilston menu which is a set menu where you get 3 choices per course of local produce for just £10 for 2 courses. Being as we are Taste Cheshire one thing that instantly impressed us both was the leaflet on the table that proudly showed their local suppliers and told a little about them. They don’t just talk about local produce, they live it. Our Manageress Becky had to leave half way through lunch and apologised because she also works on the farm that supplies all the beef and the Vet had just rung to say he was there to tell them which of their cows was pregnant and what the numbers of calves would be next spring. Gaile said it was delightfully like we had been put in the set of the Archers – Cheshire style. What was even better was the hand made crisps to tide us through until our food arrived, they arrived in a white paper bag with a small pot of sea salt and rosemary. We put the salt in to the bag and shook them and then ate these delightful morsels. These are one of the more popular bar snacks and I can understand why, a nice touch and lovely start to our meal.
Gaile chose as her starter, Smoked Mackerel, horseradish mayonnaise, beetroot and confit tomatoes. It looked pretty on the plate and ate exactly as it described. Her only criticism was she might have liked a little more, which is surely a good thing!!. My starter was the Broccoli and John Bourne’s Blue Cheese, soup which was sublime. The freshness and hit of the broccoli when you first taste it, the seasoned bit as you swallow and then the salty rich finish of that delightful blue cheese. It was added to by the best multi-seed bloomer I have had, a big chunk of it from Huxley’s the Malpas bakers, fabulous.
Gaile chose another of the starters for her main and this was a parfait of homemade chicken livers, homemade plum chutney and some toasted multi-seed. It was soft and well made and perhaps lacked a little punch but the plum chutney was gorgeous.
My main was the Penylan Pork belly. We know Mike from Penylan and we know the effort he goes to rear outstanding meat but would the chef be able to make the most of it? He did. It had clearly been slowly braised for quite some time as the connective tissue and fat had all rendered down without drying the meat. It was moist, it was soft and it really had the most beautiful flavour, chef and producer working in harmony. Wonderful. The deep jus and apple sauce were terrific as was the greens and leeks, with the mash just having a hint of celeriac run through it. This was a quality main course.
It was a unique experience visiting the Carden Arms and one where the journey is as much a pleasure as arriving and experiencing the wonderful charm of this lovely pub. We asked to have a look at the bedrooms and felt they were just as lovely and cared for as the rest of the pub. I needed explaining what a Song and Supper room was, so they took me to this amazing private dining room that seats 12 comfortably with a little break out room and absolutely ideal for a family occasion. I loved it. This pub became tardis like. Bedrooms, private dining, snugs, outdoor pizza oven. Just so much to offer and so thoughtfully done. If you only visit one place for the rest of this year then The Carden Arms is a must. Taste Cheshire at its best.
Ratings:
Service 9/10 Ambience and Setting 10/10 Food 8/10 Value for Money 9/10 Total Score: 36/40
Carden Arms
Church Road, Tilston, Malpas, SY14 7HB
A charming classic English country inn located in Tilston, Cheshire.
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