The Machine House – An engine that delivers outstanding flavour #Review
Gaile Wundke
27th October 2016
When Taste Cheshire were invited to review The Machine House in Rossett, we were delighted to accept, particularly after a friend of ours who currently works for a Michelin starred chef, said, after a recent meal there, that it was the best food she had ever eaten – praise indeed!! Chef Du Patron, Kevin Lynn has a fine pedigree, having worked for Raymond Blanc and David Cavalier, before going on to become Executive Head chef of the Belle Époque in Knutsford where he achieved 2 AA Rosettes and was entered into the Michelin Guide. Kevin only uses locally sourced foods, which means that his menus, which carry a sea meets land ethos, change with the seasons
Kevin also makes all his own breads, butters, ice creams and sorbets as well as stocks and marinades. He sources his rare breed, free range meat from local Welsh Farms, wheat from Cheshire fields is ground at the local water mill, seafood comes from Anglesey day boats and cheese is supplied from Welsh Farms. Now that’s how to use local produce.
For those who are unfamiliar with Rossett, it is a pretty village just a few miles from the centre of Chester and The Machine House is located just off the main road and has the benefit of a private car park. The building is accessed across a courtyard and once through the door, you are immediately welcomed by the warm glow of candles, tea lights and fairy lights. The main restaurant area is upstairs, although there is a small amount of seating in the bar area and also a private room, which I imagine could be booked for parties etc.
The building is old with attractive exposed brick walls, dark wood panelling and beamed ceilings. At the top of the stairs leading to the restaurant is a sign with the words ‘service with a smile’ and our waitress and Kevin’s daughter, Jessica certainly did just that!
Apart from the A la Carte, Lunch and Tasting Menus, there are a number of offers available. Currently during October and November these are, Wine and Dine Wednesdays (2 courses from the set menu with a complimentary bottle of house wine for £28.00pp) Taste of Thursdays (6 course Tasting Menu, £35.00pp) and Early Bird (Tuesday to Friday, 5.30pm – 7.30pm, 2 courses £18.50pp or 3 courses £22.50pp). Christmas menus are also currently available to view on the website www.machinehouse.co.uk
Kevin had asked that we try his six course tasting menu and naturally we were more than happy to oblige. Our drinks were served with a small bowl of popcorn, unusually flavoured with lamb fat and rosemary salt. It was absolutely delicious and really whetted our appetites for what was to come.
The first course was simply described as Snacks, quirkily presented in a wooden box, filled with large pebbles. They were, Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese Meringue, Fish Skin, Crab Emulsion & Squid Ink and Crispy Chicken Skin & Onion Puree. The perfectly made meringues were bright beetroot pink and literally melted in the mouth to reveal a hit of Goat’s cheese in the centre, the fish skin with crab emulsion and squid ink was packed with fishy flavour and the crispy chicken skin and onion puree delivered the most delicious combination of flavours and was my personal favourite!
Taste buds well and truly tantalised, we were then presented with some of Kevin’s homemade bread and flavoured butters. The breads were farmhouse and rye and the butters, plain, seaweed and smoked, there was also a dish of pine oil. The bread was excellent, but the real stars were the homemade butters, particularly the seaweed which had such an amazing flavour of the sea and if Kevin ever decides to upscale and make enough to sell, I shall be first in the queue.
It may have been Kevin’s plan to make the seaweed butter stand out as course number three was the fish course Cornish Plaice Fillet, Mussels, Cauliflower and Quails Egg. I would describe the cut of plaice as a Tranche as it was quite a thick slice which is achieved by cutting across the fillet at an angle, to expose more surface area and achieve a thicker piece, it was accompanied by half a quails egg with a molten centre, juicy mussels and a beautifully smooth cauliflower puree. It was a simple dish with just a few ingredients, but the simplicity was what made it so good, there was nowhere for anything to hide, it was just a very good, well-cooked, plate of food.
Course four was quite possibly my favourite, Chestnut Mushrooms, Mushroom Ketchup, Kale, Llangofflan Emulsion & Mushroom Broth. I love mushrooms and the depth of flavour achieved in this dish was outstanding. The ‘meatiness’ of the chestnut mushrooms was intensified by the mushroom ketchup, the crispy kale adding colour and texture and the Llangofflan (a Welsh cheese) Emulsion adding a creamy sharpness. The whole thing was brought together however by the most delicious mushroom broth. It was rich and silky and the sort of thing that you would crave if you were feeling off colour and in need of something restorative!
Our penultimate dish was Rump of Welsh Lamb, Burnt Cabbage, Braised Cabbage & Cockles. Apart from the fact that the charring on the cabbage gave such great flavour and the cockles provided a salty sharpness that cut through the richness of the dish, the lamb was just sublime. It was as pink as you could possibly cook lamb without it being underdone which resulted in the softest, most delicious piece of lamb that any of us had ever eaten. It cut like butter and was so soft that if you were short of a few teeth, it would matter not! A triumph!
Sadly, and like with all good things, our meal was now almost at an end, but not before we had sampled dessert. This final course was Liquid Brioche, Poached Pear & Honeycomb. The liquid brioche was the lightest of mousses with the most delicious butterscotch flavour, the honeycomb adding crunch and a slight bitterness and the pear, a lovely fruity contrast to the sweetness of the mousse. Unlike many desserts which are just too heavy at the end of a meal, this was light as a feather but rich with flavour and was the perfect conclusion to an exceptional menu.
Kevin Lynn is clearly a very talented chef, he knows what works together on a plate, but more importantly, he produces plates of food that are a pleasure to eat. I was really looking forward to eating at The Machine House and to say I wasn’t disappointed is an understatement. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I asked Kevin if I might be allowed to spend a day with him in the kitchen sometime! The Machine House really is a special place, I’d even go as far as to say that it’s a jewel in Rossett’s crown, a jewel that I’m absolutely sure will become a firm favourite with all who visit.