"Artisan cooking’ is how Steve Drake describes his stock-in-trade, the preparation done in small batches, with dishes cooked to order, but if ’artisan’ implies rustic, think again. There is considerable culinary flair in dishes."
"A large, solid and imposing three-storey, brick built Georgian building on the high street, Drake’s can’t fail to catch the eye, not least on account of the old clock above the entrance.
‘Artisan cooking’ is how Steve Drake describes his stock-in-trade, the preparation done in small batches, with dishes cooked to order. Small growers and suppliers furnish the kitchen, but if ’artisan’ implies rustic, think again. There is considerable culinary flair in dishes such as poached egg cleverly infused with creamed peas, served on casseroled ceps with a thin, crisp, mushroom flavoured biscuit, or sautéed foie gras paired with a purée of beans and apricots.
Quality materials show up in such main courses as John Dory, roasted and partnered by artichokes and a bulb of crisp baked garlic, all pointed up with a parsley and garlic sauce of high finesse.
Desserts see to have the X-factor too, if the combined intensity of an inspection dish involving rhubarb jelly and basil ice cream, and a layer of shortbread crumble, was anything to go by."
