Lunch / £££ / 9/10

I asked my friends for a recommendation for a country lunch recently as I tend to stick with tried and tested places and one of them suggested Perkins. As soon as she said it I knew we’d go there, how could I have forgotten about it? Perkins has been a fabulous place to eat for decades, nestled in the South Nottinghamsire countryside it is part of the same chain that own Escabeche and Baresca tapas restaurants.

We were a large group spanning three generations, from under one to the retired. For starters The Northerner ordered the Crispy beef (beloved from Baresca and Escabeche) and I ordered the Haddock Smokie.

The Northerner said his beef could do with a bit more kick, maybe their customers prefer less heat than the WB and city dwellers. My Haddock smokie was a bubbling pot of rich, cheesy gratin with soft flaking fish pieces. It was so comforting and delicious I had to be prompted to share it when asked how it was. In my defence it was quite a small pot.

On to the main courses, there was lots of things I could have chosen as their menu hits the sweet spot of completely unpretentious classics. I went for a cottage pie, something I would never order unless I had a high level of confidence in the kitchen. It was the right choice, I was blown away by how tasty the gravy was under it’s potato duvet and the mash sat upon it firm and not running into the gravy as it can sometimes do make the whole thing a mushy mess. The vegetables were all cooked perfectly as well. I was getting full but couldn’t stop eating it.

The Northerner had Fish and Chips and it was another spectacular dish. As each of the main courses arrived it was an embarassment of riches and we had a very special lunch in the most understated way.

There is little to fault about Perkins, the building is beautiful and with the spring sun shining through the windows I felt a comforting glow of being in ‘good hands’. The food was the highlight of the experience and we went on to order puddings despite being full. The restaurant offer ‘Cafe Gourmand’ where you can try a small version of a dessert with your coffee. It is standard on most French menu’s but this is the first time I have seen it in the Uk and I wholeheartedly approve.

There is something about the restaurant that feels like taking a step back in time, the service can be a little formal, the menu has no ‘surprises’ but after being successful for so many years that should probably be the case. Perkins wears it’s age well and I won’t leave it as long to visit next time.

Family – Perkins offer a kids menu, have high chairs and were happy to let me feed my 9 month old the minute as we arrived (got to love a 12.01 lunchtime meltdown). The changing facilities are on the same floor as the restaurant and have a loo/mini sink in the same room. Being rural the restaurant is surrounded by fields of sheep which proved a great distraction when we decided to get puddings and the baby decided to KICK OFF.