11 minute read
DINING OUT Enjoying international cuisine in Oakham at a bigger and better Orbis, now on Mill Street.
International Dining at ORBIS in OAKHAM
Jonathan Spencer and his team have already made a huge success establishing the Orbis brand in both Rutland and Stamford. Now, having outgrown their Oakham premises, the restaurant has reopened on the town’s Mill Street, providing international dining with a true sense of style...
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Words & Images: Rob Davis.
If there was a worse time to launch a new restaurant than just before lockdown, we can’t recall it. Jonathan Spencer and the team opened the doors to Orbis in Oakham about a month and a half before the pandemic when, of course, all restaurants and pubs were ordered to close. It was grossly unfair not just on the trade, but on the public, many of whom who had to wait months to sample the very small, but perfectly formed Orbis and its 35 or so covers in its original Church Street premises. The aim was to provide dishes with a range of international influences unconstrained by the need to stick authentically to one country or paradigm. Furthermore, Orbis was founded upon a ‘sharing dishes’ concept, enabling diners to pick several dishes and enjoy slightly smaller plates with more substantial flavours and clever presentation. It was an ethos that proved popular and Orbis soon outgrew its original premises. Whilst looking around for a new home in Oakham, Jonathan also moved into the premises occupied by Stamford-based Japanese fusion restaurant previously known as Hoppi Dorri and now known as Orbis Stamford which retains a sushi-based menu served on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and as a takeaway option. Stamford’s Orbis opened last year and has enjoyed similar success to Jonathan’s original restaurant with Head Chef Omar Palazzolo leading the brigade over there. And in October, Jonathan also secured new premises on Oakham’s Mill Street into which he has relocated Orbis, providing much more space, private dining rooms and in the basement a new Champagne, cocktail and wine bar branded Blue Pearl.
Situated in the building previously occupied by The Mill Street Pub & Kitchen, which closed in 2018, Orbis feels much more modern and upmarket. Little surprise; the place had all of its core work – electrical, ventilation and kitchen infrastructure – in place meaning Jonathan could concentrate on introducing new cooking equipment for his team to use and on designing a stunning looking restaurant. The building, which is Grade II listed and dates back to the late 18th century, has been treated to a full redesign. The front reception bar provides a place for daytime dining and to the right hand side it gives way to two private dining rooms; one
MEET THE CHEF
SAM McDONALD
Sam McDonald heads up a brigade which creates an international dining experience at Orbis using quality ingredients from names like Price & Fretwell – for butchery – and Fish Rich. Sam’s favourite dish on the menu is his Wagyu beef. n
on the MENU
From the Land 8oz Sirloin of Wagyu beef with sesame, soy and truffle £34.50. Red wine-braised chorizo with rosemary focaccia £14.50. Maple syrup belly pork with crackling and bacon jam £16. Slow and low beef brisket with kuromitsu (molasses), orange and jalapeños £17. Charcoal-grilled skewers: Teriyaki chicken or Moroccan-spiced lamb with choice of five sauces.
From the Sea Trout gradvalax with gin and lime cure plus beetroot crème fraiche £12. Scottish king scallops with Thai green medley and lemongrass £15.50. King Do prawns with sticky Asian sauce £12.25 Taquitos Wagyu beef with lemongrass £15.50/three. From the Garden King oyster mushrooms with yuzu soy and sticky glaze £10.50. Afternoon Tea English Garden £21/person. Stately Home £23/person. Con-tea-nental £26.50/person.
NB: All menu items at Orbis are gluten-free, Please note, menu items are subject to change. for 12 diners and the little snug which is suitable for up to eight people. Further into the building, there’s an open kitchen and a restaurant split into two areas each with 25 covers. This helps to break up the number of covers and provide a dining environment which is much more intimate.
The terrace at the back of the building has also been treated to a refurbishment with new furniture, and its appeal will soon be boosted further with the addition of a retractable roof. It should be in place by June and promises to guard against the odd summer shower. Jonathan also treated us to an exclusive as we learned that later this summer the current car park will be turned into a year round ‘secret garden’ with a tipi-style marquee, dedicated bar, toilets and event space. In summer the place will offer al-fresco entertainment with live sports fixtures like the World Cup televised, and in the winter months, firepits and thick blankets will keep customers nice and cosy. It promises to be a unique and attractive place to spend time. In the basement, Jonathan has created his Champagne and cocktail bar, Blue Pearl, with a dedicated wine list comprising 31 bins
of wine from about £30 to a whopping £325 if you’re feeling inclined to celebrate with a nine-year old rosé Dom Perignon. The subterranean Champagne bar is branded separately and is headed up by dedicated sommelier Max Hewitt, fresh from a Mayfair-based private-members club and he will be hosting world wine nights, cheese and oyster evenings and so on. Oakham’s Orbis offers the same menu as its Stamford sibling, with dishes from the land, sea and garden. The whole menu is 100% gluten-free, making it completely unique in Rutland. Orbis’s suppliers include butchers like Owen Taylor and Price & Fretwell, plus Marrfish and The Fish Rich Company. Desserts, sauces and infused oils are made in-house and Orbis dishes are designed to be shared among the whole table. A partnership with Rutland artisan baker Kavanagh’s has yielded an impressive choice of afternoon teas and artisan bread to serve to diners.
A great place in which to celebrate good times and enjoy good food, Orbis is a great restaurant for sociable, high quality dining, all summer long. n
DINING OUT AT... Orbis, Oakham
Location: Mill Street, Oakham.
The Pitch: “World plates and handcrafted cocktails come together to give you an experience like no other.”
Opening Times:
Food served Tuesday/Wednesday 5.45pm-9pm; Thursday/Friday 12noon-2pm, 5.45pm-9pm, Saturday 12noon- 3pm, 5pm-9pm. Booking is strongly recommended.
Orbis, Mill Street, Oakham LE15 6EA. Tel: 01572 359211. Web: www.orbisoakham.co.uk.
In the KITCHEN
A delicious mid-summer dish designed for al fresco dining in the garden with a cool, crisp glass of wine...
WARM SALMON & BEETROOT SALAD
Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Cooking Time: 5 minutes. Serves: 2. • 2 tsp red wine vinegar • 1 tsp clear honey • 1 small echalion shallot, thinly sliced into rings • 250g pack ready-cooked puy lentils • 200g cooked beetroot, from a pouch, sliced into rounds •1 tsp olive oil • 1⁄2 x 90g pack wild rocket • 2 Scottish poached salmon fillets, skin removed and flesh flaked • 2 tsp hot horseradish sauce • 2 tbsp soured cream • 1⁄4 x 20g pack dill, finely chopped
In a bowl, mix the vinegar and honey with a pinch of salt. Stir in the shallot; set aside for 10 minutes to quick-pickle. Meanwhile, heat the lentils according to pack instructions, then toss with the beetroot and oil in a serving bowl; season. Add the rocket leaves and flaked salmon.
Using a fork, lift the shallot from the pickling liquor and scatter over the salmon. Stir the horseradish, soured cream and dill into the pickling liquor. Season and serve at once, with the soured cream mixture on the side for spooning over. n
THE RUTLAND GOURMET
If you’ve ever laboured hard to produce a credible spread for a dinner party, spare a thought for the hard work, patience, and skill of outside catering specialist Sarah Rivett... a dinner party for 10? A wedding for 100? A ball for 1,000? It’s all in a day (or night’s!) work!
Words: Rob Davis.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL if we broke the news to you that this weekend, you’ll be catering for 2,000 guests? Our guess is you’d drop your saucepan and reach for the cooking sherry. Fortunately it’s all in a weekend’s work for Sarah Rivett. For 20 years now the outside catering specialist has created dinner party dining for ten, wedding breakfasts for a hundred, and black tie ball catering for a thousand guests... sometimes for two events with a thousand diners each in a single weekend. “I’ve always enjoyed cooking for people and I relish a challenge... and the life of an outside caterer is certainly challenging. We’ve a full roster of outdoor catering equipment and generators, so we can cater in the field or literally in a field. We can provide restaurant-class dining in your own home, or event catering for up to 1,000 diners, plus canapés, buffets, afternoon teas and so on.” “Our menus are completely bespoke and we’ve the experience to create dishes which are both delicious and beautifully presented, even for substantial numbers of guests.” “My philosophy has always been to provide high quality dining without compromise. I use fresh local ingredients from suppliers like butchers Owen Taylor and Grasmere Farm.” “A good deal of the preparation work can be carried out in advance of the event, enabling us to freshly cook each of our dishes on site. I think it’s my keenness to offer that, whilst incorporating local ingredients, has ensured I’ve enjoyed the reputation for delivering first class dishes.” “I’m looking forward to a busy season of weddings, black tie functions and dinner parties, but with some availability this summer too, I’m still able to take additional bookings and create a menu to ensure your celebration is absolutely delicious!” n
Find Out More: Sarah Rivett is The Rutland Gourmet, and can produce anything from dinner party dishes in your own home, to catering for weddings or corporate functions, or black tie events. For a no-obligation chat about your event, call 01572 747909 or see www.rutlandgourmet.co.uk.
English Wines & Prosecco
at CONEYS DEPARTMENT STORE, SPALDING
This month we’re raising a glass to summer with some exceptional English wines, plus quality Prosecco and locally produced gin, all available at Coneys Department Store
English Wine Week takes place from 18th to 26th June, and we don’t think there’s a better place to celebrate it than Coneys Department Store in the centre of Spalding. Eleanor Read heads up the store’s first floor wines and spirits department, with its indoor Prosecco bar and outdoor terrace. This month she offers a choice of wines and spirits to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee... such as our first recommendation, a crisp citrussy joy from our very own sceptered isle! Rathfinny Wine Estate’s Pinot Blanc/Gris has notes of lemon and peel. It’s light and crisp for a really refreshing taste of summer, from the chalky soils of West Sussex. Also from our own shores is Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvée. Produced with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier, made using the methode champenoise, it’s a Champagne in every respect but the (geographically-protected) name, with a gentle fine mousse and fantastic baked apple taste. The retailer also has a range of super ownlabel wines, not least among which is an exceptional Prosecco, the star of the bar at Coneys, with its subtle fresh apple flavour. If you prefer a red, Coneys also offers this Grenache/Syrah blend, created in the style of a classic Rhône ranger with echoes of strawberry, plum and spice. Finally, from Lincolnshire is the Premium Pink variant of Pin Gin, made with juniper and 11 botanicals. Serve in this LSA Borough balloon glass with a handful of Fruits for Drinks heart-shaped strawberries to garnish: dehydrated, convenient and delicious! n
Eleanor Read.
1. Rathfinny Pinot Blanc/Gris 2018, £19.99/75cl/11.5% 2. Nyetimber Classic Cuvée, £37/75cl/12%. 3. Coneys Red Wine, £12/75cl/13.5% 4. Pin Gin Pink, £35/70cl/40%. 5. LSA Borough glasses, £48/six. 6. Fruits for Drink dehydrated strawberry hearts, 100% fruit, £8/ twenty servings.
Find Out More: Coneys Department Store is the new name for Hills in Spalding. The retailer has been established for 60 years and includes health and beauty, fashion, homeware and furnishings ranges. On the first floor there’s a Prosecco bar and the Riverview Restaurant. Visit Coneys Department Store on Broad Street, Spalding PE11 1TB. Call 01775 767155 or see www.coneysdesignerwear.co.uk.
