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Yorkshire Life Luncheon at CragRats Brasserie
IF ‘all the world’s a stage’ then nowhere is this more apparent to me than in a restaurant. Restaurants - the food, the service and the setting are all pure theatre and it often amuses me to look at it in this way. What fun then, to have our monthly Yorkshire Life Luncheon at a venue where the owners’ main business is theatre.CragRats Ltd at Holmfirth is a highly successful and internationally renowned company, delivering theatre-led motivational training, event management, and educational programmes using a team of over 300 actors. However, the business needed a stylish restaurant - serving good food and wine - to entertain clients plus somewhere for the actors to stay when visiting the area.CragRats couldn’t find anywhere suitable in the vicinity so this enterprising company opened its own. To take on this venture is a brave step in the precarious world of restaurants, especially with little experience. As education is what CragRats is about, the firm will be the first to admit there has been a steep learning curve. The building came first - an old stone-built former pub in severe need of renovation. Total refurbishment followed to create the chic venue it is today. CragRats has come in for criticism by those who feel it has destroyed the fabric of the building, but this is so far from the truth. The exterior sits comfortably in the strong Pennine landscape high above Holmfirth at Hepworth and the utterly stylish interior exudes warmth and comfort. The décor of lovely leather and suede textures with chocolately brown and soft creamy colours, are reminiscent of a scrummy box of chocolates. Fascinating artworks plug any pregnant pauses over dinner here -there’s so much to look at and admire.The stage had been set for our lunch in the grandest of styles. The informal bar area had been totally transformed into an elegant dining room dressed in its finest; three long banqueting tables skirted the sides of the room set with twinkling glasses, spotless silverware and fresh flowers.It all looked perfect… so, bring on the players, let’s see what they have to say! The warm-up act of a delightfully playful Champagne and an entourage of equally jovial canapés - oysters on ice, Cajun tuna, asparagus wrapped in filo, shrimp bedecked with a chilli dressing, are a few of the many I enjoyed. I found it necessary to hold back just in case I over-faced myself before the rest made an appearance.The menu shows the breadth of the kitchen’s talent and diversity. For me, there were highlights. The opening star of a mushroom espresso was light and mischievous, it teased the palette, with the seductive promise of those things yet to come. My favourite of all the food served was the beautifully presented balancing act of the scallop, supporting the squid with the safety net of the jelly - I love Bloody Marys and to have it served in a jelly was divine. The full-on main act was busy and attention-grabbing; it required concentration and I was unprepared for the power of the backlash of the oriental spice, which pulled me up sharply, as it contrasted keenly (and wonderfully) with the softness of the lamb.My attention waned slightly with dessert; perhaps I needed an interval here? It didn’t grab me as I would have expected, though it certainly didn’t offend. An Assiette of Desserts is a great opportunity to show variety but though they danced to the music as accomplished performers in their own right, they were not quite in harmony, being a little too alike.The finale was a showstopper. The Petit Fours were to-die-for. The supporting acts should not be forgotten or relegated to an afterthought. Without the sublimely matched wines from Pagendam Pratt, the professional, precise and amenable service, then no matter how lovely the setting and delectable the food, it would have all fallen flat.It has taken a little time to develop the kitchen and service but with the forward thinking and determination of the parent company in recruiting and sourcing the right staff and introducing the correct support, the fledgling CragRats Brasserie is emerging as a serious player on the Yorkshire dining scene. They show promise worthy of accolades and praise, as long as they continue on their present course.
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