Chef and proprietor Stephen Terry is often referred to by his peers, including Tom Kerridge and James Martin, as the Guvnor – such is his vast knowledge, mentoring and influence on the British culinary scene.
He cut his teeth in Harvey’s, the kitchen of legendary firebrand chef Marco Pierre White alongside Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal – wonder what happened to them?
White once described his brigade as “the SAS of kitchens” and they led a revolution in British modern cooking – which, frankly, was a joke throughout the culinary world before this sea-change in the early ’90s.
Some of the pioneering chefs have stayed in London, some have started vast foodie empires, while others have opened their own properties to “do their own thing”.
Stephen falls into the latter category, having taken over The Hardwick, near Abergavenny, in 2007 after a stint at The Walnut Tree up the road, acquiring a Michelin Star in the process.
He has, however, turned his back somewhat on the tyre company guide and adopted a more relaxed approach.
Stephen’s obvious love of Italian cooking and ingredients are apparent on his restaurant menu, where influences abound.
He is also incapable of producing a dish that doesn’t explode with flavour, however big or small – and it’s the latter that he’s currently focusing on at The Hardwick.
Having redesigned his bar area into something resembling a very posh pinchos or tapas joint, with a long sweeping bar, pretty little lamps and ever-so-comfortable stools standing to attention alongside, he’s introduced a new bar menu.
So what inspired him to come up with these new smaller dishes?
“Guests normally come for special occasions and when they come for dinner, they can spend around three hours here,” he said.
“This menu is more about popping in for a bite to eat and if you’re in the area then it’s quick and accessible.
“People have different appetites, so we’re catering for that and it’s more of a bar experience in the newly refurbished area.”
Stephen added: “It’s tasty, small plates of food if you’re on your own or on your way somewhere or if you can’t be bothered to cook and want something quick and easy.
“It’s to fit in with people’s busy lifestyles. Everyone’s life is a jigsaw and we’re just a piece of that jigsaw and if we’re making things nice and easy for them, then great.
“It’s almost like a drive-by, instead of a drive-thru.”
When we were invited along to try out the small plates on offer, we didn’t have to be asked twice.
The food at The Hardwick has always been tasty and generous, without any of the flim-flam that tends to inhabit the restaurant industry today.
Stephen was obviously playing with us and his new dishes had little guest-starring ingredients alongside those described – not that we were complaining.
With a dish of fried squid and aioli, there is nowhere to hide – if the main ingredient is old, its texture is like a piece of old shoe leather. And all too often the mayonnaise is pallid and reeking of garlic.
Here, however, we were served powderpuffs of seafood that fairly evaporated on the palate and its accompaniment was an unctuous, rich and deep-yellow partner in crime. A simple dish elevated to foodie royalty.
And so it continued, with a seemingly simple cherry tomato and panzanella salad enlivened by glorious puntarelle – a beautifully bitter chicory – as well as a ridiculously tasty grilled halloumi – yes, there is such a thing – so indulgent as a salad, yet fresh and balanced.
His creamy haricot beans and chargrilled chorizo “stew” again was punk’d by the addition of a roof of roasted chicken thigh.
The use of sherry vinegar gave the dish its acidic zing and managed to be both comforting and light.
Another killer dish, akin to being cuddled by a giant cashmere teddy bear, was the mashed potato, minced lamb ragout with pickled red cabbage.
I had dreams that night of swimming in a vat of the stuff, like one of those glamorous types in a James Bond title sequence to the strains of “our Shirl”.
Our journey through roast squash arancino, sage and walnut pesto with savoury granola to breadcrumbed ox tail, beef shin and tongue, Italian greens and a red wine sauce added light and shade to the tasting, with deep indulgent dishes rubbing shoulders – probably slow-cooked – with lighter, warm salads that were no less tasty.
We finished with a sample plate of naughty puddings featuring indulgent chocolate mousse, honeycomb, clementine wotsits – who knew? – and strawberries drizzled in basil water.
When the eating was over, we had to be airlifted to the comfy sofas for a debrief.
It was interesting that when we were there the bar was chock-full with guests, as you can just rock up, grab a stool and fill your boots.
The plates top out at eight quid and you get an awful lot of bang for your buck in terms of ingredients and delivery of flavour. It makes the perfect informal supper.
Given the popularity of small plates on the Continent and their increasing fan base here, this is such a refreshing and sociable way to eat – and a great addition to The Hardwick.
The Hardwick, Old Raglan Road, Abergavenny NP7 9AA. Tel: 01873 854220 or visit thehardwick.co.uk
