There\u2019s a culinary epilogue to summer in Uppingham thanks to No.23, a bistro with more than a hint of Mediterranean warmth. This month we\u2019re enjoying a staggeringly good venue for enjoyable dining out in the heart of the town<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ufeffBack when I\u2008was wearing a younger man\u2019s clothes, I always remember \u2013 or perhaps I\u2019m misremembering \u2013 that summer would last ages and ages and ages. Warm days followed warm days and we\u2019d all go for months without seeing a single raincloud in the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This summer seems to have consisted of spells of volcanic heat and speculation of an impending climate catastrophe, followed by thunderstorms and a hosepipe ban. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should you be missing the brief but intense summer, or the balmy heat of the holiday destination from which you have recently returned, why not eat for the climate you\u2019d like, instead of the climate we\u2019ll get this month?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No.23 provides the opportunity to do just that, with a nice 38-cover dining room, as well as a terrace to the rear with its covered garden room too, if you\u2019re determined to dine outside or if you\u2019re seeking a private dining space for a celebration with family or friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dishes that Head Chef Rich Doyle and the team serves certainly have Mediterranean influences, but really it\u2019s impossible to pigeonhole the restaurant to a single country or culinary genre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not that its identity is confused. There\u2019s a single menu for lunchtime dining and a single menu for evening dining. Each offers a choice of five starters, seven main courses plus four House Classics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a neat menu and one that\u2019s well thought-out, with everything from a steak and a burger to a Venetian duck ragu and a spinach, green pea and broad bean risotto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vegetarians and vegans are by no means an afterthought, and No.23\u2019s dishes all seem predicated on using the freshest ingredients and letting a key element or flavour in a dish take the starring role, with a supporting cast that enhances, rather than competing against it. Dishes are therefore vibrant, flavoursome and authentic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This approach also ensures the kitchen can put lots of effort into each dish so pasta, for example, is made by the team in house, as is the speciality bread the restaurant serves: focaccia, during our visit, with a lovely umami bone marrow butter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s more, on Friday mornings the team flex their sense of creativity even further and pay a visit to the town\u2019s weekly market to source whatever ingredients inspire them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The team purchases these ingredients from local suppliers, saying that doing so not only ensures the freshness of the food but also keeps ‘food miles’ low and supports local businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One recent example of No.23\u2019s \u2018Friday Market Day Special,\u2019 which was offered for just \u00a310, was slow-cooked beef shin, gratin potatoes, cavolo nero and a jus. Nobody could grumble at that, nor the popular \u00a35 pasta dish also available on Thursday lunchtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No.23 celebrates its third anniversary next month and was the latest restaurant to be opened by the Three Goats group. The group also includes The Nevill Arms in Medbourne, The Sun Inn at Great Easton and The Red Lion pub at Great Bowden. Each has been taken on by the company and treated to a comprehensive refurbishment, but each one, very much to the company\u2019s credit, has retained its own identity, and its own menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Something they do share, though, is access to the company\u2019s farm in Great Easton, which raises traditional breeds of cattle, sheep and pigs, ensuring the menu can offer traceability and provenance for its beef, lamb and pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accordingly, No.23\u2019s menus reflect a strong commitment to expressing the seasonality of ingredients and evolve throughout the year. Speaking of what happens throughout the year, No.23 also holds special events, such as wine pairing evenings allowing guests to explore food and wine from around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These give diners the chance to experience new dishes and new tastes from areas as diverse as France, Portugal, Spain and the Alps. Such special evenings are a chance to have an adventure through food and wine \u2013 so the restaurant partners with Berkmann Wine Cellars who expertly match the drinks to the dishes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
No.23\u2019s recent Champagne Dinner, for example, offered guests the chance to enjoy Louis Roederer champagnes with a four-course menu featuring a wild turbot main. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSeasonality, sustainability and freshness have always been central to our offering,\u201d explains Rich. \u201cVisitors know they\u2019ll get stunning food and first-class service here but, alongside our house classics, you\u2019ll now see even more seasonal choices, plus a wider range of lighter dishes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The look and feel of the restaurant allows for a successful transition from modern daytime bistro to smart evening restaurant. It\u2019s a handsome building too, 300-years-old, Grade II listed, with local art on the wall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dining is the best way to experience No.23, but the place is also open for cocktails, especially ideal when they\u2019re priced 2-for-1 between 3pm and 6pm from Wednesday evening to Sunday evenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No. 23 offers a compelling dining experience (and is a great venue for wedding celebrations), blending creativity and quality with a lovely setting and a great front of house courtesy of General Manager James Hunt and the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working tirelessly to ensure No. 23 enjoys a formidable reputation, which is why we\u2019ve a particular focus on top-quality local ingredients, inspired cuisine and offering the warmest welcome in Rutland,\u201d James says. \u201cCustomers come here for the big flavours and buzzy atmosphere… and for a great experience!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No.23 in Uppingham
<\/strong>\ufeffThe Restaurant: <\/strong>\u201cA bistro-style restaurant in a 300-year-old Grade II\u2008listed building located in the heart of Uppingham offering stunning food. No.23 offers a varied menu, alongside refined cocktails and an extensive wine list.\u201d
Opening Hours:<\/strong> Wednesday to Saturday 12 noon to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 8.30pm, (9pm Fri\/Sat). Sunday 12 noon to 8pm.
No.23 <\/strong>High Street East, Uppingham, LE15 9PY. Telephone: 01572 303023. www.23uppingham.co.uk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n