Mother's Day at Goldbrick House

When Goldbrick House announced it's Mother's Day menu last month I knew it would be the perfect place for me and my sister Lu to take mum. Yesterday was reassuringly bright and sunny outside and we sauntered down the 10mins from our flat to Goldbrick to be greeted by a wonderfully friendly and professional front of house man, I think Lu and mum took quite a shine to him...

The layout in the main restaurant was slightly different to when Rich and I went in the Autumn for our anniversary it was still wonderfully light in there and still slightly kooky which is what I love about Goldbrick. We had already decided to have two courses instead of three so we would still be able to move later in the afternoon but that didn't stop us ordering a delicious bottle of Italian white between mum and I as Lu doesn't drink.

The menu was full of so many tempting meals that it was difficult to choose what to go for. I eventually opted for the slow braised pork belly with roasted beetroot, colcannon & cider sauce, mum went for the roast chicken with honey glazed parsnips, spring greens & potato rosti and Lu the gnocchi with chestnut mushrooms, spinach & parmesan in a light cream sauce. Whilst we waited we polished off the bread supplied, which I have to say was excellent, quite a heavy bread but very moreish it tasted like soda bread but I could have been wrong, either way it was excellent with lashings of butter. Luckily we weren't waiting long for our mains they looked heavenly when they arrived.

Slow cooked pork belly complete with crackling spear

My main was gorgeous the pork fell apart and melted in the mouth and for the first time in my life I enjoyed the beetroot. Lovely cider sauce flavoured everything beautifully, mum I think wished she'd gone for mine, even though hers was also delicious. I couldn't have wished for a better main course, I have tried their pork belly on the evening menu, although it is served slightly differently, I urge you all to try it at least once it is divine.

Gnocchi with mushrooms and spinach in a light creamy sauce

Roast chicken breast with potato rosti, spring veg and honey parsnips

For the sake of the blog I had small sample of everyone's dishes and gathered their thoughts on them as well. My vegetarian sister was extremely pleased with her dish it was light but creamy with the lovely earthy and homely taste of sage running through the sauce. The gnocchi was fluffy and toasted slightly on the outside it was so tasty. I have created a similar cream sauce of my own before to go with butternut squash filled pasta where i used crisped sage leaves, single cream and white port as well as cheese.

Mum was pleased with the chicken, it was moist and the rosti in particular impressed her, a light tasting main but full of flavour. She wasn't as keen on the parsnips remarking they were too hard for roast parsnips but n the whole all the food went down extremely well and there were three clean plates to match the three happy ladies at the table.

For pudding Lu and I went for the brownie and ice cream whilst mum went for the Goldbrick House Mess.

Mum's Goldbrick mess was really light and refreshing because it was flavoured very delicately with mint alongside the strawberries, raspberries and cream mix a perfect ending for a lazy Sunday lunch, I actually prefered her dessert to mine. I am not usually one to pick a chocolate dessert for my first choice after a meal, unlike Rich who is a total chocoholic, however I can be partial to a brownie, who isn't after all. I was a little disappointed with mine, although Lu loved it, but it was a little bitter for me and a tiny bit dry but this could easily be my personal preference.

A lovely meal and relaxing lunch at the ever reliable Goldbrick I would definitely recommend it to those who haven't been yet the food is excellent and the atmosphere very chilled, plus the decor is first rate. Mum definitely wants a return visit soon and I still haven't tried their lamb wellington, which I have good authority on being sublime. Tonight I hopefully will be going for a hot curry to try and finally burn the sickness that has plagued me, uncharacteristically, on and off since Thursday.