The Chubby Castor
Castor, Cambridgeshire
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Having worked alongside some of London's finest (Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, Philip Howard), Adebola Adeshina's latest venture finds him holed up at the Fitzwilliam Arms – an immaculately thatched, Grade II-listed village pub some four miles from Peterborough. Inside, starched, white-clothed tables and a slick-looking kitchen opening onto the pristine dining room speak of ambition. Seasonal produce (some from the garden) is given an impressive workout, with an excellent sense of balance and pin-sharp presentation showing off the chef's pedigree. Openers including a 'swirl' of tomato bread with herb butter and a trio of dainty amuse-bouches set the tone, and there is much more to follow: our top pick was a brilliantly cohesive pairing of scallop, polenta and wild rice with a fabulous corn velouté – ‘comforting and moreish but still light and airy’. Main courses prove that the kitchen can handle the heavy-hitting flavours of an exemplary tournedos Rossini as well as more delicate contemporary ideas. A tranche of Loch Duart salmon, cooked in the simplest way possible, is elevated by its companions: a prawn raviolo in a foamy prawn sauce, some asparagus spears, and a sauce gribiche topped with tiny florets of romanesco and edible flowers. Classically inclined expertise continues right to the end, witness an impressively risen, light-as-air strawberry soufflé offset by a basil sorbet and crème de cassis. Relaxed service (easy-going but always on-point) ensures that proceedings never descend into stuffy formality, while the globetrotting wine list offers a decent spread including some tasty Coravin selections. The big open space at the back of the place now functions as the Yard – a summertime alfresco venue with its own menu.
