Pampered at Perkins.

Last weekend was my birthday and I had a totally gourmetastic time.  Friday night I started the party in Nottingham town with the my good friend Joe, who treated me to a visit to Perkins restaurant in Plumtree, bookended by before and after drinks in Escabeche.  (Escabeche is buzzing and doing amazingly well, check it out). 
http://www.perkins-family.co.uk/restaurant.perkins-restaurant
I mentioned Perkins a while ago when I blogged about Escabeche and promised a bit more blog on this particular aspect of the Perkins empire.  Perkins is the original family restaurant, and has been open since 1982; that is centuries in restaurant years.  Despite this, it has a fresh, contemporary feel, you can see the same attention to detail as at Escabeche, little touches like fab toilets, and a welcoming bar which is the focal point of the restaurant.  Plumtree isn't far out of Nottingham but has a rural, off the beaten track feel to it.  However the quality of the food means that people make the effort, the restaurant was fully booked tonight and most nights into the foreseeable future.  We were seated in a conservatory area by a very pleasant and friendly member of staff.  A bottle of rioja was on the table as if by magic as we perused the special Friday "Steak Night" menu.  One thing which Perkins specialise in that I absolutely love are their "Sleepers"; railway sleepers converted into taster boards for two to share.  Perkins, as previously mentioned, have their own smoke house, and we went for a Christmas Sleeper, which consisted of in-house cured whiskey and fennel gravadlax, deep fried camembert with a homemade cranberry jelly, and a mustardy, hammy, leeky concoction which was a delight.
Next course was the steak and my rib-eye was spot on, cooked to medium rare perfection.  It was served with half a grilled, garlic rubbed tomato, a grilled portobello mushroom, chip-stick thin fries and a glorious, whiskey coloured home made peppercorn sauce, very far from the grey, packet concoctions that grace steaks in many a pub.  Plates were cleared and we were so full we couldn't manage a cheese board, which is quite unheard of.  Perkins isn't cheap a la carte, but they do loads of special offers and menus and it is so worth going for a special meal, there is a real sense of occasion, it started my birthday weekend in style.  Thanks Joe.