Chester has and always will be one of my favourite cities in the UK. Encircled by a beautiful 2 (and a bit) mile stretch of Roman walls, Chester mixes the ancient and the contemporary effortlessly. Fortunately in recent years Chester has also been upping its game in the culinary stakes to match its stunning aesthetics, and after visiting two (Sticky Walnut and Chef's Table) of the 'holy' trio of Chester restaurants in the past 12 months I decided it was about time I visited the 3rd in Joseph Benjamin.
Recommended in the Good Food Guide for 3 years running and holding a Bib Gourmand from the prestigious Michelin since 2012, the Wright brothers (Joseph and Benjamin - hence the name) have run this beautiful unassuming restaurant on Chester's Northgate since 2006, and after their Twitter announced they had a cancellation this Sunday (and my mother was off visiting Son no. 1 down South) I jumped at the opportunity to visit.
The dining room is an intimate, minimal and elegant affair, with simple wooden tables and chairs laid out with just enough room to enjoy the bustling atmosphere whilst also ensuring you don't have any strangers joining in your conversation.
With it being Sunday there were two menus to choose from; the full menu (not extensive but highly appealing) and the Sunday lunch menu, which offered a set menu including the usual roast. Having reviewed the menu beforehand, however, I'd already decided what I wanted so the Sunday menu (despite being excellent value and the belly pork sounding sensational) was rendered defunct.
To start I settled for the pigs-head fritter, rhubarb, and ginger. Wow! Easily one of the best starters that has ever passed my lips. The incredible salty and chewy pork, encased in a wonderfully crisp fritter was accompanied perfectly by the tart (but not too much so) rhubarb, with the ginger adding an unexpected but delightful hint of heat to proceedings.
For the main course, I chose the pigeon and hare bourguignon with parsley mash. The wonderfully pink pigeon, the subtle parsley mash (with slightly unsettling colour) and deep, gamey hare bourguignon were all a complete triumph. It was all cooked and seasoned with precision. A perfect Sunday lunch dish.
I finished with the chocolate brownie, praline ice cream, and honeycomb. It was resplendent! Warm, sticky and sweet, but not too sweet, as a good chocolate brownie should be. The crispy honeycomb and praline ice cream contrasting it sublimely.
The only issue I had with the dessert (albeit very small) was the chocolate smear on the plate. I'm not and never will be a fan of these. At best it's pointless, at worst it looks like something altogether more disgusting. However, this still didn't detract from the fact that this was one of the best brownies I've eaten for some time.
In conclusion, there isn't much that I can say that hasn't been said above. This is simple, modern and above all absolutely delicious cooking of the highest order. At this price point (£70 for 2 people inc. 3 courses, a glass of wine and soft-drink each) you'd be hard-pressed to find anything better.
I can't believe it took me nearly 10 years to get here, it will probably be less than 10 weeks before I return! read more