I may have just found one of my new favourite spots to eat out for a special occasion.
I’ve driven past The Tilted Barrel on Kirk Gate in Waltham so many times, but had never had the opportunity to eat there before – and my only regret is that I didn’t visit sooner.
Stepping inside, it’s clear to see that the longstanding venue has an abundance of character, with the feel of a cosy, country pub that I’m a massive fan of. It’s split into two sections – the pub and restaurant.
We were shown to a table in the restaurant by a friendly member of staff and ordered our drinks before having a browse of the menu. As soon as I opened it, I knew I was in for a treat – everything on there just sounded delicious. And there was so much choice, too.
One of the first things I noticed is just how many options there are on the vegetarian and vegan menu. I’m neither myself, but sometimes I just find myself more drawn to the meat-free options, and am trying to cut down in general on the amount of meat I eat.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
In so many places I find the veggie options to be a bit lacking – some places only have dishes like Mac ‘n Cheese or a meat-free burger – so it was lovely to see that there were an array of options on the menu.
I was torn between the Asparagus, Spinach and Pine Nut Risotto, the Asparagus, Brie and Spinach Wellington and the Panko Cauliflower Steak (£14.50), described on the menu as being served on a super food salad and goji berries with chilli jam and herb oil.
I know it’s not for everyone, but I absolutely adore cauliflower steak – there’s just something about it that really works for me. I’d never tried it with Panko breadcrumbs, so after a lot of umm’ing and ahh’ing I eventually chose this one.
My partner went for the Lyon Style Surf & Turf (£20), described on the menu as tender strips of fillet steak in a creamy peppercorn sauce with wild mushrooms topped with succulent scallops, and served with basmati rice.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
I’m not going to lie, there was a part of me that started to wish I’d gone for that instead when he ordered it – but when the food came after 15 minutes or so, I was pleased I ordered what I did.
It takes a lot of work to add bold flavours to a dish where the main ingredient is cauliflower, but flavour certainly wasn’t lacking at all in this dish.
The cauliflower itself was cooked perfectly – not undercooked or overdone – and the chilli jam packed a delicious punch. The panko breadcrumbs were light and crispy and contrasted amazingly with the firm texture of the cauliflower.
The only thing I will say is that I probably would’ve preferred it for the Cauliflower Steak to be served with a few potatoes or something starchy, rather than solely on a bed of salad – it was absolutely delicious as a whole, but not the most filling meal in the world. I’d definitely order it again, but probably with a side dish!
The Tilted Barrel is a lovely place to eat with a character and charm entirely of its own. The menu is packed with a variety of options that all sound amazing – and I will definitely be visiting again.
