Out & About Spring 2018

FOOD & DRINK - RESTAURANT REVIEW

Henry & Joe’s

HILARY SCOTT shares all about a new restaurant in Newbury town centre – even though she doesn’t really want to…

Y ou know you are somewhere good when other diners in a restaurant recognise you as press and beg you not to let too many people know about it. Which is just what happened to us when we visited Henry & Joe’s in the town centre. Known for their pop-up restaurants, these two young blades have moved into a small but lovely space in Cheap Street.

And when the food arrives you are mightily tempted to do the same. But let me share with you… We guzzle the home-made sourdough and wheatmeal bread at £1.50 per head and love it. Our starters are quick to arrive and we are very encouraged. A glossy black plate shows off my multi-coloured ash-baked beetroot with two generous mounds of whipped goat’s cheese topped with crunchy nigella seeds (£8). Nestled on the plate are also burnt apple cubes, a beetroot gel and, for texture, whole hazelnuts.

Pass by and the large windows show off the restaurant, all stripped pine tables and aubergine and lilac accents. It is a very cool dining room and the food echoes it perfectly. Both Henry and Joe are local boys who did stints at the Woodspeen. Cheery Joe is front of house, looking after diners with a big smile, lots of knowledge and most often to be found kneeling by their tables to explain the menu or the plates that have just arrived.

It’s superb – the beetroot explodes with flavour and the cheese is mellow, the apple slightly toasty. A quick snap on Facebook and followers go a bit daft at how lovely it looks. Meanwhile my companion has the pigeon breast, confit leg and foie gras fritter, choucroute and orange glazed chicory (£10). The breast is draped in a sticky and rich pigeon

Henry is in the kitchen, meanwhile, making sumptuous plates look simple to prepare.

sauce and the orange glaze on the chicory mellows its bitterness. The foie gras fritter is perfectly crispy and melting inside and the choucroute is sharp and crunchy. On the menu also are rabbit ravioli with an artichoke velouté or cured salmon with tonka bean. Mains are hard to decide – the veggie option of

T he à la carte menu is concise – around four starters, five mains and four desserts on offer and at a great price. There’s also a set menu for lunch and early supper (6pm-6.45pm) for two courses at £16 and three £19. I think you can see why diners want to keep this a secret.

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