Morley Hayes is no secret to us here in Derbyshire, famous as it as for its golf, weddings and rolling surroundings.
There are also not one but two eateries; Roosters bar for casual dining and the more formal but equally accessible Dovecote restaurant.
I have long been familiar with Roosters (the beautifully well-kept garden at the rear being a favoured haunt of mine for summer drinks) but the Dovecote had thus far escaped my attention, so my friend James and I decided to remedy this by stopping by for Saturday night dinner.
The restaurant's exposed brick and stonework inside coupled with soft lighting make this a warm and inviting place to dine, and the generous size of tables for two were very welcome.
This may seem a superficial point but it does mean that the tucking in of elbows is not necessary, and the arrival of bread baskets and dishes does not herald the rearrangement of centrepieces and wine glasses as if one is engaged in some kind of epic chess match.
For the starter, James opted for the smoked salmon with caper dressing which he noted as refreshing and light with a pleasing contrast between capers and fish, resulting in a burst of flavour.
His final assessment was - and I quote directly - ‘probably the best smoked salmon I have ever had’.
Being a huge fan of fish, this would ordinarily have left me envious were it not for my choice of guinea fowl, smoked ham hock and chicken liver terrine.
Eschewing the usual chutney-based accompaniment for such a starter, this dish was served with apricot and a mustard coleslaw. The apricot was browned on the outside but retained its firmness beyond the skin to provide bite, whilst the slaw afforded a pleasing kick.
Both neatly contrasted with the mouth-watering savouriness of the terrine, which melted in the mouth and made the journey from plate to palate alas all too quickly.
As for my selection for main course, I made up for missing out on the smoked salmon by choosing plaice with creamed potato, shrimp and sea vegetable vol au vent and red wine butter sauce.
If your eyebrows are now raised at the thought of red wine with fish you may confidently lower them: this was no thick and overpowering sauce but rather light with the merest hint of the red fruit offered by the wine, and never threatened to overpower the sometimes sensitive white fish.
The plaice itself was cooked to perfection (I have eaten much fish, good and bad, so you may take my word on this) and simply flaked to pieces with ease at the first plunge of the fork and the dome of creamed potato was flavoursome and rich.
Star of the supporting cast, however, must surely have been the vol au vent, which packed incredible flavour into its light pastry case.
James' fillet of Derbyshire beef was presented with triple cooked chips, tomato, mushroom and watercress and delivered expertly medium rare on request; an outer flame-grilled layer gave way to a thin, slightly well-done layer with the classic pink in the middle.
Had he been in a sharing mood I would doubtless have been able to confirm that the meat melted away in the manner that only a properly cooked steak does.
Finding room for desert (where there is a will there is a way) I plumped for the dark chocolate and cherry delice to placate my sweet tooth and did not regret it from the first soft and fluffy spoonful with the tang of the cherry meeting the dusky cacao in a classic combination.
James decided on the warmed delice des cremiers with pear chutney and toasted malt - think brie somewhere between sweet and savoury - which he judged as a welcome option for the menu for those torn between the cheese board and a sweet dessert.
The brie was strong and creamy and given a new interesting texture and sweetness by the pear chutney and the raisins of the malt.
To round things off the Dovecote has a wide selection of digestifs and liqueurs if one is in the spirit but I am a real advocate for a strong coffee to round off a satisfying meal and so settled on an Americano made from always excellent Lavazza Italian coffee.
Meanwhile, James decided on a pot of Derbyshire tea - one of many local offerings on the menu.
Coupled with attentive and knowledgeable service this was a first-rate dining experience, and a great example of what our county has to offer.
Dovecote Restaurant, Morley Hayes, Main Road, Morley, Derbyshire, DE7 6QA
