Located just about 40 minutes from Leicester, down some scenic country lanes lies The Engine yard at Belvoir Castle.
It is the community hub that provides locals and tourists with a place to shop artisan produce, enjoy local food and drink in a unique environment. You can also find accommodation at the estate and enjoy a staycation.
SERVICE & ENVIRONMENT
Set in the beautiful Vale of Belvoir, The Engine Yard has something for everyone. The Victorian buildings have been restored to create a unique and welcoming environment.
At the Engine Yard, you can enjoy a quick pizza, casual coffee or fine dining at The Fuel Tank Brasserie.
The interiors at the Brasserie have been chosen well and create a warm ambience. The original wooden floor, the wooden beams running across the ceiling, the tartan and velvet seating, the greenery, the rustic lighting and the tall windows that allow in a lot of natural light all make the dining area spacious and airy.
The staff were all friendly and upbeat. Though some were still training, the staff delivered service with attention to detail. Nothing was too much for them and they were all upbeat and happy to assist.
On the evening, we had a visit from the Duchess of Rutland which added a nice personal touch.
FOOD
The menu has a great selection of dishes to chose from. Where possible, Fuel Tank Brasserie source ingredients locally. Each dish was presented with care. The portion sizes were ideal and the prices were competitive.
Appetizers:
- Provencal marinated olives: A generous bowl of juicy fruitful mixed olives were perfect to go with our cocktails
- Two bulbs of roasted garlic served with Peters Yards sourdough crackers and bread. I don’t know about you but I could eat an endless about of roasted garlic spread over bread.
Starters:
- Cured salmon, roasted beet tartare & citrus mayonnaise: The salmon was aromatic and the flavours were lifted with the citrus mayonnaise and beetroot.
- Black pudding croquette, curried leeks and apple, fried pheasant’s egg: The croquettes were filled well and delicious. The egg was not runny however it didn’t matter because the curry sauce that came with it added texture to the dish
Mains:
- Classic Chicken Kiev, triple cooked chips, sweetheart cabbage slaw: A tender piece of chicken was coated in crisp breadcrumbs and filled with garlic butter. The dish was served with a tasty cabbage slaw and triple-cooked fries. You can never go wrong with a classic.
- 8oz Fillet with garlic & rosemary butter: The fillet was cooked medium rare as per Kev’s request. It came with a grilled tomato triple-cooked fries, a battered onion ring and mushroom. It was a juicy tender piece of steak.
Dessert:
- A traditional apple strudel butter enriched puff pastry, succulent apple pieces, spiced fruit filling and hazelnuts: This was a nice twist on the traditional strudel filling with hazelnuts and spiced fruit. The crisp buttery pastry coated the filling well and went down a treat with so e vanilla ice cream.
- Salted caramel brownie: Two pieces of nice chocolaty brownies were served with some raspberries and a delicious vanilla ice cream. I could not taste the salted caramel however it didn’t matter because this was so good and hit that spot.
DRINKS
The trendy Balloon Bar, located within the Fuel Tank, is a social place to enjoy a cocktail, gin or a glass of fizz.
The Belvoir Gin they serve was founded by The Duchess of Rutland and is locally made.
We started the evening with a chilled glass of Champagne. The sun was out and sipping bubbles in the beautifully set courtyard. It almost made me feel like I was on holiday.
Decorated with mini hot air balloons, the vibe is upbeat yet relaxed at the Balloon Bar. It has cosy booths and bar stool seating dotted around. The bar counter had a striking design and the mixologists make a great cocktail.
On the evening we had a classic Mojito and a Japanese Cherry blossom. I need to return to work my way through the cocktails and gins.
Hope my post has given you a little insight into The Fuel Tank Brasserie.
You have to check it out for yourself to see what an amazing place The Engine Yard is and what it has to offer. Whether it is a day trip or a staycation, add this to your list and enjoy the best of country living in Belvoir.
For more information and to book, check out their website.
Engine Yard at Belvoir Castle
NG32 1PA
Email: thefueltank@engineyardbelvoir.com
Tel: 01476 247059
Neha
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Disclaimer [AD]: This was an invite/gift. All views, opinions and photos are my own unless otherwise stated.
