Yesterday I was invited to our local Pitcher & Piano located on Friar Gate, a popular bar and restaurant strip in Derby city centre.
What I love about Pitcher and Piano so much is the relaxed atmosphere, the comforting food and the spectacular cocktails; so when we were invited to try out their new menu, I had to say yes.
With the recent change of temperature and the leaves all starting to crisp and fall to the ground, the autumn season has begun.
This marks the start of the Christmas period for me and so many of the local bars have launched their festive/winter menus to prepare for the coming months.
I recently wrote a post about buying things for my autumn wardrobe which you can read here!
We chose to make our way to the lovely venue just after I had finished work at around 5.15pm for drinks and some food tasting.
Of course I asked Kane to accompany so we could make it a sort of date night.
We were seated in a cosy corner booth which was adorned with vintage decor and it had a very homey feel to it.
I feel like they’ve got the interior spot on to suit their vintage yet homey menus and it gives off such a relaxed atmosphere perfect for date nights, a casual drink or even a family party.
I might sound a bit biased because one of my bestest friends works there, Jess from An Ounce Of Grace, but I really do love the place.
After peeking around their menus for a while, I finally decided on a drink.
I chose to go with a Passion fruit Cooler, a fruit mocktail and Kane decided for his favourite beer, a Peroni.
He is also doing Go Sober For October in dedication to his nan so he wanted one last taste of his favourite beer before a month of abstaining from alcohol. You can see his pledge page here and if you feel like donating, he’d really appreciate it.
After gawping at the food menu for ages because I fancied so many things, I finally decided on several small plate dishes and Kane decided on a Fish Finger Brioche that sounded incredible.
After around 20-25 minutes of eagerly waiting to try the new dishes, it had arrived and the aroma around our table was mouthwatering.
My dishes were brought out first on these semi-circle boards that fit together like a circular plate. Clever huh?
I had the Mac and Cheese and Spicy Meatball small plates which are 2 for £9.95 or 3 for £13.95 which, may I say, is pretty decently priced considering the dishes are around £5-£7 each.
I also had the Chilli Fries which were covered in homemade beef chilli smothered in three different cheese which is pretty impressive.
These were chosen from the sharers section of the menu and were priced at £5.95 for a rather large portion. I couldn’t eat all of these so Kane attempted to help me but he even struggled.
I dove straight into the Mac and Cheese as it’s one of my favourite dishes of all time and I must admit, it’s one of the best I have tasted.
It had a cumbley top with gooey cheese which you could tell had been baked to perfection. The sauce was creamy, thick and so comforting to eat which is exactly what a Mac and Cheese should be.
I then moved onto the fries which were pretty spicy…
I love a good chilli and this one was very chunky and had a right kick – be prepared because I was not expecting it.
But they were warming and made me feel all fuzzy and sleepy which, to me, is a good sign.
The spicy meatballs were in a tomato and chilli sauce base which was zingy and tasty. But the meatballs, oh my God the meatballs, were so tender that they fell apart as you bit into them.
They were also drizzled with a sprinkle of parmesan and herbs which makes all the difference.
I also had a nibble of Kane’s burger brioche too which was so soft and the battered goujons were so crispy.
I heard one of the fellars say that the brioche buns were a brand new recipe which made them darker in colour and all the more tasty; Kane definitely agreed as he demolished it in MINUTES.
The fries come already salted in rosemary and sea salt which made them deliciously moreish.
After we’d finished with our mains, we moved onto dessert (with barely any room).
I chose a recommended dish called a Black Forest Trifle (sounds heavenly, I know) and Kane chose a classic Apple and Berry Crumble.
My sundae was lathered with rich cherry compote, homemade whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and chocolate brownie chunks. I cannot express how amazing this was and as a fan of cherries, I WAS NOT disappointed one bit.
Kane’s crumble looked very tasty too with a side of vanilla custard which was rich and creamy in itself.
He said the crumble’s sweetness complimented the tartness of the berries and was a match made in heaven.
If you impress us on desserts, you’ve really won us over.
We then chose to have some after dinner drinks.
Kane chose a filter coffee which was served with Party Rings which was a great touch.
I chose to go for one of Jess’s specialties, an Espresso Martini.
I have recently become obsessed with these because it’s an after dinner coffee, in cocktail form!
They’re bitter sweet with a caffeine kick and very drinkable.
After becoming podged full, we decided to pack up, go home and have a lie down.
It is one the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time.
The decor is fab, the food is comforting and almost to die for!
I also love their diverse cocktail menu offering classics like the Negroni and Aperol Spritz to their own inventions of the Strawberry Passion (see below).
If you’re looking for somewhere to try next, I really would give Pitcher & Piano a try.
It’s reasonably priced and #ThePlaceToBe
Follow them on Twitter at: @pandpderby
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Or on their Facebook here!
Comic Books & Yellow Ducks 