Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
When we received an invite to enjoy an evening at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis with Jurassic Cottage Kitchen on their opening night, I knew it would be a welcome break from my ‘new normal’ routine of working from home and social distancing! And when I saw the menu, my interest was piqued even further.
We headed to the Jurassic Cottage Kitchen at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis, just a few miles from our home, on a dark autumnal evening and were immediately hit by the warm atmosphere as we entered the restaurant. I’ve walked past The Pop-Up Kitchen a few times recently and noticed the different food vendors each time – sometimes a tapas restaurant, sometimes Paella or perhaps pizza. This time, rustic, autumnal comfort food and seasonal cocktails.
To Start
We kicked the evening off with warm tortilla chips roasted with Ras el Hanout before tucking into simple yet delicious starters. I selected the focaccia bruschetta with grilled courgette, tomato and goat’s cheese and enjoyed the refreshing, slightly minty flavouring. Personally, I don’t usually opt for a starter as I end up being too full to enjoy dessert (I have a major sweet tooth), but the starter was light and tasty – the perfect appetiser.
The Main Event
With two main course options to choose from, we opted to go with one each to sample both – slow-cooked BBQ pork ribs for Jamie and stuffed sweet potato loaf with chestnut, spinach and roast mushrooms for moi! Along with the main course, we were able to select three sides each from a selection of seven different sides, including hasselback potatoes, cumin-roasted carrots and cauliflower and tomato and corn slaw.
I have to say, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the stuffed sweet potato loaf, as I’d never tried anything like this before, but it was delicious and extremely tasty – full of all the flavours of fall. I don’t usually opt for veggie options, but if this is anything to go by, I’ll be choosing the veggie options more often in the future. The pork ribs were also divine, though – meat falling from the bone and melting in the mouth. Along with the side dishes, the portion sizes were generous and, as the sides were served in separate dishes for the whole table, we were able to share them around tapas style to try a bit of everything.
The End
The grand finale for me is always the dessert and this dessert didn’t disappoint. With a selection of three sweet treats to choose from (as well as a cheeseboard for those without a sweet tooth), we wanted to sample as much as we could. We ordered one brown sugar meringue with pears, figs and mascarpone and one coffee and pecan pudding with caramel sauce to share between us. Both desserts were divine, perfectly balancing quintessential seasonal flavours of fig and pear along with the delectable warm coffee and pecan pudding drizzled in caramel sauce and cream.
Encore
As a final cherry on top, Jurassic Cottage Kitchen offer a selection of reasonably priced autumnal cocktails which includes a pear nectar and thyme mimosa, a sparkling autumn sangria and a non-alcoholic mocktail for the designated driver in the group. As a cocktail loving gal myself, I just had to get my hands on one of these, so before heading home for the evening, I ordered the mimosa to finish the eve in style.
We thoroughly enjoyed the friendly reception we received at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis, as well as the home-cooked, comfort food, perfect for a glum autumnal evening. If this was their opening night, it can only get better!
Jurassic Cottage Kitchen will be at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis every Tuesday and Saturday throughout October. So, if you fancy a cosy seasonal supper and a warm atmosphere, this place comes highly recommended.
We were invited to the opening night of Jurassic Cottage Kitchen at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis, for the purposes of this review. However, all opinions are my own.
