Eastside Restaurant Awards: the shortlist
2016 winners Caviars
Ahead of the Eastside Restaurant Awards at Doncaster Racecourse on 9 October
The waiting is almost over... and now we can reveal the shortlists for the various categories in the 2017 Eastside Restaurant Awards.
The sought-after prizes will be presented during a lavish evening of fine dining and great entertainment at Doncaster Racecourse on Monday 9 October.
These awards are designed exclusively for eateries in the Doncaster, Rotherham and North Notts area. Along with our regular reviews and features on food and wine, the Eastside Restaurant Awards are part of our commitment to encourage readers to dine out locally and discover some of the fantastic restaurants on their doorstep.
For chefs and restaurateurs across the region, being singled out for praise in the Eastside Awards is a sure sign that they are hitting all the right culinary notes.
Read on to discover who has been shortlisted by our team of reviewers in various categories.
Meanwhile, the venues in the running for the Readers’ Choice award and the main prize – the Eastside Restaurant of the Year – will remain a closely guarded secret until the big night, when all will be revealed.
We’ll be tweeting on the night, follow us @EastsideRMC or tune in on Facebook where the awards will be streamed live.
Eastside Restaurant of the Year nominees
Best of Asia
AAGRAH
Genuine Kashmiri cuisine, served by attentive, knowledgeable staff in a luxurious setting, ensures the dining experience at Aagrah is always special. The varied menu means everyone, including vegetarians, is catered for and the hyderbadi sauce is so good some customers take home bottles of it.
THAI AT THE SAL
Here’s a taste of something different... authentic Thai cuisine above a traditional Doncaster pub. It sounds unlikely but there’s no mistaking the tastes and delicious aromas emanating from this welcome newcomer.
ZARA
In the sleepy village of Tickhill something spicy stirs. Zara has offered a crowd-pleasing menu of classic Indian food and exemplary service for many years now and remains understandably popular.
Best Grill/Steakhouse
COLEMAN’S PIZZERIA & STEAKHOUSE
No prizes for guessing what’s on the menu here, but when comfort food tastes this good, who needs surprises? The open kitchen is all part of the show – watch your pizza being flung to order, and steaks really benefit from the authentic flame-grilled flavour.
MILLER & CARTER
Steak is the name of the game here – on or off the bone, hung for up to 50 days and with a huge variety of cuts and accompanying sides and sauces. Great service too – the waiting staff know the menu inside out and are eager to please.
RELISH
It’s the relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff that helps Relish stand out from the rest. Regular live music nights are a real crowd-puller and popular dishes include sharing platters of ribs and wings, steaks and pizzas. The cocktail menu is pretty special too.
Best Traditional Pub
THE HARVEY ARMS
Mouth-watering specials include Harvey’s Mega Burger. There’s a family restaurant, a beer garden and the Harvey Up in Arms music festival is a real crowd-pleaser.
THE SHIP
Hearty pub grub and a friendly atmosphere is what The Ship delivers. Four guest ales are always available and Sunday lunch is a food highlight. Plenty of choice, generous portions and always a cheerful welcome.
THE TURNPIKE
This classic British pub has a warm, homely feel with cheering log fires and an equally hearty welcome. The menu consists of delicious pub food favourites and the classic Sunday roast dinner comes highly recommended.
Best Gastro Pub
CADEBY PUB & RESTAURANT
This gastro-pub specialises in locally-sourced ingredients and has been lovingly restored in recent years. Blessed with a beautiful countryside setting, the Cadeby delivers big flavours and offers a well-balanced mix of pub favourites and gastro treats. A fantastic range of ales, wines and speciality whiskies adds to the fun.
THE ODDFELLOWS
Set in the heart of Carlton, this newly refurbished pub serves up tasty treats including homemade pies, burgers and desserts in a contemporary setting with an underlit stone bar, walls full of prints and photographs, and a striking orange logo of glasses, ‘tache and bowtie. Odd, in a good way.
Best Hotel Restaurant
CLUMBER PARK HOTEL
There’s a true cosiness here and a beautiful countryside backdrop that makes for a relaxed dining experience every time. The menu serves up traditional dishes with a modern twist. Great steaks and some spectacular sweet desserts.
THE CROWN
Head chef of 30 years-plus Caz and her team can turn their hand to anything, from a banquet to an intimate dinner for two. Serious food with serious flavour is the order of the day here in a venue that mixes country house comfort with cosmopolitan-chic décor.
Best Contemporary
BAWTRY’S BAR & BRASSERIE
Always busy and very much at the heart of the Bawtry social scene, char-grilled steaks and pizzas are at the heart of a tried and tested food menu. With good beers, a great wine list and a buzzing atmosphere, a good night out is guaranteed.
COUNTING HOU23
This new wine bar combines a contemporary look with good wines and a menu packed with dishes including locally-sourced steaks and homemade desserts. The perfect setting for a relaxing afternoon with friends.
TOWNHOUSE TEA ROOMS
A complete makeover has breathed new life into this familiar Bawtry landmark, once a traditional tea room now a stylish bar and restaurant. The striking new look with multi-coloured striped wallpaper, plush velvet stools and luminous mirrors definitely has the wow factor. The perfect lunchtime retreat.
Best Café/ Light Bite
THE CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY COFFEE SHOP
Generously-filled sandwiches, perfect paninis and giant slices of fresh-baked cake at genuine bargain prices make this wooden-panelled café a welcome lunchtime retreat. C & C is slightly off the beaten track but well worth seeking out.
WALKERS NURSERIES
Garden centre restaurants now offer more than just a cuppa and a sandwich and Walkers Nurseries has a new café area which looks out onto a Japanese garden, the perfect setting for everything from Sunday roasts to hearty pies and stuffed peppers. There’s a separate ice cream and coffee counter too.
Best Modern British
CAVIARS
The retro exterior with its old school hanging baskets is little misleading; Caviars specialises in cutting edge cuisine with a flourish. Every plate is a picture and the sensibly small menu is full of invention. The well-chosen wine list represents tremendous value.
THE OLD WEIGHING ROOM
This ultra-stylish restaurant and bar at Doncaster Racecourse has been turning heads since its revamp a few years ago and it continues to impress with its 1920s domed glass bar area and contemporary dining room. Expect modern European cuisine and look out for special themed food and music nights.
THE SEPARATIST
This quirkily different venue in Torworth celebrates the local connection with the Pilgrim Fathers, who sailed from England to America on the Mayflower in 1620. The décor is restrained yet luxurious and the menu offers traditional cooking with a modern twist. There’s a good wine list and a wide range of cocktails.
Best Mediterranean
COLOSSEO
A classic Italian menu in a grand setting, Colosseo serves up Mediterranean favourites including tender lamb and seafood pasta, with a good value wine list and a big open kitchen. The perfect spot for small or large scale celebrations.
OTTO BAR AND KITCHEN
This unique and casual haunt has an industrial-inspired look which just oozes charm and cosiness. There is an impressive assortment of tempting drinks and food and the ethos is all about bringing people together.
RIOJA
Exciting food and drinks in a relaxing atmosphere. The menu changes regularly and recent daringly different tapas dishes have included seared tuna with charred pak choi and sous vide beef rump with potato straws and rosemary salt. A superb wine list and speciality grade Arabica coffee is ground to order.
Best Newcomer
THE COUNTING HOU23
See Best Contemporary for details
MILLER & CARTER
See Best Grill/ Steakhouse
TOWNHOUSE TEAROOMS
See Best Contemporary