Eat My Words: We review the ‘Taste of’ events at The Governor’s House, Newark

There’s no need to book a flight — a world of flavour is being served up right here in Newark.

Each month The Governor’s House pays homage to a different country’s cuisine in a special multi-course tasting event, and we were invited along to their most recent event on February 21.

It was a Taste of Mexico, and my taste buds were certainly transported to a hotter climate with flavours of chilli, lime, mango, and decadent dulce de leche.

The evening took place in the first floor dining room, a room steeped in history and decorated with a variety of artwork and a warming stove, and a luxurious feeling atmosphere thanks to the low lighting and individual lamps and flowers on each table.

Hosts Tanith Wesson — of Cherizena Coffee — and building owner Brendan Minihane could not have been more welcoming and accommodating, and the team of wait staff were also delightfully friendly and professional.

It is an exclusive-feeling affair, with a limited number of spaces available for each event, and tables set out specifically for each party ready to enjoy their five-course tasting menu.

The evening began with welcome drinks, in this case an attractively presented margarita complete with a lime wedge, and a short time to settle in, before the food began arriving.

First there was an array of cheese, chorizo, nuts, and pickles — all delicious. I was particularly taken with the nuts which had a sprinkling of lime zest and absolutely burst with flavour on my tongue.

Then there was a ‘Salsa de Elote’, a colourful combination of corn, avocado, tomato, onion, pepper, and coriander.

Up next was perhaps my favourite course, quesadillas packed with smoked cheese and courgette, accompanied by a wonderfully sweet and savoury mango salsa.

The warm, melted cheese combined with the fresh fruit and vegetables was incredibly satisfying and full of flavour.

It was then time for a refried bean taco accompanied by traditional Pico de Gallo, and as someone who loves refried beans this was also a highlight.

A lighter, palate cleansing course followed — a refreshing lime sorbet — before we moved on to a hearty helping of Chilli Con Carne.

This was The Governor’s House’s special in-house chilli recipe and it didn’t disappoint, it was rich and full bodied, and came with a side of crispy tortilla chips.

Now, I had made a rather silly oversight and forgot to mention ahead of time that my dinner companion was vegetarian — but Tanith could not do enough for us and a special additional portion of vegetarian chilli was promptly cooked up and brought to our table, despite our assurances we wouldn’t mind simply skipping the course as it was my fault for not making our hosts aware.

The vegetarian chilli too went down a treat and did not lose any flavour for the lack of meat.

To conclude the evening was the final course — dessert. We were each presented with a plate of two crispy choux pastry churros and a very generous portion of Dulche de Leche and dark chocolate dipping sauce.

Now, I’m not sure how I can do justice to just how tasty the sauce was. It was sweet but not overly so, dippable but thick and creamy, and balanced so perfectly with the lightly sugared churros.

I savoured every bite of that dessert I can assure you.

As well as our welcome drinks we also had the option to order additional drinks from a varied menu. I opted for a 0% Corona (an alcoholic version was also available) — which was served properly with a lime wedge — and we also had some bottled water for the table.

The next dinner event at The Governor’s House will be a Taste of Morocco on March 28.

Out of five:

Food: There was always something new heading your way with the tasting menu, meaning you got way more variety than you would just ordering at a restaurant. Each dish was a generous size for a tasting menu and I was suitably filled. There was absolutely nothing to fault in the preparation of any of the dishes, all were well flavoured, cooked to perfection, and really took your senses on holiday. *****

Drinks: The welcome drinks are included in the booking which is a lovely bonus, and were very drinkable. They were presented quite simply, but this is not aiming to be an Instagram trap. While I stuck to non-alcoholic options for my further choices, there was a tempting selection of wines, beers, ciders and spritzes on the menu. I was also pleased to get the wedge of lime with my Corona — it’s only right! ****

Decor: The Governor’s House is certainly a venue like no other, its absolutely steeped in history and atmosphere. This was only enhanced by the colourful selection of artwork adorning the walls, and the low lamplight which lit each table. The warm stove was also a nice inclusion. *****

Staff: The staff and hosts were very attentive, and the experience felt quite personal which was lovely. Plates were cleared promptly when empty, and always with a smile. *****

Price: We were invited so our visit was complimentary, but at a cost of £35 per head plus additional drinks I felt it was a very reasonable price for a less ordinary night out in a lovely setting. *****

Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@newarkadvertiser.co.uk