A village pub has transformed itself into a ‘destination’ after a change of ownership and the introduction of a menu described as exceptional.
The Old Volunteer in Caythorpe is a world away from typical pub grub with lasagna and pie and chips.
Half an hour’s drive from Nottingham brings visitors to the countryside, where chefs who have previously worked at some of Nottingham’s finest restaurants – World Service, Bar Iberico, Chino Latino and Restaurant Six – have combined their talents to create a high-end to create a gastro fusion menu.
Classics like Bolognese have been upgraded with the use of venison, sea bass is served with caviar and rice pudding has an Asian twist with miso caramel.
As in any decent pub, Sunday lunch is served – but even that is another level. If you’re thinking of a roast, reserve at least two weeks in advance.
Seasoned duck breast, potato and seaweed terrine, hispi cabbage, cherry ketchup and pickled blackberries
So what’s tickling the taste buds right now?
Appetizers of miso onion soup, lobster tortellini, and inside-out chicken wings feature on the a la carte menu served for lunch and dinner in the 44-seat restaurant area.
Foodies can look forward to monkfish tikka masala, spiced duck breast and the ever-popular dry-aged fillet steak.
Desserts include chocolate and miso anglaise, sticky toffee pudding and black syrup ice cream, and yuzu lemon posset – inspired by the dessert Hira Thakur created while appearing on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020.
Choosing the most expensive options would set you back almost £70 a head, but there is a less expensive alternative.
A set lunch menu offers a choice of three starters, mains such as roast chicken, fish and chips and mushroom risotto, and desserts, which cost £21 for two courses and £27 for three courses.
In the Old Volunteer, also known as Old Vol (not to be confused with the pub of the same name in Gedling), a whole new chapter was opened at the end of last year.
A takeover by locals Sean and Nicola Reddington resulted in a clean purge with a new look for the pub and new staff.
General manager Matt Coates, who gave up his role as manager of a Peak District pub to move into the Old Vol, said: “It’s high-end food and good service without the pretentiousness. We have big ambitions to be at the top.
“It was busy. We had a much busier January than expected. The reviews are good so overall I’d say it was off to a good start.
“We have received positive feedback from the locals. We definitely found the right balance between the restaurant and the pub side.”
Since the takeover, compliments have been piling up describing the food as “delightful” and worthy of a Michelin star.
Nottingham celebrity chef Sat Bains had dinner there and shared a photo of himself with the chefs on Instagram with the caption ‘So nice to see a young and enthusiastic team’.
Other guests include MasterChef: The Professionals champion Laurence Henry and names from the sporting world, footballer Tom Huddlestone, rugby player Matt Dawson and ex-cricketer Chris Broad.
The entire building has been overhauled. The interior has been updated to create a stylish, contemporary feel, light and airy with a living plant wall, a self-playing piano, a wood-burning stove and a new parlor with sofas and cozy chairs and a real log fire.
The dog-friendly bar serves local beers including Elsie Mo and Harvest Pale from Castle Rock and Jaipur from Derbyshire Brewery Thornbridge, as well as crowd favorite Timothy Taylor Bitter.
There’s no longer a TV downstairs – instead, the upper floor has been converted into a sports bar with buzzers for ordering drinks.
Matt added: “We have some pretty big plans for the garden. The back of the garden will be a children’s playground, a bridge will be built over the stream and the garden has a large BBQ area. There will be a bar built there and toilets so it will be self contained.
(Image: Joseph Raynor/Nottingham Post)
“There is a terrace next to the sports bar and we are planning live music and bands playing up there in the garden. It should be fantastic.”
Hira, who most recently worked at Trent Bridge’s upscale restaurant Six, heads the kitchen team alongside Andy Goodbourn, whose classic Sunday roast took second place nationally in the 2019 Observer Food Monthly Awards while working at Lord Nelson’s Burton Joyce.
Most recently he ran the kitchen at Tap & Run, the gastro pub owned by cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney.
Hira, who grew up in the Himalayas, said: “It’s a seasonal menu that changes every three months. It’s 60 percent fusion – it’s a lot tastier, a little bit Japanese and Indian.”
Also bringing his talent to the kitchen is Jack Pearce, the ‘Chef in Apprentice’ who won Best Young Chef in Nottingham 2019 and has previously worked at Red Lion in Thurgarton and World Service.
The Old Vol prides itself on acknowledging all of its chefs – their credits are showcased on a card on each table in the restaurant.
Sous chef Billy Mantle has joined from pop-up nights at Albie’s in Carlton and his skills in Asian and Japanese cooking are a perfect match for the fusion menu.
Chef de Partie Dylan Dawling is a tapas genius and has experience in Bar Iberico, Escabeche and Baresca.
They join George Castles, who has worked at the Old Vol for four years.
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