Mill Road Cambridge Restaurants- Vanderlyle Review

If you are wondering where to eat Cambridge, look no further than Vanderlyle– a new inventive restaurant offering quality food. As a huge fan of ‘The Hole in the Wall’, I was extremely excited to hear about Alex Rushmer and Lawrence Butler’s addition to Mill Road Cambridge restaurants and couldn’t wait to try it. A seasonal, ingredient led, 5 course set menu (£55) (pay via the Tock system), and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. This place really is fabulous.

Snacks:

I have been raving about the amazing crab crumpet at Cornerstone since eating it a few months back and here I am crumpet obsessed again. Vanderlyle’s cauliflower crumpet certainly stands toe to toe with it – utterly delicious.

The cashew labneh was smooth and nutty, a crunchy crouton and a zingy vivid red pepper sauce.

This is followed by a delicate little cup of fresh lettuce soup studded with fresh delicious peas.

Salad:

Is this the best salad I have ever eaten ? Absolutely! A beautiful plate of fresh leaves from Flourish Produce, placed on top of thin, perfectly salt baked kohlrabi and beetroot, all topped with grated egg yolk.

The salad was served with potato and seaweed bread. Anyone who remembers the treacle bread at the Hole in the Wall will appreciate how good this bread tasted. An exceptional plate of food which really sets the tone for the next course.

Asparagus:

Perfectly made little nettle and ricotta tortellini arrived next. Sitting alongside beautifully crisp asparagus and morels. Another exquisite dish.

Aubergine:

On to the aubergine. Expertly roasted, topped with sesame and miso. This dish is so well balanced and the black olive caramel had me literally scrapping the plate clean. All of this is served with a small bowl of superbly cooked and buttered new potatoes- delightful.

Strawberries:

The first dessert was a wonderful combination of fresh, zingy ingredients. The texture of the silky, creamy semifreddo is spot on, full of delicious strawberry flavour. This works well with the earthy tiny pieces of diced beetroot.

Orange and Carrot:

What a finish to the meal. This is ranking as one of the best desserts I have eaten. A small, moist piece of orange and carrot cake, alongside the show stopping frozen rhubarb and ginger. Stunning in both flavour and texture. Underneath all of this (and bringing the dish together) is a brilliant carrot curd.

What to Drink:

Vanderlyle offer a wine, and non-alcoholic drinks pairing, which can also be mixed so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds. The wine list has a great selection of interesting wines from around the world and is well worth investigating. We decided on an American dry white from Monterrey which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Mill Road Cambridge restaurants:

We had a wonderful evening at Vanderlyle and are already planning our next visit. We are planning to sit at the pass to watch the magic happen next time! The food is simply outstanding- exciting, inventive, and utterly delicious. Go and try for yourself, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

For more of our Cambridge restaurant recommendations click here.