What's OnReview

Review: The Dyeworks at Kirkburton is well known to local food lovers

The Quarmby's have returned from France to create a mix of a cafe, lunch venue and bistro

The Dyeworks

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What's OnReview

Linda Whitwam

09:30, 12 JUL 2013
Updated17:41, 3 OCT 2014

The Dyeworks has become a buzzy bistro (Image: Julian Hughes)

A husband and wife team have returned from France to become a tour de force on Huddersfield’s increasingly competitive restaurant scene.

Adrian and Nicola Quarmby are well known to local food lovers, having spent most of their professional lives running the Kaye Arms at Grange Moor.

There Adrian indulged his love affair with France: in his kitchen the prawn cocktails and steak and chips gave way to foie gras, confit of duck and boudin noir.

With Nicola at front of house, the couple stayed at ‘The Kayes’ until November 2007 when they took a well-earned break.

Rejuvenated after spending time in France and after a short stint at The Smiths Arms, they opened The Dyeworks this spring in premises previously occupied by a Chinese restaurant and latterly Gran Sasso.

To describe The Dyeworks as a restaurant is only partially accurate; in true neighbourhood style, it’s also a café, lunch venue and bistro, opening in the morning for coffee, then lunch, and dinner three days a week.

Having heard good things about the food, we decided to give the restaurant a thorough grilling and summoned six friends to see what all the hype was about.

I was surprised at the starkness of the interior. While perfectly adequate for a day time setting, I found the minimalism of the bare white walls and hard surfaces somewhat harsh for evenings. And the lack of soft furnishings did nothing to absorb the sound reverberating around the small interior.

This, however, was just a matter of personal taste, as my dining companions did not share my view and were quite happy with the buzzy bistro atmosphere.

I might as well get my other beef out of the way: I wasn’t over-impressed with the bread – and even less so with the modern affectation of serving it in a brown paper bag to be eaten off the marble table, rather than a side plate.

So on to what we had really come for; the food. In true French style, the Quarmbys source much of their produce locally, and then proudly display the names of their suppliers around the restaurant. Good food is all about collaboration from pasture to plate – or high seas to high table.

The French onion soup (£6) was full bodied with a wonderful depth of flavour based on caramelised onions in a rich broth. Delicious. It would have stood out in Brittany, let alone Kirkburton.

Our other starters included terrines and rillettes – which was the only slightly disappointing dish – the vodka and lime-cured salmon with smoked trout and beetroot salad was fresh and zingy, an unusual combination of flavours which really worked.

The confit of pig’s cheek with celeriac purée, potted shrimps and 42-month aged Belotta ham were all devoured with gusto.

We washed everything down with three bottles from their comprehensive wine list, in which French vineyards unsurprisingly feature large.

Wines generally ranged from £15 to £25 a bottle, and we opted for a Domaine de Vedilhan viognier and an excellent New Zealand Marlborough pinot noir at £23.

A couple of us then made a beeline for the signature dish of Quickes mature cheddar cheese soufflé, at £10.50 for a main course or £8 for a starter. Whichever you order, it will be worth every penny. To describe it as exquisitely light and fluffy in no way does it full justice. You have to try it for yourself to fully appreciate its splendour.

The classic French lamb navarin, fillet steak, grilled chicken Caesar salad and grilled fillet of sea bass with Mediterranean vegetables and potatoes mousseline all met or exceeded expectations.

Not wanting the food to end, we polished off a sticky toffee pudding, apple tarte tatin and a rather grandly-named pear, almond and griottine cherry tart.

VERDICT: Fine food from a fine chef.