Joe's Kitchen, Derby

Joe's Kitchen is a brand new restaurant that's opening in the Intu Centre, Derby. You might have seen on Instagram that they very kindly invited me to sample the food and drink at their preview event on Thursday.

Firstly, they offered us a range of gorgeous cocktails and mocktails, all with fresh ingredients. I had a mango & ginger mocktail, which was lovely! Then they gave us a chance to explore our surroundings a bit. I love the design of the restaurant, and the attention to detail! A lot of the tables have little blackboards on them that have funny quotes on:

We were given a range of different samples from the menu to try. Let's put it this way: I was absolutely stuffed by the time we left. (And for several hours afterwards too!) As a true Brit, my favourite dish was their fish and chips (pictured below). It was DELICIOUS.

For dessert, there were an array of cakes. I managed this small slice of tasty carrot cake, and the lovely chocolate brownie, but sadly had to donate the cupcake to my Dad to eat.

The staff were absolutely lovely to us all and were so attentive too! Little tip: They all have a special trick that they've learned, so anyone can ask them to perform on-the-spot! My Mum asked one of the waiters and he said he wasn't allowed to do his in front of customers, because it was drinking a pint in under a minute!

I really like the eclectic mix of modern and vintage decor that goes hand in hand with the eclectic menu. It's clear that a lot of thought and care have been paid to the menu, and the team said that they have put a lot of effort into sourcing their ingredients from the UK.

I'm definitely going back soon to try even more of the menu! If you're in the area and interested in trying it out, Joe's Kitchen opens on today in the Intu Centre, Derby.