Peter Barron goes in search of something different and finds a restaurant aiming to build on Durham City’s heritage as the ancient mustard capital of England

WHEN it comes to eating out, it’s not easy to find somewhere new and different. Ask for recommendations and the same old names crop up. So when Mrs Mustard opened in Durham City, aiming to be the country’s first mustard-inspired restaurant, it cried out to be tried and tested.

There is good reason for Durham to have a mustard specialist in picturesque Saddler Street, on the winding cobbles approaching Durham Cathedral. It is yards from the former site of a mill where a certain Mrs Clements is credited with discovering the culinary technique of grinding mustard seeds into a powder 300 years ago.

Mrs Clements was the kind of entrepreneur County Durham would relish in these dark economic times. She set off around the country, collecting orders for her recipe, and when it was given the royal seal of approval, by no less than King George I, her invention was a hot commodity indeed.

Her condiment became known as Durham Mustard. From tiny seeds, an industry flourished and the county was soon covered in the stuff.

Now, Durham’s mustard heritage is being brought back to life, even though Mrs Clements first name remains a mystery despite intensive research.

The restaurant was opened a few weeks ago by Durham cricketer Phil Mustard – who else?

If anyone should spot the opportunity to open a restaurant specialising in onions, I think we all know who’d be asked to do the honours.

Keen as mustard, my wife and I arrived at the restaurant last Saturday night and were led through a wine bar-style entrance (think of Number 22 in Darlington and it’s the same kind of feel) to our table in a dining room overlooking the River Wear on one side. Despite the fact that it was a sunny evening, it was uncomfortably chilly inside and my wife quickly needed to reach for her cardigan. We noticed other diners doing the same as the evening went on, so make sure you go prepared. The music was also a little loud for our liking – acceptable in the wine bar perhaps, but not for the restaurant.

The strength of Mrs Mustard is, however, in the rich variety and adventurous nature of the menu, whether it be for lunch of dinner.

My wife went for Mrs Clements’ kedgeree to start and was pleased with her choice: a pleasant blend of fish, complemented by a mild, mustard rice. I went for the whole hog terrine with apple chutney, soda bread toast and a crispy trotter – not the wisest decision I’ve ever made. The terrine, chutney and toast were all perfectly nice, but I couldn’t face the crispy trotter once it was on the plate.

AS a pescatarian, my wife had been concerned that a mustard restaurant would offer limited scope, but she was surprised by how many non-meat options she had. In the end, she plumped for wild mushroom and asparagus layered with creamy mustard sauce and pasta sheets. It was delightfully subtle, both in presentation and taste.

For me, it was the chunky cod loin With harissa pepper and rose petal, creamy grain mustard mash with lemon caper berry butter sauce. It was as good as it sounds – and nothing subtle about it. Naturally, we sampled each other’s. “Wow!” exclaimed my wife when she tried some of mine. She concluded that there was “a bit too much going on – too many conflicting tastes”, but I loved the explosion of flavours.

On the next table, a couple were being served steaks and we counted a choice of seven different mustards. For dessert, my wife – a creme brulee aficionado – couldn’t resist the baked kahlua custard with dates and caramelised sugar. She’s a hard woman to please but declared it to be “perfect in crispness, consistency and flavour”. I went for Mrs M’s apple tart with ice cream and was happy that I did.

Our waitress was attentive and at least gave the impression of being interested in our thoughts, explaining that Mrs Mustard was new and they were keen to hear constructive criticism.

“Well, in that case, the plates could have been hotter,” replied my wife, who doesn’t need asking twice. She did, however, add that we’d thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience.

With a bottle of not-quite-chilled rose wine and some fizzy water, our bill came to a reasonable £69.60 and we’d certainly go back.

Mrs Mustard is a quality addition to the eating out scene in County Durham, offering something just a little bit different. And it certainly helps if you’re keen on mustard.

Grains of truth

  •  Monks on the Farne Islands, living in a monastic cell tied to Durham Cathedral, used quern stones to grind “mwstert” seeds by 1486.
  •  As Durham’s mustard industry grew, locals became known colloquially as “the knock-kneed Durham men” because they spent so much time grinding mustard husks between their knees.
  •  Mrs Clements’ discovery led to rival mustard firms springing up, including Keen & Sons, which became established in London, in 1742. This is the origin of the phrase “keen as mustard”.
  •  Keen & Sons was eventually acquired byColmans of Norwich.

FOOD FACTS

Food :4/5 
Ambiance :3/5 
Service :3/5 
Value for money :3/5
Address : 39 Saddler Street, Durham, DH1 3NU
Telephone : 0191-3841-999
Website : mrsmustard.co.uk
Open : Monday-Saturday 12pm-late; Sunday 12-4pm.