Restaurant Review: The Derrick Gin Mill & Kitchen

I remember a time when we would be out with friends and I would order my gin and soda and all my friends would give me the look of bewilderment. Why would I drink gin? They’d ask as they’re all sipping on their vodka drinks and other mixes. They didn’t know what they were missing and I’m glad to see that there are pubs and restaurants out there that now utilize gin as their main source of inspiration. One of those being The Derrick Gin Mill and Kitchen, where gin is prominently part of their name.

Atmosphere: Pub style eatery, great for happy hour get togethers and more.

Price Range: Mid $10s

Food & Drinks: To start we decided on the Smoked Beef Tartare made with gherkins, cognac and served with house made chips. The presentation of this dish is quite dramatic. When it arrived at the table the lid is lifted off to showcase a smoke infused beef tartare dish (which you can taste). The tartare itself has a nice balance of salty, tart and smoky, a great way to start our meal.

The Mushrooms on Toast also caught my eye and I’m really glad we decided to try it. It was heaven, the mushrooms were tender and juicy, perfect in the demi glaze with lots of truffle oil. Everything in this dish just made sense. I couldn’t stop eating it and didn’t want to waste a drop of the sauce so I was scooping it all up with the toast!

For our main we ordered the Lamb Pot Au Feu which is slow cooked lamb shoulder with potatoes, carrots and parsnips. The lamb was fall off the bone tender and the accompaniments were soft and cooked through. It’s definitely elevated comfort food and reminds me of delicious home cooking. Our second main was the Fish Stew with Stewed Tomato and Fennel. This dish was extremely light and a nice contrast to the lamb dish. It came with mussels, clams, Atlantic grey cod and topped with a spicy aioli to give it some richness. All of the seafood was cooked well which is important since overcooked seafood can often be chewy and dry. The broth was flavourful but didn’t overpower the delicate flavours overall. It’s a great dish for those who love their shellfish.

We had to try some of their cocktails to accompany our meal starting with the Newly Fashioned, an update on a classic, with bourbon, raisins, rosemary syrup and bitters. It has similar flavours to the original but with a twist due to the use of rosemary syrup. I really enjoyed the herbaciousness and would order it again. I was surprised at how well the rosemary complimented the bourbon. We also tried the Apricot Sour made with cognac, apricot brandy, lemon juice, mint syrup and bitters. The closest I would compare this drink to would be the whiskey sour but with a hint of sweetness coming from the apricot syrup. It’s a nice change if you’re looking for something different without going too far from the norm.

My Picks: Mushrooms on Toast

Overall: Come for the gin but stay for the food! Since their menu’s always changing, be sure to check out what’s the latest for each season. There are many different dishes on their current menu that I can’t wait to try, possibly along side some more delicious cocktails.

The Derrick Gin Mill & Kitchen
620 8 Avenue SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 475-7226
Website: thederrickyyc.com

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