Wow – a word that truly sums up our experience at the Crown Hotel's restaurant open evening. Not only were we treated like Kings and Queens but were fed like ones too. Having been greeted by both Craig and Katey, we were welcomed into their rustic, recently renovated restaurant where we enjoyed three courses of exceptional food.
The restaurant itself has been decorated to create a warm, relaxing environment in which you can recline in leather booths and chat amongst the rustic, modern setting. As soon as we were at our table we were made to feel at home, and this relaxation is key in the enjoyment of the food.
What really grabbed us when choosing our meal is the wide variety; without there being too much choice so you don't even know where to start. Starters consist of sharing platters from different cultural cuisines, including Mediterranean and Asian, whilst single starters include something for everyone from bowls of Olives to a small portion of some of the main meals, e.g. Chicken Caesar Salad.
After some deliberation I chose Baked Camembert with rustic breads followed by the Chicken Breast with Pancetta and Bubble & Squeak and my partner the Duck Spring Rolls followed by Venison Haunch. Our appetites well and truly whetted we were keen to get started, and when our starters arrived we were not disappointed! My Camembert was melted to perfection and the infusion of rosemary and garlic really gave it the edge, whilst the duck spring rolls made such an impression on my partner, I've heard about them every day since!
Moving onto the mains our plates of food were incredibly well presented and the Mediterranean vegetables we ordered to go with them were cooked to perfection. Both the chicken breast and venison were incredibly tender and the mash (bubble and squeak with the chicken, root vegetable with the venison) entirely complimented the dish.
Finally, it wouldn't have been complete without a pudding and ordering the Chocolate Brownie and Caramel Bramley Apple Cheesecake we had just enough room left to enjoy these little delights. The brownie was served with white chocolate ice cream and the cheesecake with toffee chunk ice cream, we were in pudding heaven!
Needless to say we did roll home that night, but with a stuffed, satisfied feeling that neither of us have enjoyed for quite some time. Far too often you enjoy a meal that is OK, but you're not still talking about it the week after, and we're certainly still talking about the delights of The Crown. We were blown away, and not just because of the food but the warm atmosphere and staff.
It was clear that the staff were incredibly proud of the new restaurant and were keen to hear what our thoughts on each dish were – and obviously they weren't disappointed. Speaking to the chef we discussed the fact that some had commented the portions slightly too big, with us disagreeing wholeheartedly as both of us had cleaned our plates entirely (not quite sure what this says about us!) As we said they were 'Yorkshire Sized Portions' and the Yorkshire roots is something they have also captured, using local produce as their ingredients.
If you're wanting to go somewhere extra-special for that special occasion, or just fancy a bite to eat one weekend, I can only recommend The Crown. Un-rushed and in a relaxing environment, lie back in the leather couch, admire the modern art and glass lights and enjoy food that really is second-to-none.
A big thank you to all at The Crown and congratulations on creating a food experience that will be remembered for many months to come.
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