Came here last night. Is the remodelled Red Lion which was a rather mediocre offering. They have done a very good job. The landscaping is quite beautiful and it certainly looks classy when you drive into the car park. Inside it's all wood panelling and dark tiles. It's very modern, fresh smelling and tasteful.
We sat in the bar area before we went to our pre-booked table (essential to reserve). We were told as soon as we got there that they were busy and the food might take a while to come out from the kitchen. The bar service was very slow and we had to chase up our drinks and food order. The wait staff in the bar seemed clueless, wandering around aimlessly. It was only the hostess who got things moving for us.I would also say that my champagne measure seemed meagre, but the spirits in the cocktails looked and tasted quite generous.
Everything improved once we got to our table. The restaurant area is quite a bit smaller than the bar and was extremely busy and noisy. When you book, ask for a booth as there's a lot more room than a table. The food came promptly and was very good indeed. We were told that the chef came from the Royal Oak at Paley Street in Maidenhead which is another of my haunts. On the way to the loos, there is a window where you can see into the kitchen, which is a nice touch.
I had the chicken liver parfait which was delicious. I also tried the heritage tomatoes with goats cheese which was a bit stingy on the latter. Two of our party had been the week before and they rated the scallop starter too.
For mains I had the lamb cutlet and braised shoulder which was divine. Others had the plaice and the pork tenderloin. Everything was very beautifully presented and extremely tasty. We ordered sides of vegetables and chips although we were not invited to do so. You would need to order sides. The chips were very crisp and clearly a great deal of care and thought had gone into the preparation of the meal.For example, the cooked radishes still had a bright green stalk, implying that the stalk had been covered with foil prior to cooking to preserve that colour.
We spoke to Alex the general manager who was on hand to help and take feedback.
The Eton Mess was a bit overly cheffy and had lost its essence but the coffee was good.
All in all an excellent experience and the food is very high end. It is not overly expensive for all that. I will definitely be back. read more