Rating 1051 GWR chefs make this one to watch (Rating 4.2/5)
I booked GWR for Mother's Day lunch - 3 adults and 4 kids - on the back of our first extremely enjoyable dining experience there the week before. In part, GWRs prawn tempura brought me back as it was simply superb. Exceptionally fine prawns (locally sourced..) - light and not at all greasy tempura batter - served with a sweet chilli dip and herb, mango and chilli relish - a perfect plate.
Happily, the tempura appeared on the three-course Mother's Day menu (£24.95 incl. a glass of prosecco) and was delicious again.
A good range of menu options to choose from. Mum and I had the grilled sole with a prawn, lemon and caper butter on a bed of crispy potatoes and pea purée. A beautiful combination, beautifully presented. I hope that isn't a one off as it deserves a regular spot like the tempura.
My brother had the smoked chicken with Thai noodle chilli and veg broth. He was very impressed. A small but important note - the plates were nice and hot (one waitress has asbestos fingers for certain).
The kids pizzas were light and crispy, and disappeared completely with pleased faces and appreciative sounds all round.
High quality kid-friendly options from a very affordable 3 course kids menu.
Our desserts were delightful (not overly sweet raspberry and white choc cheesecake; and strawberry and gin parfait) meaning the GWR meal was spot on for us all, from start to finish.
The wine list is limited but we enjoyed a very nice New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. And GWR offers a good range of drinks including local brewer Jaw Brew's varieties.
On the merits of our meal, it could be described as a fine dining experience certainly comparable with some of the very best, top rated chefs' offerings. The restaurant itself is quite noisy - the casual surroundings, paper napkins, and relaxed (but friendly) attitude to service don't suggest in any way there's going to be high-end talent in the kitchen.
The restaurant sits in an interesting position in that it offers a range of inexpensive casual dining dishes - like roasts and hunter's chicken, alongside more sophisticated options. Notably, it isn't over charging for anything. As word gets out on GWR maybe this will change, but for the meantime, it's earned a spot as one of our go to places.
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Joanna Downie - 22/03/2016