THE CROWN, WHITEBROOK.

First Impressions.

My wife took me to The Crown for a birthday treat as I am a big foodie fan and the reviews I have read are excellent. The Crown describes itself, “ Set in 5 acres of tranquil landscape gardens in the beautful  Wye Valley. The Crown is one of a total dining experience led by the quality of the food, the ambience of the restaurant and the friendly staff. In fact is is located alongside a country road in the middle of nowhere with steep graded banking and trees all around.

 I was looking forward to my overnight stay and meal with great anticipation. On arrival we were greated and shown to our room. The room was no bigger than a shoe box.  As I opened the bedroom door another door was immediatelly infront of me. This was the door to the very compact en-suite. I turned right and observed a bed of medium size filling the room with barely enough room to walk around it without touching the walls on all sides and the furnishings were cosy & pleasant.  Not a good start, however, as it was only one night I decided to put up with it and not complain. I did  not intend  disapointing  my wife who had gone to a lot of trouble and expense for my birthday treat.

As we relaxed on the bed for a few hours I noticed some home made welsh cakes on a coffee tray. I decided to try them with a cup of freshly brewed  coffee. They were dry and hard and had obviously been there all day. 

Service With A Smile

The staff were very pleasant throughout. On arrival we were greated by a very curteous young lady who explained everything to us. The staff that served us throughout the night, from the time we entered the restaurant were pleasant and curteous but they lacked a little knowledge when I asked questions of the food authenticity. The decore of The Crown is like an old country pub with a modern twist. Exposed beams in the ceeling, clean white paint and large leather sofas in the reception area make the place feel cosy.  The crisp white table cloths and modern cutttelry bring a tasteful presence to the dining room.

The Food

I decided to go for the tasting menu however there was no menu to follow as the matre de explained this changes daily and the chef cooks a variety of food so the food would be created for us. My wife was a liittle aprehensive as she likes to know what she is eating but we decided to be adventerous.

A starter of Potatoes & Truffle served with a Parducci Chardonnay was delightful and full of flavours for such a simple dish. 

This was followed by Foie Gras, Apricot and White Choclate served with a Heller Estate Chenin Blanc. A little under cooked to my taste, however, satisfactory.

We then had Brill, Peas , Capers & Asperagus served with a Pacherenc Blanc SecChateau Bouscasse, 2006. This was a delightful dish well cooked and presented and on of my favourites. Full of flavour a  tasty variety of food.

Following on from this we had Duck, Maple, Date & Lentils,  served with a Cotes du Rhone Nature 2008. The Duck was tough and undercooked. Duck is one of my favourit edishes and I was very disapointed. When I asked the waitress for the breed she did not know and on returning from the kitchen stated it was a gressingham. I have  tasted many in my time but this was sub standard.

The first of the deserts was a Chocolate, Banana & Yohurt served with a San Emilio Pedo Ximenez. The flavoures were delicious and zingy, a delightful dish.

The second desert was Blackberry cheesecake with Apple & Parma Violet that was served with Elysium Black Muscat. Another delightful desert with a tasty variety of flavours.

The Verdict

My verdict is harsh but please understand I have dined in some of the finest restaurants. This is no more than good quality restaurant foodand not Michelin standard. Some dishes were sublime, some disapointing. The service was good but not brilliant. The ambience in the restaurant was stuffy and certainly not vibrant. With only a limited amount of tables in the two room dining area it lacked a certain buzz. I expect the server to know most things about the food prepared and cooked, however, this was not the case and she kept returing from the kitchen with a limited explanation.   Both my wife and I were disappointed and as for the room, I have stayed in bigger rooms in a Travel Lodge.

The Bill  

Room £125.00

Food £175

Food  5/10

Atmosphere 3/10

Service 7/10

Would I recommend The Crown, NO.  Would I go there again, NO.