As this was our first experience of this restaurant and we have not tried the rooms, the 4 stars must be seen as the maximum we could give; the fifth star would be earned for being as good on more than one occasion.
It is right in the middle of Rotherham town centre, close to transport hubs and has some parking with more (paid) close by. It is almost hidden so outside eating and drinking is not an overly public activity. It is behind our dentist that we visit regularly and we had not spotted it.
Upstairs it has a bar/eatery that is modern with a sleek design, my granddaughter says it is fashionable and appeals to the young. Downstairs it almost takes your breath away. The trend, even for Michelin star restaurants is for “fewer frills”, but for us personally, if we had to imagine a place we would love to eat, it would look like this. The tables are a sea of starched, white linen, with linen napkins in silver rings. the well-designed flatware gleams and the glassware sparkles. The lighting and the background music is subtle and allows for easy menu reading and comfortable conversation. All this before eating means that we were already part seduced by the ambience.
The menu was simple and not over extensive or confusing. The wine list was the same and not overly expensive. (Why aren’t English wine more available everywhere).
The food was delicious and served hot. Pigeon, scallops and duck were among the items we tried. The cooking was superb and the portion sizes were spot on so that we just managed three courses. It is refreshing not to be faced with monster portions that preclude more than one course.
The waiting staff were inexperienced but friendly, polite and intent on given excellent service, they were a credit to the restaurant.
In a sea of grill type sameness, this place stands out as a beacon of comfort and excellent food. We are booked to return on Friday 9/07.
