The Crown | Burchetts Green (UK)
Pure and delightful flavours with real impact, tickling the senses.
In a place breathing all easy charm and handsome, unpretentious comfort!
We revisit The Crown at Burchetts Green. The last time we had dinner here was about two years ago (see the review). But things have changed since then! Simon Bonwick, who opened The Crown late 2013 in this 400 year old village pub, and after been awarded a Michelin Star in 2017, decided to close shop last year.
Dominic Chapman jumped at the opportunity, took over the restaurant and reopened it a month ago.
We know Dominic Chapman from The Beehive in White Waltham. Our favourite gastropub in Berkshire! Dominic and his wife Helena opened The Beehive in August 2014 and established a solid reputation in the area and beyond. And now, almost 8 years later, it’s time for their second venture.
Chef-Patron Dominic Chapman is a sixth generation restaurateur. He grew up at his family’s acclaimed Castle at Taunton. From here, his experience took him to some of Britain’s most famous restaurants. Dominic has been Sous Chef at The Fat Duck *** and Head Chef at The Hind’s Head * in Bray and The Royal Oak in Paley Street (now for sale), earning Michael Parkinson’s pub and restaurant a Michelin star. Just to name a few.
Dominic will take the reins in the kitchen together with Head Chef Jullian Gurr, who worked with Dominic at The Beehive for years. Front of house is in the capable hands of Alicia (Helena’s sister), who has done so at The Beehive from the start.
The Crown opens on Tuesday for dinner only and from Wednesday to Saturday for both lunch and dinner. The menu offers 2 courses at ￡45 and 3 courses at ￡55, with 5 starters, 5 mains, 3 desserts and a cheeseboard to choose from. They also offer snacks (at ￡4.50-￡7.00) to go with your aperitif as well as 2 sides (at ￡4.95-￡5.50).
We enjoyed a 3 course dinner on a Friday two weeks ago.
We were attracted to some snacks on the menu, What about these beautiful fresh turbot cheeks! Lightly battered and crunchy crisp. They tasted great together with the housemade tartare sauce.
When I saw them on the menu, at first I had visions of the trout cheeks we had at our worst dinner ever at Lyle’s * in London! But I’m so glad we had these. A delectable appetizer!
We love the venison Scotch eggs at The beehive, so we just had try them here as well. And as expected, they are definitely of the same quality. A runny quails egg (boiled for 2 minute and 15 seconds), surrounded by quality mince and a crunchy crust. My favourite snack!
Breads are baked in house daily. Today we got milk bread bun and coastal cheddar roll with lightly salted butter. Especially loved the coastal cheddar one. The cheddar giving a lovely salty savory note to the bread.
My starter was a warm salad of Somerset smoked eel with beetroot, horseradish, walnuts and frisée. Mild horse radish running through the frisée salad. It’s subtle, gentle and discrete. Together with walnuts and beetroot all playing their part to complement the sterling smoked eel. Superb!
The Cornish sardines on the menu were very popular, so unfortunately they sold out. But Chef Dominic came out of the kitchen to suggest he could make the same dish with sea bream instead. We happily excepted.
Roasted sea bream with a chilli, garlic, rosemary & lemon vinaigrette. It was so good! Amazing crispy skin with still a perfect cuisson of the fish. Exceptional vinaigrette and pea shoots on top to finish the flavour palette. Great dish! I specifically like the fact that it’s just a few elements on the plate (like the other starter), delivering such pleasure.
We went for the meat mains today. Slow cooked ox cheeks with cauliflower puree, carrots, fried onions, mushrooms and bacon. Nothing showy or wacky, but honest classical cooking. Silky smooth cauliflower puree, covered by a fair chunk of, melt in the mouth, ox cheek. Mushrooms and fried onions on top, piece of bacon on the side. Carrots and buttered sweetheart cabbage for the vitamin shot. The jus was delightful, packed with flavour and plenty of it. Very comforting dish tantalizing the taste buds.
The other main was an 8oz Hereford rib eye steak with spinach, Dorset snails, garlic butter and rosemary. Maybe not the prettiest picture, but boy this was a dish! Never had snails together with steak before, but it’s amazing. Surf & turf on another level! Exquisite rib eye, Dorset snails embraced by garlic butter with spinach on the side. Great jus again. Loved every mouthful!
The rib eye came with chips. Triple cooked and crunchy as you want them. And not too big, which I like!
Fruity dessert next. Hurst Farm gooseberry crumble with vanilla ice cream and hazelnuts. Sharp and tangy gooseberries under a blanket of crumble with hazelnuts. Ice cream together with the vanilla custard bringing the right balance to counter the tangy berries. Classic!
The other dessert, a buttermilk cream, like a beautiful panna cotta, with plump and sweet cherries. Granola for a nutty crunch, giving a feel of it being a healthy dessert! Nice level of sweetness to the dish. Presentation could be a bit different, but the taste and flavours are spot on! Yumm.
Lady of the house Alicia and her team create an open, intimate and informal atmosphere, which is enhanced by the layout of the dining room. With place for just 26 covers, the dining room is small, but never feels cramped. Plenty of space between the tables. A place breathing all easy charm and handsome, unpretentious comfort! The Crown makes you feel relaxed and offers the ideal environment for a great meal.
It’s safe to say, They hit the ground running. Being open for just a few weeks, firing delicious dishes out of the tiny kitchen. Pure and delightful flavours with real impact, tickling the senses. We have always called The Beehive in White Waltham the best gastropub in Berkshire. But Dominic Chapman did it again! This is probably our second, best gastropub in Berkshire!
