Review: The Dower House Restaurant at The Royal Crescent Hotel

We returned to The Dower House Restaurant which sits at the rear of the main hotel in its own fabulous house adjacent to the hotel and through the incredible gardens to taste their new and seasonal menu.

The Royal Crescent Hotel always, always offers the very best and warmest of welcomes which is especially hard to do when wearing a mask but the lovely and professional staff at the hotel have somehow mastered this! Note that Covid measures are of the highest standard and we quite liked the staff face masks that matched the uniform; a polished touch!

We took a seat on the sofa in the swish The Montagu Bar and had table water and menus placed before us as our coats were securely hung elsewhere.

We have always found the team throughout The Royal Crescent Hotel wonderful. A balance of knowledge and charm without ANY degree of stuffiness which we love, meaning that it's a welcoming environment for everyone. And yes, a total treat, one which we all currently deserve.

We ordered a glass of wine each from their ‘something for everyone’ wine list and it wasn’t long before we were relaxed and chatting away about the fine interiors and trying to eliminate dishes to order from the menu.

We were shown to our table, a cosy corner with the perfect date night lighting, although admittedly not perfect for our iPhone photography, so we apologise for the lack of quality of the images. Rest assured everything produced by the team at this 5-star hotel was beyond excellent.

The menu is an eclectic continental mix boasting seasonal and local produce, growers and ingredients. We both chose exactly the same starter and main course such was the draw of the dishes but let it be known it took us a while to decide.

We opted for Spice Lamb Kofta’s with Asian Glaze and Thai Basil...heaven! Sweet, succulent and the prefect size for an entrée.

Next up F1 Grade Wagyu Bavette (meaning the very best steak and some) with creamed mushrooms, roasted onion, and rainbow chard…a mouth-watering plate of joy. We added French fries and a Cherry Tomato, Red Onion and Basil Salad...we must add that fine dining can often come with the tag of leaving you hungry. Not the Dower House! My partner, who’s a big guy loves his food felt extremely well fed.

That said, it didn’t stop us sharing a dessert…and there was absolutely no way I was leaving the Royal Crescent without trying the Toffee-Popcorn Ice-Cream Sundae, a total dream of a dessert. Fun, delicious and enough for two.

A special mention to the Head Sommelier & Beverage Manager, Jean-Marc Leitao, who (and always is) a very warm and charming part of the front of house staff and had us gripped hearing his wine knowledge (also football!). He carefully recommended a divine Cote du Rhone that was instantly supped. He’s a asset to the restaurant and hotel and makes wine choosing so much fun.

We skipped off from our treat at the Dower House, with full bellies, some great memories and a wish to return again.

What a total treat! Thank you to Mary Stringer for the invitation and to her and the entire team who were all outstanding. Hope to see you soon.

To make a booking online or find out more about The Dower House Restaurant click here.