A wonder on the river

Published 21 Jul 2010 09:00 2 Comments

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By Hannah Masters-Waage

RIVERSIDE restaurant, The Lock, opened its doors at the beginning of May and has been enjoying growing success.

Berkshire Media Group photographer Abi Turley and I went down to see what all the fuss was about. Special it is. From the art deco mirrored tables to the textured materials in greens and golds, the decor glints and glows throughout the restaurant.

It's also nice to see a restaurant reasonably busy on a Wednesday night, giving it a warm yet energetic atmosphere, which is complemented by the friendly and very attentive staff.

As it is summer I could not resist the asparagus with a poached egg, creme fraiche and herbs, £6.75, a dish which was complex yet light, perfect for a summer's evening.

The neatly-stacked asparagus dish had a hint of lemon which was nicely balanced by the heavier mixture of creme fraiche and egg yolk.

The egg itself came from Devon, and Robert Kenworthy, operations director for the hotel, said: "Where we can, we source local food because we are very keen to support the local environment."

The main feature of the menu are the dishes prepared in the Josper oven, a charcoal oven, giving the dishes a smoky taste but ensuring that they retain their moisture too.

Abi ordered the fish of the day, plaice from the South Coast, fresh from the sea that day and cooked in the Josper oven, and chose a salsa verde to accompany it.

I also chose a fish dish, a medley of cod, mussels and clams in a provencale sauce with rustic bread.

It was a textured delight, with delicate pieces of cod contrasting with the more chewy calamari and shellfish.

To finish off a delightful evening, Abi ordered the most popular dessert, a hot chocolate fondant with caramel mousse and vanilla ice cream, £6.75.

The dish came with an almond pastry stick which is balanced like a precarious bridge over the hot fondant.

My tarte citron with pistachio ice cream, £6.25, again impressed with the contrast of texture, a silky smooth lemon filling with a crunchy, caramelised topping. Our meal was the ideal summer's evening experience.

Where? the runnymede-on-thames, Windsor Road, Egham, TW20 0AG. www.therunnymede.co.uk

Telephone: 01784 220969.

How much? Starters are £5.75-£7.95, main courses are £12.50-£23.95 and desserts are £6.25-£12. Sunday lunch is £25.

Opening times: Monday-Friday 12.15-2.15pm and 7-10pm. Saturday dinner is from 7-10pm and Sunday lunch is served from 12.30-3.30pm.

This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 15 Jul 10

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Howard Thomas
Unregistered User
Jul 25, 23:52
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This article sounds more like an advertisement for this restaurant...................

food description/prices/location/address/tel number/website/opening hours............

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muppet
Unregistered User
Aug 4, 10:20
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It's almost as if it's a review?

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