Restaurant Review

Sue Beamish visits the Red House at Nether Broughton

"Is it worth the drive?" muttered my husband, Peter, as we set off towards Melton Mowbray to review The Red House - a pub, restaurant and hotel we previously hadn’t heard of, haling as we do from Peterborough. But after just 50 minutes driving we reached the charming village of Nether Broughton and quickly found our destination a beautiful old red brick building that was a coach house in a previous life.

Although The Red House fronts the main road through the village (the A606) there was little traffic, ample parking and once inside two roaring log fires to welcome us. We were greeted by our host Norman Clarke who explained that although officially he is the Commercial Manager of the Mulberry Pub Co group (the Red House is their third acquisition), he has recently taken on the management of the Red House on a rather more hands on basis than he was anticipating and it would seem that he is enjoying himself!

On this occasion for us there was no issue over whose turn it was to drive home as The Red House also has eight individually designed suites and we were delighted to

Appealing to both eye and stomach, the food at The Red House is second to none

be staying the night. Norman showed us straight to the "brown suede" suite with a large brown suede headboard giving the bedroom a comfortable and luxurious feel. The attention to detail was refreshing, right down to the provision of a fresh lemon and lime, should we wish to enjoy a drink from the well-stocked mini bar. The bath robes and towels were of the deliciously fluffy variety and the bed linen beautifully soft.

Once refreshed we went downstairs to the bar for pre-dinner drinks. With its comfy leather seating and open fireplaces, we were delighted to find the atmosphere here was that of a traditional country pub. We sipped our drinks and chatted with Norman before facing the dilemma of choosing from the tempting menu. The chef explained later that all the produce is sourced as locally as possible, with the specials being particularly seasonal.

Norman was reluctant to make any food recommendations - "its all good" he assured us but was happy to help us choose our wine. The red Firefinch (£18.50) (Norman has been to the vineyard in South Africa) certainly lived up to his praises.

Teak decking and cobble-lined flowerbeds set the scene for the Courtyard at The Red House

At last, we decided what we wanted to eat and to start Peter chose one of the specials, scallops rolled in bacon with prawns and a lobster bisque, while I chose king prawn tempura with a sweet chilli salsa. Both were delicious, and so elegantly arranged they were just begging to be photographed! The prices appealed too starters from just £4.95 to £6.95, with the main courses £14.95 to £16.95, and the specials sometimes a little more.

For our main courses, I chose the fabulous red onion tartan (sic) topped with whipped goat’s cheese and wild mushrooms while my husband enjoyed the rib eye steak. The latter came with a green salad and "fat" chips, and they do mean fat—not many per potato I fear.

By now we were pleasantly full, but we couldn't resist the pudding menu with Peter indulging himself with the "chef's signature dish", lemon pepper poached pear with ice cream in a tuile biscuit box it disappeared in seconds! My strawberries in balsamic vinegar with whipped chocolate Chantilly and white chocolate ice cream were served in a leggy cocktail glass and I amazed myself by finishing the lot despite my request for a small helping seemingly going unheard.

We ate in what is described as the "contemporary" restaurant. This offers a combination of simple wooden furniture with modern accessories and lighting. With a partial view through to the kitchen, there is a vibrant atmosphere and when, after dinner, we talked to Mark, the chef, we asked how he found working in a kitchen that is partially "on show". He admitted that he rather enjoyed the theatre of being visible to the diners apart from having to watch his language in times of crisis!

The next morning, breakfast was served in the restaurant continental as standard or cooked as an extra. I have rarely seen Peter turn down a cooked breakfast but having eaten so well the previous evening, we both went continental.

The Red House strives to attract "foodies" and with this in mind offers a number of packages. For example, we enjoyed their "Friday and Saturday Feeling" package, which includes accommodation with a two course a la carte dinner for two at £80 per person per night. (OK, so we were greedy and had three courses…)

We are already planning on returning to The Red House in the summer so we can enjoy the courtyard to the rear, which promises an alternative al fresco dining experience. There is also a 12-seater conference room off the courtyard and a marquee at the rear which can cater for up to 120 guests.

The aim of The Red House is to offer a destination gastro pub experience. Both mine and Peter's verdict is that it is without doubt worth the drive!