In a word: Wow!
5:21pm Thursday 22nd September 2011 in Eating Out
EAT AT:
The Weighbridge Brewhouse, Penzance Drive, Swindon, SN5 7JL.
Tel: 01793 881500 Food served noon to 2pm and 6pm to 9.30pm Monday to Saturday, and noon to 9pm on Sunday
Stephen Webb is impressed by a restaurant that’s the talk of Swindon
“WOW!” is not a word often heard emanating from my wife’s lips these days, so I looked up in some surprise when said exclamation was uttered.
What led to the Kate Bush impersonation was a simple blob of ice cream – but this was clearly no ordinary blob, and indeed it was not even the main component of the dessert she was tucking in to at the Weighbridge Brewhouse, the new restaurant that is fast becoming the talk of Swindon.
We’ll come back to Mrs W’s pud later, because there’s plenty to cram in before.
The Weighbridge opened last month with much anticipation, not least because it is run by the team behind the popular and award-winning Three Crowns at Brinkworth, whose dishes are fast becoming the stuff of local legend.
The building – close to the Outlet Centre and formerly Archers Brewery (the restaurant has kept a microbrewery on site) – retains at least a sense of Swindon’s railway heritage and from driving past the architecture certainly makes one curious as to what awaits inside.
The menu won’t surprise anyone familiar with the fare at the Three Crowns, but that doesn’t prevent it from being excellent. And it’s not entirely predictable.
For a start, there are no starters. There was a starter menu when the Weighbridge opened, but it was decided to do away with it and focus on main courses and desserts. While this took us by surprise, it did save time and hassle – I was having enough trouble deciding on my main course: a beef and black pudding stack? Or wild boar steak? Or monkfish and salmon plate?
Eventually, I chose whole roasted grouse filled with rich fruit stuffing. It came wrapped in smoked streaky bacon and was served with a rich port sauce which had a hint of chocolate. The grouse was served on a pate en croute, and it was garnished with game chips.
It was superb. The grouse was full of flavour and was complemented by that fantastic sauce.
My wife had the British lamb shank. That was served on a bed of chive mashed potato, and with a sauce with bacon lardons, sweet garlic and cherry tomatoes, flamed with damson wine. No complaints there, and indeed we were both silent as we tucked in and concentrated on the flavours before us.
Did we have room for dessert? You betcha – another advantage of there being no starter menu is that there is room for dessert, and it would be a crime not to sample some of the delights on offer.
The sight of bread and butter pudding on the menu made me come over all nostalgic, but this was certainly not a pud like mum used to make – it was flavoured with Amaretto and almonds (Dad would not have approved) and came with a delicate vanilla custard. Crunchy on top, soft and soggy beneath, it was a very satisfying conclusion to the meal, and was delicious.
And then there was my wife’s dessert. Another favourite, crème brulee, but this was a rich white chocolate crème brulee with raspberries and home-made Grand Marnier ice cream. And it was that ice cream that prompted that wide-eyed “Wow!”
“You’ve got to try this,” she said, offering a morsel on her spoon.
“Wow!” I said. The effect on the taste buds was dazzling. “Can I have some more?”
“No,” she said, sliding the plate away from me.
Clearly at some point there was a weighbridge at or near the Weighbridge Brewhouse, and I’m glad it’s not there now. But while I may have been a little bit heavier after the meal, my wallet was lighter. The Weighbridge Brewhouse is not a cheap night out – the grouse was £26, the lamb shank £18.50, both desserts were £7. But you get what you pay for. The food was excellent, and so was the service from the largely young team, who were friendly, attentive and always smiling.
And the place has been tastefully done up, keeping some traditional features but adding some quirky interior design – keep an eye on the large skylight high up in the roof.
There has been much curiosity about the Weighbridge Brewhouse, but we’re only able to give you a hint of what it is like. You’ll have to go along yourself – make sure you book, it’s popular – to get a true feel.
And do try the Grand Marnier ice cream – see if it makes you say “Wow!” too.
