CHERRY HOUSE REVIEW

It’s a shame I have to write a lot of words to review my visit to The Cherry House Restaurant in Werrington. That’s because one word is all I need to sum it up: superb.

I’ve gone on before about how a successful visit to a restaurant is all about the experience, the way it makes you feel whilst you’re there and they when you’re talking about it to friends the next day. This was one of those visits. I’ll break it down for you.

Ambience: Beautifully lit, warm and welcoming. You’re made to feel at ease (comfortable chairs made a difference) in an instant. This restaurant’s perfect for a quiet meal for two – not a place to take ESP’s Susan Saunders unless you can gag her from laughing (she has the loudest laugh in East Anglia). But there are separate rooms away from the dining area where you can exercise your vocal cords a little louder without being scorned upon.

Service: This, apart from a premature “Can I take your starters away?” was almost faultless. It was polite, served up with a smile and interrupted our conversation at the right times. The waitress, Laura, actually looked like she enjoyed her work and was impressively well versed on the contents of the mouth-watering dessert trolley.

Food: Portions were positively deceiving. Although the food was served up in a pretty-like way, there was actually more on the plate than at first glance. Every dish was beautifully presented and everything served was either fresh or homemade.

The nest of Scottish smoked salmon, celeriac and crayfish tails I had for starter was perfectly sized to line the stomach. The cream of celery and pear soup my partner chose was served hot (some restaurants fail here) and with croutons in a separate bowl as a perfect accompaniment.

Main courses were even better. Fillet steak in peppercorn sauce and breast of Gressingham duck in a strawberry vinegar and pink peppercorn sauce. Both were cooked to perfection and accompanied with fresh seasonal vegetables that were cooked just right and served piping hot.

All of the half a dozen or more dishes on offer were homemade and incredibly inviting. I opted for cheesecake soaked in a Malibu and mango sponge base and my partner chose a to-die-for double chocolate mouse. Both dishes were presented with all the bells, whistles and colours of a Brazilian carnival and looked just too good to eat, but eat them we did.

Toilets: I’d eat in these toilets if I had to, that’s how clean they were. They gave the impression they were cleaned daily and even the toilet roll had a quality about it that almost made it too good to use! I was so impressed I made sure not to leave the seat up.

The staff at the Cherry House Restaurant aren’t in a rush to push you out of the doors, they truly believe eating should be a three-hour experience at least. These guys cater for weddings too and with an experience as good as this, I’d consider having my wedding party here if only I could find someone to marry in the first place. Pep Cipriano

Cherry House Restaurant, 125 Church Street, Werrington, Tel: 01733 571721