ONCE upon a time, it was the county’s Shire Hall. Now, it is a boutique hotel at the heart of the town centre, complete with one of the most exclusive restaurants in town.
The Roseate, opposite Forbury Gardens, is truly a destination venue that Reading should be proud of. While some might head to Shinfield or Stoke Row for some fine dining, The Reading Room offers that experience right on the doorstep.
With most bus stops within easy walking distance, it’s easy to have a celebration without worrying about who is driving … but being in a hotel, it’s also possible to stay over and make it a night to remember.
The Reading Room is its restaurant, on the lower ground floor. Bright and spacious, the warm area has plenty of natural light and an outdoor area complete with a waterfall for that wow factor.
It’s a la carte menu has been updated for summer and features a vast range of dishes to ensure all palettes are catered for.
For those who don’t want to decide between individual dishes, there is a tasting menu offering seven courses for £84. This might seem expensive, but this is what you receive – for which you will be thankful: an amuse bouche, Rabbit and Chicken Roulade; Orkney Scallops; Dried Aged Sirloin of Beefs or South Coast Stone Bass; a pre-dessert palette cleanser; Roasted Spiced Pineapple; and Lychee and White Chocolate Bavarois.
A vegan alternative can be ordered for £72 per person. A flight of wine, at £49, can added to the menu, offering drinks paired to the dishes.
We opted to sample dishes from the main menu, deciding over an amuse bouche of caviar and some freshly cooked bread – there are few pleasures in life better than freshly baked loaf, and this could have been a meal in itself.
The Beetroot and Gin Cured Salmon (£17) comes with yuzu, horseradish cream, avocado, caviar and sour dough. It is a generous portion, with a liberal helping of caviar served on top of the salmon and sough dough. It looks amazing – almost too good to eat.
The white onion Velouté (£10) is like a soup, but made from a roux and has velvety texture. To give it some bite it came with a curry flavoured-sponge, counterbalanced with Roscoff onion and a parmesan foam. It is a very clever dish with textures of the foam, onion, sponge and roux satisfyingly combining in the mouth.
For the main course, the Dried Aged Sirloin of Beers (£40) came with a lobster ravioli, Roscoff onion, morel, wild garlic and a bone marrow jus.
When it arrived, there was a moment to ponder the folly of not ordering a side of spinach, Truffled fries, green beans or bok choy (all £6). Was it a mistake? Not at all. While the portion would be described as nouvelle cuisine, there was plenty. The beef melted like butter on the knife, and was fused beautifully with the morel, onion and garlic to give a delicate taste.
The Truffle Linguine (£22) is suitable for vegetarians, and saw the linguini wrapped in a vegetable casing, served with an aged parmesan sauce with pumpkin seeds, leeks and egg yolk, topped with twin peaks of foam.
The plate is a work of art and was admired before the food was devoured.
Desserts were difficult to chose from, but the Lychee and White Chocolate Bavarois (£13) won out: a croustillant (crisp) crumble, with honey tuile, a neutral gel and a strawberry sorbet coming together to create art that seems almost too good to eat.
There is a cheeseboard as well, with two variants: three cheeses (£13) or five (£17). The three-cheese version included a stilton, a brie and a cheddar, with a chutney, homemade crackers.
It worked a wonder with the house blend coffee.
There are plenty of drinks to choose from – more than a page of whiskies if you’re inclined that way – with an extensive wine list. There are cocktails, mocktails, beers and no-alcohol options, so everyone can enjoy something.
The waiting team are nothing short of exceptional. Attentive, discreet, prompt, friendly and efficient, there is nothing to criticise here. They also know the menu inside out and can help guide people to their perfect meal.
There is background music too, but it is at that goldilocks volume: not too loud, not too quiet, ensuring it is an accompaniment to the meal, not an intrusion.
The Reading Room in The Roseate is easy to get to, and has that wow factor that a visit to one of the town’s many chain restaurants lacks. It’s perfect for a business meeting, a special occasion meal, or just as a dining out treat. It is not stuffy or pretentious, but it is beautiful: the venue and the food.
PHIL CREIGHTON
