A few nights ago Craig and I attended Dexter’s first ever parent’s evening at school. To celebrate his glowing report we decided to treat him to an early evening meal at our local Beefeater. Whilst there we took the chance to sample some dishes from their all new Spring menu that officially rolled out this week.
Our local Beefeater restaurant is The Southcote in Reading, which has had a stunning makeover since our last visit (we’ve had a think and believe this would pre-date Dexter - so some three years ago). There’s a comfortable pub section to the left hand side of the restaurant, and a very relaxed, almost metro-cool dining area to the right. There’s a nice mix of booths and tables that can be configured to accommodate various sized parties, and the hosting is absolutely superb.
A word on the hosting - I have waitress experience and know just how challenging it can be. There’s a gold standard in terms of cues, serving times and up-selling which you might not think The Beefeater would be too concerned with, but they were. They hit everything - from greeting us warmly with menus and asking about any special requirements (highchairs etc), to making sure my children were provided with crayons, to pointing out new dishes and recommendations on the menu.
Moreover, we believe our waitress (Sziszi) should be recognised by head office and front company-wide training on how to serve families with small children. Sadly, I think we’d overlooked just how tired our two children were, and they were terribly behaved. Heidi refused to sit at the table, preferring to mill around the restaurant and flirt with the kitchen staff, and Dexter was a little over-excited from all the praise we’d given him earlier that evening. I did notice a nearby table giving me reassuring little smiles, but another couple quickly re-seated themselves elsewhere in the restaurant. Throughout all this, our waitress Sziszi remained calm, sympathetic and attentive, saving Craig and I from a breakdown.
She spoke directly to my children, rather than us. She provided them with balloons, and retrieved them on several occasions when my children let them flyaway. She remained courteous and professional at all times. We were hugely appreciative.
So what about this Spring menu then?
STARTERS
We spotted lots of dishes with a “NEW” symbol beside them, each of which are part of the new Spring menu. As far as we were concerned, this greatly diversified the menu and a few new additions instantly appealed. Starters-wise, it was no surprise to me at all that Craig instantly plumped for the Sticky Duck Wings, and the Pork and Beef Kofta was right up my street.
Mine was absolute delicious and the perfect aperitif. The kofta was well proportioned and seasoned beautifully, and the fresh Greek salad with feta cheese, olives, red onion, red pepper, cucumber and tomato was beautifully refreshing. The ingredients were fresh and perfectly complimented by the minty Greek yogurt. All this was accompanied by 4 slices of small ciabatta should you want to dive in with your fingers and do it Greek-style. At £5.79, it was very fairly priced, and I wouldn’t hesitate to order this again.
Craig was equally impressed with his Sticky Duck Wings which were glazed to perfection and sprinkled with red chili flakes, sesame seeds and fresh coriander. The presentation was beautiful and you could really see the chefs were enjoying experimenting with the new menu. I was also impressed that Craig’s dish was accompanied by a small plate of lemon wipes - showing great attention to detail.
The only thing he did point out, was that he’d have appreciated a dip of some kind to contrast the heat of the Asian spices (maybe sour cream, BBQ or sweet chili). Personally I think he’s wrong as the wings were so fat and succulent, it would be near on impossible to dunk it in a tiny dip pot. At £6.79, these were a really filling starter and Craig stated he’d have it again next time.
MAINS
There are literally dozens of drool-worthy new mains to tempt you this Spring. The Surf and Turf came highly recommended by our waitress and the pictures look absolutely stunning (unfortunately I don’t eat fish and Craig had his heart set on something else). I saw a nearby table order it though and Craig’s eyes definitely widened! Aside from this there’s also a new Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Burger served with Monterey Jack cheese, and Salmon Fillet with Grilled Vegetables topped with a garlic & basil pesto.
There’s also new light bites such as the Chargrilled Chicken Caesar Salad and the iconically named Beefeater Steak Salad (a close second choice for me), and brand new sides like Creamed Spinach and a Crunchy Greek Salad.
The new menu managed to tempt me, and I opted for the new breaded Chicken Escalope topped with crispy bacon, Monterey Jack cheese and a fried egg. Ever the perfect hostess, our waitress pointed out I swap my skinny fries for spicy chunky chips so I jumped all over this too.
What did I make of it? It was pub grub at its finest. The escalope was HUGE (literally half the size of the plate) and I knew I’d be full 3/4 of the way through. The egg was fried to perfection with a runny yolk surrounded by a pure white and fluffy outer. I could have done with a little more cheese and bacon, then… to be fair… I didn’t finish the meal as it was so filling. I definitely appreciated the lemon too - this added a whole new dimension to the dish and was (again) excellent attention to detail. If you opt for this, I’d definitely recommend requesting a little sour cream dip to finish it off.
Craig opted for the Ultimate Cod and Chips with mushy peas and chunky spicy chips. This is his favourite so I expected nothing less. There is no one better placed to offer a verdict on this dish as he has it everywhere we go. He was impressed by the size of it (literally hanging off the plate), with crunchy batter that wasn’t too greasy. Other than that, he wasn’t too forthcoming about it to be honest, and I have to put this down to the fact he regretted not getting the surf and turf.
Like me, he found the chunky spicy chips tasty, but feels The Beefeater could have been more daring. If you look at the success of the Handmade Burger Co’s hand cut chips, prepared with rock salt and fresh herbs, this doesn’t compare. If you’re going to Beefeater we’d recommend you order these, even if spicy isn’t your thing - as these will most definitely not blow your head off, and are far superior to regular chips.
DESSERT
Moving away from traditional winter warmers, The Beefeater have opted for fruity and zesty numbers for Spring. Of course the staple favourites remain, but you can also grab a Mixed Fruit Trifle (like we did) and Lemon Curd Sorbet this Spring. There’s also a Salted Apple Toffee Crumble the waitress gushed about, but we just didn’t fancy.
I thought I was stuffed, but I couldn’t resist dipping in when this came out for Craig. I’m glad I did as it was scrumptious - very light and refreshing and very well balanced. I think this, and my starter, were probably the best things about the entire meal (company included given my children were so naughty!)
If you’re looking to book a meal for a special occasion, or just need a break from the kitchen, I’d definitely recommend checking out the Beefeater’s new spring menu. Our nearest restaurant might be slightly out of the way for us, but I’m so impressed with the manner by which we were served and the delectable menu, that we’ll certainly be going back… although maybe when the kids are feeling a little less restless.
