hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn January 2016 | Page 12

Restaurant review:

Formerly The Bellhouse Beaconsfield, the new Crowne Plaza on Oxford
Road officially opened its doors in September this year. For those of you
who have visited a Crowne Plaza elsewhere, for example the one in
Marlow, you’ll know what I mean when I mention their striking appearance
- modern, clean lines and plush furnishings. If you’re a fan of modern design
and a huge sense of space, stepping through the doors of this hotel will be
a breath of fresh air for you.
The 1269 restaurant is named after the year of the Beaconsfield charter
fair. Although the hotel is branded as being located in Gerrards Cross,
many people have argued that it’s most definitely in Beaconsfield… you
decide! The restaurant is just as grand as the entrance hall - spacious,
elegant and decorated tastefully - I particularly loved the light-up flower
trees in every corner.
The menu is undoubtedly for fans of fine dining and those with a very
mature palate - something that at 25 I can’t say is for me - but I can
certainly see its appeal and the variety on the menu is exceptional. We
went for a bottle of house white to drink, which was just what the doctor
ordered - cold, refreshing and dry. There were three of us dining, and
we tried to select a good mixture of dishes. For starters, I went for the
goats curd and beetroot salad. It was beautifully arranged on the plate and
while the curd was too strong for me personally, it was an imaginative and
colourful dish. My fellow diners had the mullet and the beef carpaccio,
while we all shared the bread board, served with soft butter.
Mains consisted of two steaks (one rare and one medium), served with
fries and a side of vegetables, while I chose the pork belly with mashed
potato, green vegetables and gravy. This was lovely - succulent and crispy
with that homely flavour of crackling.
For dessert, as is the case for me fairly often, I was tempted by all of the
options, but ended up selecting the chocolate mousse with banana coulis
and ice cream. Also on the table were blackcurrant meringue and a cheese
board with grapes.
The atmosphere in 1269 was buzzy yet relaxed. There were lots of
hotel guests dining alone and in groups, and all seemed content in their
surroundings. If like me you had a soft spot for The Bellhouse, it’s definitely
worth paying a visit to its reincarnation and seeing for yourself. You can
certainly understand why the budget was so large for the refurbishment
(£20 million!)
All in all an enjoyable evening. I hope to be able to review the overnight
facilities and the Wave Spa soon.
Lucy Jane Gonzalez
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www.the1269.co.uk