ALARM bells starting ring as soon as we called to book the table.

The receptionist at Redworth Hall Hotel, near Heighington, said she would put us through to the restaurant so we could check if Sunday lunch was being served.

What? Redworth Hall is a Jacobean manor house hotel set in 150 acres of County Durham parkland, with four stars, an AA dining Rosette, more than 140 bedrooms, a spa and health club. And it doesn’t do Sunday lunch?

Well, sometimes it doesn’t but as we had bothered to call in advance and make a reservation, they would be open we were assured and, sure enough, we turned up at 1.30pm and found ourselves to be the sole occupants of the 1744 Restaurant.

Private dining in a public restaurant is not normally to be recommended. It usually feels a bit sad, as if you turned up too late, or early, for a party which is taking place elsewhere. But the table we chose – and there were, of course, a plenty – was cosily placed by a window looking out on to the central passageway through the hotel and a pretty courtyard beyond.

The decor was corporately bland but inoffensive and the red accent generated some welcome warmth.

We quizzed our waiter/maitre’d Lewis about our splendid isolation. He said two weeks previously the place had been packed thanks to a three courses for £10 offer – advertised in the local Press no less. We resisted the temptation to ask which paper.

We were eating three courses for £16.50 from a menu (presented on a clipboard – arrrrgh!) featuring four starters, mains and desserts. Our appetisers were truly excellent. I enjoyed the fresh, summery taste of a delicately assembled tower of poached salmon and basil horseradish potatoes served with a few dressed leaves. On paper, the basil/horseradish combination seemed like a marriage made in hell but the horseradish flavouring was just a muted creamy hint of sharpness.

Sylvia’s smoked duck and beetroot salad with an orange sauce was just as good. The slivers of duck were perfectly moist and tender. Thankfully, the flavoured-packed skin had not been trimmed off and the orange sauce with pieces of marinated fruit added a zesty counterpoint to the fattiness of the duck.

We could also have had galia melon with mango and passion fruit coulis or mushroom soup.

Our mains were not so splendid. Sylvia’s roasted chicken supreme was well cooked, tender and flavoursome. My four generous slices of pork loin were, in parts, as dry as dust and salvation only came in the form of a red wine jus – also served with the chicken – which provided some welcome moistness and flavour.

For the record, the other main course choices were braised beef (and that red wine jus) and fried pollock. There was no published vegetarian option but we assumed the kitchen could provide something if asked.

The accompaniments were variable in quality too. The vegetables of green beans, carrot and broccoli were spot-on al dente, my mashed potato was good too but the roast potatoes were a disaster. Pre-cooked and finished in the deep-fat fryer, they had that giveaway uniformly golden colour and tasted terrible. “Disgusting” was the word Sylvia used. The Yorkshire puddings were OK.

My tiramisu torte was better, a nicely bitter-sweet creamy slice of goo. Sylvia had the cheeseboard (£3.50 supplement) which featured a smoked applewood cheddar, a salty brie, Cornish yarg and a sharpest of sharp blue Stilton plus grapes, chutney and crackers.

Service from Lewis was excellent which, of course, it should have been given we were the only people in but we nevertheless thought it impressive that he managed to be on the spot when required but at no point did we get the feeling he was hovering – and expert example of keeping an eye on eye on customers without making them feel they are being watched. And we thought he put a brave face on his dispiriting lack of customers, It can’t be easy to be so cheerful in such depressing circumstances so full marks to him.

The bill was a shade under £50. The drinks element of that was £13 – two glasses of prosecco for Sylvia and £3 bottle of sparkling Harrogate water for me.

1744 Restaurant

Redworth Hall Hotel

Redworth, County Durham DL5 6NL

Tel: 01388 770600 Web: thehotelcollection.co.uk/hotels/redworth-hall-hotel-durham

Open: Ring to check and pre-book for Sunday lunch

Disabled access. Vegetarians may have to stick to starters.

 

Ratings(out of ten): Food quality: 6 Service: 10 Surroundings: 7 Value: 7