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Diners in Milton Keynes have a whole host of
restaurants to choose from when deciding where to eat. It’s
probably fair to say that until recently, The Prince Albert, in
Bradwell Village would not have struck many people as being one
of those choices. The Tesella Rock experience has arrived! This
may be a bold statement to make, but if you like steak, then
you’d be absolutely foolish; crazy in fact, if you were to see
out the year 2010 without eating here.
My partner and I booked a table for a Wednesday
evening and were looking forward to what would be a new
experience for the two of us. Tesella Rock gives diners the
opportunity to cook their food in front of them on a hot rock.
It’s worth pointing out that The Prince Albert is not a
restaurant within a pub. It is more a case of a buzzing,
friendly local that serves food. That said, their raised seating
area for diners is pretty much a smaller version of what most
pubs tend to call their restaurant. The area is cosy and almost
separate from the rest of the pub.
Food
We skipped the starters and headed straight for
the mains. There was never really much doubt that I would opt
for the 8oz fillet steak with chips and a side of coleslaw. My
partner sided with the vegetable skewers – halloumi, peppers,
onions, and mushrooms. She also opted for a sweet chilli dip to
add some spice to the dish. The mushrooms were amazing because
they were so full of flavour. Because they come off the rock so
hot, they simply melted in the mouth. This looked a treat with
all the colourful vegetables cooking away on the rock and is a
great option for those who like to eat healthily.
My steak arrived on the rock already sealed by
the heat and ready to cook to my desired taste. The sealing
process means that all the natural flavours and juices are
locked in. The steak was removed from the rock and placed on a
plate. I started by cutting some slices and placing them on the
rock to cook and seasoned them very lightly with salt and
pepper.
I was mesmerised from my first bite to my last.
The steak itself is of the highest quality and by being able to
eat the meat as soon as it came off the rock, the steak was
piping hot. Whether you order steak in a restaurant or cook it
at home, one of the most annoying things is how quickly the meat
cools.
90% of people do not bother, but if you’re
wearing white, I would suggest you make use of a bib in case the
food on the rock spits.
The rock doesn’t just eliminate the problem of
your food going cold; it has several advantages. The meat really
does, like the mushrooms, melt in the mouth and every bite is
not just hot but totally delicious. Because it’s hot, you can
sit back and relax and eat at a leisurely pace. I admit to
rushing my food sometimes because I do not want it to go cold.
There was no need to do that here.
All the while, my partner was having great fun
choosing what to cook and when. She was giggling and smiling and
enjoying every minute.
Let’s be clear here. Some people might call the
rock a gimmick. It’s not! The rock enhances your dining
experience as opposed to it being just simply different. If your
argument is that when you eat out, you do not want to cook your
own food, and you would rather have someone else pay for it,
then that’s obviously your choice. To counter that however, it’s
worth pointing out that The Prince Albert have been very
selective in their suppliers. This was, without a shadow of a
doubt, one of the best steaks I have ever eaten.
This could all have been ruined however, had the
accompanying chips not matched the quality of the meat. These
were amazingly delicious with a gorgeous texture and flavour and
helped to make a very good meal and excellent one.
I finished with a delightful and filling choice
of waffles and ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert. This
might be a relatively simple sweet but it was so good that my
partner looked a little curious when she realised I had finished
the lot without offering her a bite! Oops!
My partner is not really a lover of desserts but
she was hugely impressed with her choice of crepes filled with
cream and butterscotch sauce. This was surprisingly, an
incredibly light dish. I have to confess that I finished my own
dessert so quickly that I did manage to sample some of the
crepes too – cheeky I know! I loved it and we both commented
that it was nice to end our meal feeling full, but not
uncomfortably so.
Service
Because of the Tesella concept, the team at The
Albert have to do more than just serve your food. They have to
explain to you how to use the rock and they will almost
certainly give you a few tips if this is your first experience
of cooking on the rocks. It goes without saying that you cannot
touch the rocks or place your cutlery on them but my first piece
of advice to anyone would be to start small. Cut small pieces
and get used to the pace of how quickly or slowly your food will
cook.
The team will check on you during your meal to
see if you have any questions and whether they can do anything
else to help you enjoy your experience. They are friendly but
most of all, they are passionate about what they are doing.
Atmosphere & Decor
The pub was far busier than anyone had expected
for a week night and it was positively buzzing with a variety of
clients eating, drinking or enjoying the football. On that note,
this has to be an excellent venue in the summer for watching the
world cup! The Albert have a large television outside meaning if
you’re desperate for a cigarette, or simply want to enjoy the
sun, you can enjoy both whilst not missing a kick!
As already mentioned, the raised dining area
means you are not secluded, but you are away from the main bar
area. You could almost describe it as a cute place to eat food.
Cute is also a reasonably good choice of words
for the entire pub. I adore the layout and can see myself
visiting The Albert to watch some rugby over the coming months
whilst enjoying a lunch using the rocks.
The building is over one hundred years old and
it’s a credit to connections how well maintained it looks and
how inviting the place is.
We both came away surprised at the quality of the
food. For that reason alone, it’s a good bet we’ll be returning
sooner rather than later. |
