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Please note this is a Charles
Wells establishment that is now under new management. We have
therefore removed our rating for their restaurant as we have yet
to review them.
It
was late Christmas morning and after watching the nieces and
nephew open their countless presents, it was time to say goodbye
as my parents and I headed off for some Christmas dinner at The
Cock Inn, North Crawley. It was cold, and the roads empty as we
headed towards this hidden treasure, just a short drive from
Central Milton Keynes and a couple of miles from Newport Pagnell.
As well as myself, it was my parents’ turn to
enjoy being waited on, but for those of you who have sampled
Christmas dinner away from home on Christmas Day, you will
already know that many restaurants can flatter to deceive. £60
per head is nothing to pay if you enjoy the meal – but would we?
Atmosphere
We decided to have a drink in the small bar
before taking our seats but I personally did not get off to the
best of starts. The atmosphere changed as did my mood when I was
told cigars were not sold behind the bar. There goes my
Christmas Day smoke! Anyway, with that immediate disappointment
to one side, it was obvious it was Christmas; there were smiles
aplenty and the pub was full of families enjoying their dinner
and the occasional Christmas hat was also sighted.
Food
I started with the smoked venison which arrived
with a rich pate and sesame seed crackers. Venison is, in my
eyes a dish you will either love or hate, and I simply adored
this combination which was delicious but very light. My parents
had surprisingly chosen the fig, but both were full of praise
for was described as an immensely tasty starter. The combination
of the fig with cheese, walnuts and avocado was a match made in
heaven and both plates were soon empty.
There were a few choices for the main course but
how on earth can you not eat roast turkey on Christmas Day? We
had all chosen this option and were particularly impressed. The
turkey arrived on large plates completely surrounded by a
delicious, thick and silky smooth gravy. The potatoes and
vegetables came in separate dishes. The Brussels were very soft
but not overcooked, the carrots beautifully fresh and the
parsnips – oh the parsnips! They were simply out of this world
and melted in the mouth. The roast potatoes were far tastier
than I thought they would be. I like mine to be crispy with
lovely darker shades of brown but despite the lack of colour,
these were still crispy yet soft in the middle. There are
probably one hundred and one tips on how to stop turkey from
drying out during the cooking process. If The Cock Inn share
their tip with you, take note! The meat was thinly cut and
wonderfully tender and moist. Quite simply, the kitchen had
served a brilliant main course.
For dessert we all opted for the Christmas
Pudding. This arrived flattened across a small plate with a good
helping of brandy butter. For some, their might have been
slightly too much alcohol, but this was a quality dessert and
much enjoyed by us all.
Service
The team of waiters were extremely professional
and efficient. Whilst our menu choices were chosen weeks in
advance, making their job that much easier, our food was brought
to the table with a smile and polite enquiries were made to
check everything was to our satisfaction.
Décor
The restaurant is small without a continuous
theme running through it. It is however, extremely comfortable
and for its size, also spacious. We had our own little corner
and this was a great setting for this time of year, with an
almost home from home feel. |
