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 This restaurant review was
undertaken on October 15, 2008
Alex
Wyatt took over the running of the Wavendon Arms in June of 2008
and he, alongside a dedicated and knowledgeable team, have
helped to breath new life into this gorgeous pub that dates back
to 1851. When you’ve had a hard day at the office and want to
escape, it’s all too easy to choose somewhere familiar,
somewhere you trust. But on this occasion I thought Id try
something new. It had been a while since I visited the Wavendon
Arms and earlier in the day a friend told me “Good things are
happening there, you really must give it a try.”
It can often be rude to turn down someone’s
referral of where to eat. Go, and they’ll be pleased you trusted
their judgement but if you don’t, they will be disappointed you
ignored their recommendation. So off we went, to see what “good
things” my friend was referring to.
Décor
When it comes to décor, The Wavendon Arms have,
according to my guest, got it “Spot on!” As we entered the pub
and made our way to the bar we walked past a gorgeous sofa with
a log frame. Our eyes then moved to the right where we caught
our first glimpse of the restaurant. Trendy, traditional yet
modern, the Wavendon Arms looks simply divine. A log burning
hearth forms the centrepiece of the restaurant which also has
some of the most unusual lighting you will find. Imagine lots of
branches neatly placed together to form a circle, and then add a
few lights to these and hang them from the ceiling. Sound
strange? Believe it or not, it works. You’ll find teak
furniture, with seating that varies from the inviting and
comfortable leather chairs to the semi-circular booths, which
are perfect for intimate dining.
 Food
We took our seats straight away and started by
ordering some wine. We decided to go with the recommendation of
the Domaine de Vedihan, Vin de Pays, France, Viognier. This is
described as a modern French vin de pays with a lovely peachy
flavour. We had made a good start at least. Everyone has their
own taste in wine, but this was light and fruity.
It was by all accounts, odds-on that I would
choose the Confit Duck terrine with plum compote and toast
(£4.95) and sure enough, this was my introduction to food at the
Wavendon Arms. This dish was beautifully presented. The duck
only had to be touched lightly and it simply fell away from the
fork. The meat was so tasty that I almost neglected the plum
compote altogether. Impressive.
My guest chose the French onion Soup au gratin
(£4.45). A brilliant cook and good friend of ours once claimed
they made the best French onion soup and we actually agreed with
them. So how would this compare? It came very, very close.
We
were looking forward to our main courses. Everything had gone
very well so far. Would it continue? My choice of Red wine
braised Lamb Shank with sweet potato mash, roast pumpkin and
rosemary (£13.95) arrived on a plate that looked like it had
been made just for this dish. I dislike it when food looks lost
on the plate, but again, the kitchen need to be complimented on
their presentation. The sweet potato has quite an intense
flavour, but combined with the lamb, this was a match made in
heaven. The roast pumpkin was cooked to perfection and melted in
my mouth. When you offer your guest a bit and they ask for more,
it pretty much tells it’s own story but these were so tasty, you
could almost order this dish again just to sample the pumpkin.
My guest opted for the Sea bass fillets with
crayfish, tomato fondue, bourre blanc and baby potato (£14.95).
This was much enjoyed although on sampling the sea bass myself,
I felt it had been slightly over cooked; my guest disagreed. The
potatoes were a little strange; they were tasty, but a tad dry.
We decided to share a dessert, our choice being
the White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake with fresh
raspberries (£4.45). This was a great finish to our meal. The
cheesecake had a fantastic silky smooth texture and was one of
the lightest I have tasted in some time.
Atmosphere
The restaurant was not exactly buzzing but when
you dine in such nice surroundings, and the food is good, do you
really care? There was a steady flow of clientele throughout our
stay and it is obvious that people come here to relax and enjoy
themselves in what is a stylish yet informal restaurant.
Service
There had been some comments directed my way that
the service at The Wavendon Arms used to be poor. From my
experience, the words “used to” very much apply. This is where
The Wavendon Arms have improved dramatically. When you eat
somewhere you want to feel that your custom is welcomed and
appreciated, or else why would you go back? We were greeted by
smiling bar staff, and a team who worked the restaurant floor as
a unit, in a calm and professional manner. Our waiter was
attentive and helpful and I liked the way we were given plenty
of time to choose our food.
In summary, The Wavendon Arms has improved out of
all recognition since my last visit. If you have driven past
this pub which is situated on the Newport Road and thought to
yourself “I must eat there one day,” then I strongly suggest
that next time you drive past, you apply the brakes, use their
large car park, and treat yourself to something special.
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