Leisure

Super Sunday

Issue 45

Seemingly at a loose end one Sunday, my wife Lisa and I had a mosey out into the countryside and couldn't resist stopping off for lunch at Horton Grange on our way home.

This charming, privately-owned hotel, set in the heart of Northumberland, is the perfect spot for everyday dining with its Sunday Lunch and Afternoon Tea offerings proving especially popular.

A lovely, leisurely vibe underpins the hotel so with this in mind we first sampled a quick livener in the hotel’s snug lounge area before adjourning to the conservatory restaurant.

This is a dining area which looks the part all year round but we thought it looked particularly radiant on a bright day with the first signs of spring clearly in the air.

With Dry January but a distant memory, Lisa settled in over a glass of fizz whilst a soft drink would have to do for her designated driver husband.

The restaurant offers 2 courses for a reasonable £21.95 and 3 courses for £25.00. The menu is centred around traditional British dishes, championing ingredients fresh, local and seasonal. We were in for real treat.

Lisa kicked off with the Carrot & Ginger soup, a light yet flavoursome dish embellished with fresh coriander leaves and Heritage carrot crisp. I chose the smoked salmon parfait with celeriac gremolata which proved another exquisite opener.

Following on, we both plumped for traditional roasts – Lisa for the Northumbrian beef and I, the breast of chicken. Yorkshire puddings – the perfect balance between light and crispy – sat atop the meat and potatoes which were surrounded by a moat of rich, pan juices gravy.

A portion of seasonal vegetables were housed next to us in a huge tureen which had been steamed to a crunchy al dente.

It seems that the dessert menu had been cherry picked with us in mind. Lisa’s old favourite – The Cheeseboard – featured slabs of the good stuff all locally sourced, whilst the warm sticky toffee pudding (my old nemesis) once again got the better of me.

Two coffees and a wagonload of after-dinner mints rounded off what had been a meal in the top echelon.

It’s clear from this visit that Horton Grange’s dining offering continues to flourish. I

t should also be noted that the restaurant is open to non-residents throughout the week for lunch and dinner.

A Super Sunday indeed!

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