2nd August 2015
The Church Restaurant is a newly refurbished 12th Century building that was renovated and opened as a Bar and Restaurant in 2005. It was formly known as St. Johns Church but now known as "one of the most exceptional venues in Northamptonshire".
The Venue
I have visited The Church Restaurant a couple of times but my latest visit was on the 4th July 2015 where I went with my family for my mother's birthday. The Building isn't exceptionally big however as soon as you walk in you get a sense of homeliness along with a side of sophistication. When you walk through the doors you are greeted by the bar where you can order a selection of soft drinks, wines and beers.
When you walk through the archway on the right hand side you are then greeted to the main restuarant area which is divided into an upstairs and a downstairs, which are perfect settings to be changed into other events which they cater for e.g. weddings and fayres. Each table decorated with a candle during the evening to help create an ambiance. On the other side of the building is where you will find the toilets which I have always found clean and tidy and even has a basket on the side of the sinks to help yourselves to toiletries such a perfume, sprays and deoderants which I thought was a nice touch.
The Food
It's rare that I get to experience fine dining but knowing that I have the opportunity to do so just down in my town centre is very handy. Just recently being a student I find the price quite high at all starts at £6.50, mains at £16 and desserts from £5.50. Obviously when I am older and established in my career and financial stable, I would be happy spending that amount of money on a meal out. Thankfully most times when I have been there it was someone else paying ;)
The last time I came to the church restaurant I had Forelle Pear and Gorgonzola Galette baked in thyme infused in non gluten pastry, with a honey and chopped almond salad (suitable for vegetarians). The thought behind this was really nice, however I found that there was more pastry than pear so found it quite chewy but the flavour was definitely there.
For my mains I had Roasted Supreme of Corn Fed Chicken stuffed with earthly garlic, with charred leek puree, chestnut mushrooms, broadbeans and pea shoots, aside a sweet potato dauphinoise. I thought this tasted a lot better than it looked, the presentation wasn't all that, too me it looked as if everything was just thrown onto the plate. With fine dining I expected some artistic layout to attract me and get me excited to start eating. Despite all this the chicken was very tasty, very tender and flavoursome and filling.
For dessert I had Strawberry & Elderflower Cheesecake pureed sweet eve strawberries mixed with Italian mascarpone, laced with elderflower and set on a biscuit base (suitable for vegetarians). This was certainly the highlight and a good close to the meal. The cheesecake was sweet and creamy and hit every sweet tooth in my mouth and decorated with fresh fruit, whipped cream and a slice of chocolate. YUM! The presentation was beautiful which helped with the whole experience of eating the meal. I would try this again in the near future.
There are a bunch of other sides and after meal treats that you are able to try depending on your taste buds.
The whole experience at The Church restaurant was very enjoyable. The staff are pleasant, friendly and well dressed and are always at hand to help with your needs and requests. Which has always been the case, everytime I have visited here. If you are interested in trying it out for yourself, find their details below:
Address: 67-83 Bridge Street, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1PD
Email: info@thechurchrestaurant.com
Phone: 01604 603800
Website: www.thechurchrestaurant.com
Instagram: @thechurchrestaurant
Facebook: The Church Restaurant Northampton
Twitter: @ChurchFood
Enjoy!
SXFRANKSON xo
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