The Clarendon Royal Hotel is a whisper of luxury and their Heart of the Ocean in-house restaurant is certainly no different. Renowned for its high calibre of chefs, the Heart of the Ocean is the Clarendon's playground for producing gastronomical delights across a broad range of flavours and cuisines. Head chef, Leszek Zajac, has crafted a menu where he and his team can show off their skills, using the freshest of ingredients as the backbone of modern European dishes that have an Asian influence.
Throughout the day, diners can nibble on a selection of small plates that take comfort food and raise them to new levels. A simple beef sandwich is transformed by truffle mayo in the Clarendon sliders plate; while mini scotch eggs are accompanied by a celeriac remoulade, chives and truffle.
Aptly named, "awakening the senses", the starters include a ham hock terrine with beer jelly and delicate pan-seared scallops on a smooth cauliflower puree with crispy, salty pancetta and black pudding.
While the kids feast on chicken goujons and tomato pasta, the adults head into main courses that range from British battered haddock and chunky chips to a grilled tuna steak, accompanied by tiger prawns, potato fondants and a punchy, spicy salsa.
On Sundays, the restaurant sticks with tradition by serving up a delectable Sunday roast. Opt between roast beef, chicken and lamb with each served with a carrot and celeriac puree, honey parsnips, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and lashings of rich gravy.
The final section of the menu, named "the proof's in the puddng", certainly proves that the team know how to impress. Rich, indulgent sticky toffee pudding is served with a honeycomb ice cream to please traditional appetites. For a more adventurous option, try the peach and yuzu parfait with pistachio meringue or the orange and pecan bread and butter pudding.