Despite having the Trent on our doorsteps there still aren’t that many decent places for a stylish summer meal by the river. An honourable exception is Tom Brown’s Brassiere in Gunthorpe where you spot water-skiers while sipping your chilled Chardonnay. So we were intrigued to hear about the opening of Farndon Boathouse last month which is apparently part-owned by one of the backers of Tom Brown’s.
Formerly known as The New Ferry Restaurant, the building has undergone a major redevelopment and refurbishment programme using many natural materials, clad in wood, with warehouse-style lighting exposing chunky exposed roof trusses, stone floors and large windows ensuring great river views. We particularly liked the moody black and white boat-related prints throughout the dining room. Overall, it’s an impressively slick operation with smartly uniformed staff patrolling the spacious bar and two dining spaces. And, when the weather holds, there’s a modern outdoor terrace with raised decking.
We certainly weren’t the first to hear the buzz on this place – it was packed on our weekend visit, despite only being open less than a fortnight. The punters are flocking here for a solid menu of mainly modern British staples. Typical starters are warm Lincolnshire poacher and three onion tart with tomato relish (£4.50) and king prawn cocktail (£7), while mains include belly pork, bubble ‘n’ squeak, brown sauce and apple chutney (£11); sausages, creamed potato puree, red wine & shallot jus with crispy onions (£9) and beer battered fish, fat chips, marrowfat peas and tartar sauce (£10).
After kicking off with some fresh baked bread which came with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and oven roasted whole garlic (£2), my friend opted for one of the few veggie choices on the main menu: a puff pastry gallette (£8.50). She should have asked what it was because it turned out, rather disappointingly, to be akin to a squashed vol-a-vent. Even the accompanying mozzarella, basil, vine tomatoes and olives couldn’t quite rescue it. Plus she needed a couple of side orders – seasonal vegetables (£2) and new potatoes (£2) – to beef it up.
Talking of which, I knew exactly what I expected from the Boat House gourmet burger – for £11, you want the full monty. Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed by the home-cooked rump steak mince blended into a fearsome burger with barn bacon (locally sourced from ‘over the road at Hardys farm shop’, according to the menu) plus exquisite mature Long Clawson stilton, in a toasted focaccia bun. Add in the subtle bitterness of a rocket and chard salad, a super tangy tomato and chipotle relish, and skinny chips that had been triple fried to make them extra addictive. All in all, a calorific feast. This meaty masterpiece reminded us that gourmet burgers are sometimes hard to come by in Notts. Sure, you can always head for the reliably excellent Delilah deli, but both Ultimate Burger and Rare sadly closed within a year a while back.
On the subject of quality meat, this place also seems rather proud of its sausages. According to the website, Head Chef Dan Garner will be getting together with the renowned Nottingham butchers J.T. Beedhams to try and invent ‘a new sausage exclusive to the Boathouse’. Nice one, lads!
Finally, both of our dessert choices excelled. My lemon tart (£4.50) was a slice of zestful heaven, especially when teamed with the innovative home-grown rosemary sorbet. Meanwhile, my friend felt redeemed by the warm Bramley apple and rhubarb pie (£4.50) which oozed with rich flavours from the thickly-cut chunks of fresh fruit and sweetened by the generous scoop of creamy vanilla pod ice cream.
It was a good way to end a decent, though not inexpensive, meal. And although describing Farndon, a few miles from Newark, as a ‘beauty spot’ might be a slight exaggeration, this is a pleasant enough place to be on a sunny-ish evening. There are also some nature walks around here if you want to go all Bill Oddie. And sailing types should be aware that the Farndon Boathouse has its own moorings for three boats (overnight mooring is free to diners – just call to book ahead). Actually, the nearby Farndon Marina is surprisingly impressive with dozens of boats on a tranquil 25-acre site.
So, while Gunthorpe may well be a prettier stretch of the Trent, Farndon Boathouse clearly has the potential to give Tom Brown’s a run for its money. Most promisingly of all, the Boathouse is currently running ‘Sunday Sessions’ of DJs and acoustic music as the sun sets over the river. From 6pm to 8.30pm, there’s a DJ doing his best Jose Padilla impression with some chilled-out ambient vibes, then there’s live acoustic music from local bands: (17th Aug – Urban 2) or (24th Aug – The Herb Birds). Hey, it may not be quite the Café Del Mar but they’ve got the right idea. David Sandhu
The Riverside, Farndon, Newark, Mon to Fri noon to 2.30pm and 6pm to
9.30pm, Sat to Sun noon to 3pm and 6pm to 9.30pm. Tel: 01636 676578 www.farndonboathouse.co.uk