Oh, I do like to dine beside the quayside
OPEN for about a year, it seemed like Dobson & Parnell had spent most of that time behind a veil of scaffolding and workmen doing something or other around the Quayside.
Finally free from this ugly exterior, it feels like a gem of a restaurant has been unearthed.
It was on the (long) list of places that Mrs Eats keeps of new or renovated places that we are slowly ticking off, and after more rave review by friends, we popped in after an obligatory meander through the riverside market.
Ushered into a lovely booth in the corner of the packed restaurant, we could see what the fuss was all about. The decor exudes class and the atmosphere in the packed restaurant was buzzing.
We were served by a carousel of staff, and while they were all wonderfully friendly and knowledgeable, being attended to by someone different for almost every part of out meal led to a few mishaps, including Mrs Eats having to wait a few minutes after her soup arrived for a spoon. Given the smallness of her portion size, it allowed me to get a head start and start
devouring Car park..................... Kids allowed...................... Real ale..................................... Wine by the bottle........................ Credit cards..................................... Disabled access............................. my salmon starter, which Mrs Eats was also more than happy to help out with before the correct cutlery arrived. What the soup lacked in size, it made up for in ‘ sensational taste’ – not a compliment She Who Must Be Fed dishes out willy nilly – while my salmon was also very nice. Our mains came out and the looked wonderf u l , but tasted even better. We’d both opted for beef with all the trimmings and it did not disappoint. The beef came rare, as requested, and was flavoursome and covered in some of the tastiest gravy I’ve had in a long while. The potatoes were done superbly, crispy and fluffy, while the veg was bursting with flavour.
The only niggle was a vein of fat running through our beef slices, the toughness of which starkly contrasted with the beautifully tender meat.
Our plates were empty within minutes and upside of the quality over quantity situation meant there was still room for pudding. I was lured by the cheese board and Mrs Eats wolfed down a sticky toffee pud.
Both exceed our alreadyraised expectations, with the variety of cheese and crackers a particular delight. Drinks-wise, we opted for the wine pairing; two glasses for £10, which was decent value for how delicious it was. My wine palate isn’t up to the task of k n o w i n g whether it complemented the food, but the far more experienced and cultured Mrs Eats assured me they did.
The Sunday menu was £15 for two courses, which felt like very reasonably value given the sense of occasion that came with the standard of the dining experience. It really feels like a treat to eat at Dobson and Parnell.