The Crown
Burchett's Green, Berkshire
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Dominic and Helena Chapman bought and reopened this smart country pub in 2022, though they’re continuing to run the Beehive in nearby White Waltham. A spruce-up here has resulted in pastel-hued art on white walls, with the odd beam, bare floorboards and a wood-burning stove adding character – as do the seasoned regulars sipping pints of Berkshire ale in the small bar area. Word has already spread about Chapman's sure-footed cooking, judging by an almost full house on a wintry midweek night. Prices (eye-watering for some) don’t deter locals in this affluent neck of the woods, and the menu is peppered with upmarket tweaks to classic dishes. Nibbles of focaccia and anchoïade might precede garlicky Dorset snails primed with tiny dollops of Roquefort. Better still at inspection was an opener of wild rabbit lasagne, the delicate fresh pasta matched with flavoursome stewed meat and a creamy sauce lifted by wood blewits. To follow, halibut ‘bourguignon’ was a little salty, but the meaty, accurately cooked fish went well with some robust 'gravy', a rather solid block of pommes Anna and a thick lardon. Featherblade of Hereford beef, slow-cooked to tenderness, was an ideal winter warmer, the accompanying creamed mash and shavings of pickled carrot adding an extra helping of class. Puddings showcase the kitchen’s skill to the max: a light and creamy slice of custard tart paired with zesty lemon curd, perhaps, or luxurious chocolate fondant with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream, with crunch provided by a wafer-thin almond biscuit. Service, led by Helena Chapman, is unfailingly solicitous and polite (coping admirably with a 12-strong party at a neighbouring table during our visit). Wine is notable too: by-the-glass options on the (predominantly) Old World list cover most major grape varieties, and there's a decent choice of English sparklers.
