Sopwell House Restaurant Review: A Relaxed Sunday Lunch in The Restaurant at Sopwell House

Who knew a little slice of heaven was in St Albans? I certainly didn’t. While I may have been born in London, St Albans and Hertfordshire were my home for a very long time and I can’t tell you just how nice it was to be back – especially when the time spent was at a glorious hotel. After a short 45 minute drive we pulled up to Sopwell House Hotel, dropped our bags off and took a seat in the bar with a white Russian before settling down for our Sunday Lunch – something we hadn’t planned for but good old hunger striked once again. The cocktails here are excellent and well worth tucking into a few too many of.

What I love about the Sunday lunch here is the mains are Sunday text-book classic, but the starters and desserts give you a sneak peek into just what head chef Gopi Chandran and his team are creating from the usual a la carte offering. It’s so enticing and it really make you want to come back and discover more. Our starters were excellent. One was a very simple oak smoked salmon with capers, lemon and horseradish cream. I was really impressed by the overall quality and I loved how it had been so delicately draped onto the plate. One of those so-called “enticing dishes” that I mentioned was the pressing of corn-fed chicken with parsley puree and a mushroom and shallot dressing. The crispy chicken skin on top made it even more satisfying and flavour wise I had absolutely no complaints.

The Sunday roast was every bit as good as you’d hope for too. Thickly sliced fillet of Angus beef, crispy fondant potatoes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli and Yorkshire pudding. The meat could have been cooked a little more rarer if I had my own way, but cooked as it was – still very tender. The home-made mint sauce was worth noting too, ask for not just a spoonful but a bowl of the stuff – it’s that good. Another intriguing dish from the menu was the sweetcorn gnocchi, tomato fondue, charred corn, Parmesan shavings and popcorn shoots. It was again all excellent and cooked very well – though there really wasn’t any need for the popcorn.

And then desserts arrived. They’re not just good, they’re outstanding. Stunning creations which not only taste good, but visually look excellent. Warm pear and cinnamon tart with caramel cremeaux and roasted almond ice cream, I was sold by just the sound of it. Expertly crafted, full of flavour and the sweet pastry flaked into pieces each time I speared my fork into it. But it got better still with my pristinely presented dark chocolate mousse, cherry griottine gel and pistachio ice cream. It was every bit as good as it looked and the centre revealed a lovely runny, cherry centre.

Head chef Gopi Chandran and his team really have created the perfect hotel restaurant. It’s has an element of fine dining to it, a casualness, service which goes beyond the call of duty and within just minutes you feel like you’re part of the family. The Restaurant at Sopwell House isn’t the best restaurant I’ve ever been to, but by St Albans standards it’s really rather good and took me quite by surprise. It’s not a question of will I come back, but more like when.