Going for dinner is about so much more than the food you eat. It’s about the atmosphere, the staff, the setting and the company.
My experience at The Grange was heightened by all the extras. The food was great, don’t get me wrong, but what really stood out was everything else.
The staff are incredibly and noticeably warm and friendly. Barbara Smith, the manager, fills her pub with smiles and welcoming chat and our lovely waiters Ollie and Tom were kind, relaxed yet attentive. It makes a huge difference when the staff add a positive touch to a restaurant, as the evening becomes more enjoyable and the likelihood of returning is increased.
The pub itself is a beautiful building inside. With quaint and individualistic furniture, it feels like you are sitting in your own living room.
There are a range of diverse rooms available to rent for private parties and I can imagine different rooms flourishing at different points in the year. The ‘Secret Garden’ and Summer House would be perfect for the summer, but as it was a cold winter’s eve, my friend and I were happy and cosy tucked in a corner inside.
Following keen recommendation, we shared the oven-baked Camembert, toasted bread, apple sauce and chilli oil at £12.50. I must admit I’m not a huge Camembert lover, but this one was probably the best I’ve tasted. It was rich but not too heavy, and expensive in flavour.
As starters we went for the chilli and spring onion squid with garlic mayonnaise - £6.50 - and goat’s cheese and spring onion salad with hazelnuts and honey mustard dressing at £6.
The first thing I noticed was how huge the portions were. The starters probably would have been enough as main meals - there is definitely no problem with generosity at The Grange. Even the size of the squid pieces were larger than usual.
The salad was fresh, with a good proportion of each of the ingredients.
I decided to go for the chick pea and herb burger with cucumber and tomato, and chips, (£10.50) as my main meal. It was nice but not outstanding. It was hearty but I felt it was missing a sauce or relish and (a slight warning) it's quite messy to eat - or perhaps that’s just me!
My dinner date really liked her meal: Marianne’s lamb stew with saffron, honey, almonds, coriander and pearl barley at £13. She said the lamb was nice and tender and it was an interesting option.
Still eager for something sweet, we shared a sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel ice cream, at £6, for dessert. Again, the portion size was massive and the pudding was absolutely delicious. It was warm, rich, sweet and indulgent. The accompanying ice cream was also a lovely addition.
The Grange has lots of events to watch out for - quiz nights on a Thursday, drawing classes on Wednesday afternoons and an informal monthly book club meet up.
As I said, it has good grub, but offers much more than that.
The Grange, Warwick Road, Ealing Common. Call 0208 567 7617.
