Dining Out: The Rose Inn, Willoughby, Wawickshire, England
I was on my way back from a Christmas carol concert in Coventry so decided to stop off somewhere on the way home for a meal. My wife rang directly from the car and although it was early on a Saturday evening we were able to book a table within minutes.
I last visited The Rose Inn at Willoughby many years ago during the summer stopping off for a pub lunch and refreshments in the spacious garden at the side of the main building. Although my friend and I were in muddy walking boots and had a dog with us we were made very welcome so I was looking forward to visiting once again but this time on a cold winter evening.
When we arrived we were warmly greeted by two neatly dressed waiting staff and we both noticed and appreciated the roaring log fire as we were shown to our table
The Rose Inn is set in the picturesque village of Willoughby and has been run by husband and wife team Rudi & Gillian Prymaka for the last five years. The couple who originally come from Rugby had been working in the industry for over thirty years in a variety of pubs and restaurants before coming to Willoughby in 2011.
The interior is extremely comfortable having been completely refurbished by the couple to a high standard a few years ago. A tasteful collection of comfortable tweed upholstered settees, farmhouse furniture and open fireplaces creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere at any time of the year.
Mr Prymaka, who is also the head chef at the pub cooks and prepares the extensive menu using only fresh ingredients and local produce whenever possible. There are also daily specials for diners to enjoy including special steak and burger evenings as well as an À la carte menu and a traditional Sunday lunch roast. There is also a very popular Tapas evening on the last Thursday of every month where you can enjoy a wide range of freshly prepared Tapas dishes.
We didn`t choose a starter although the choice was tempting but went straight for the main course. I decided on the Handmade pie of the Day which was Chicken and Ham with a red wine sauce, vegetables and skinny fries. My wife chose the Rib Eye steak cooked Medium rare with a red wine gravy and chunky fries topped with a garnish of rocket.
My pie was wholesome and meaty and with a copious amount of delightful red wine sauce poured all over it tasted superb. My wife`s steak was in her own words cooked to perfection. The Rose has a good range of traditional real ales and draught beers so I plumped for a pint of `Sharp`s` Doom Bar and my wife selected a fine glass of Shiraz from the well – stocked wine rack.
The waiting staff were attentive but did not disturb us during the meal but were always available when we needed them particularly when we considered the dessert menu. The meal was plentiful so we decided to share a Honeycomb Dark Chocolate Torte as neither of us felt we could manage a dessert each. Two forks and spoons were provided and we topped off a delightful early evening meal with an excellent sweet at an astonishing price of just £5.
We both love to eat out and we shall definitely be visiting The Rose again very soon.
Jim Davis
Value for money: Excellent
Food: Wonderful, well presented and tasty – traditional but with a twist!
Service: Welcoming and attentive
Disabled access: The Rose is a 400 year – old pub with low ceilings and narrow doorways in some places but there is an entrance suitable for wheelchair access.
Parking: Plenty of parking as The Rose has a large car park
The Rose Inn,
Main Street,
Willoughby,
Rugby,
Warwickshire,
CV23 8BH
01788 891180
@The_Rose_Inn_
Grading: 9/10
Total Cost: £58.00 including all food and four drinks.
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