The Alexander Pope

2 Reviews on “The Alexander Pope”

• Frances Moulton

  I arrived at the Alexander Pope expecting the standard hotel restaurant, but just the look of it from the outside is something a bit unusual. The real attraction of the place is the large glass atrium on the outside. Unfortunately when you book you have to specify if you want to sit in there, which we did not so instead we were seated in the main restaurant. This was still a really nice area, and it was packed with busy tables of families and children.For starters, our bread starter wasn’t anything particularly special, three different types of bread with oil and balsamic vinegar, nothing really to shout about and way too much for one person. My mother had the potted mackerel, quails eggs, watercress and toast, which she enjoyed, but again nothing really to shout about. For a main, I picked the pesto and Parmesan crusted cod loin, with braised cherry tomatoes and a quinoa salad. What the quinoa salad lacked, the cod loin had. The salad just seemed rather messy and it wasn’t particularly flavoursome, and it’s cold, straight out of the fridge temperature contrasted harshly with everything else warm on the plate. On the other hand, the fish was great. It fell apart in the best kind of fashion, and was rich in texture and flavour, and went really well with the roasted cherry tomatoes. The pesto and Parmesan crust on top was the real highlight and is best saved till last. My parents both had the Dingley dell pork loin with crackling, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and gravy. I think they both order purely for the fun of the alliterated name. It was everything that you would expect from a gastro pub’s roast; obscenely large yorkshires, plenty of meat and ample veg. After this we were all genuinely full up. It seemed like the best way to finish was with a cappuccino and a latte, which were both were very enjoyable with plenty of froth. Overall, our first visit to the Alexander Pope was an enjoyable experience. The food wasn’t anything spectacular but if you’re a large group, or a family looking for a relaxed, child friendly environment then this is the ideal place. The service was good, a bit of a wait in between courses, but overall a nice family Sunday lunch.

  February 24, 2015, 6:23 pm

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• Joseph Jones

  My friend and his family booked out part of the Alexander Pope Hotel for his 21st birthday earlier this year. I’d never been before, and from the outside the place looks instantly impressive: great big expanses of shiny glass, some well-placed chairs for sitting outdoors, lots of well-kept plants and flowerbeds. So I went in with high expectations, and found that it’s just as nice inside. It’s not jut a boring box room or two – there’s a large seating area underneath the glass conservatory (this is the only word I can use to describe it) – and the other rooms are divided by a large, attractive bar. The chairs and tables are all different, and rather than creating a disorganised hodge-podge, as is the effect in some other places, the variation adds to the charm of the place. It’s also warm, comfortable, and inviting. Great!There was a large spread of food on offer, a bit like a party buffet – I assume this was provided by the restaurant, and it was all very tasty with plenty to choose from. I looked at their standard menu, and what’s usually on offer looked good and surprisingly reasonably-priced too. In terms of drinks, the bar is clearly well stocked to cater to everyone’s taste, though it is very expensive: my friend’s dad insisted on buying everyone there a drink, and I believe he’d racked up a huge bill by the end of the night.My favourite part of the Alexander Pope was the fact that it’s not just your ordinary pub-hotel – it’s steeped in history that is reflected in the adornments on the walls. There are pictures, paintings, etc., and I got quite transfixed by an information poster hanging on the wall outside the toilets, which went into lots of detail about Alexander Pope himself, his poetry, and the building. If you’re into a bit of history and literature, I’d definitely recommend you have a meal and maybe a few drinks here – your quick trip to the loo might be a lot more educational than you’d first think.We all had a great night, and if you’re in the area, I’d highly recommend visiting the Alexander Pope.

  February 13, 2015, 6:47 pm

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