02 Jul 2024
Matt Adams heads to Sandridge to experience the changes at one of the village’s three pubs…
Way back last November, we ran an article looking at the renaissance of Sandridge village following the re-opening of the Heartwood Tearooms and The Green Man winning the Best Pub or Bar category of the 2023 St Albans Food and Drink Awards.
At the time, other changes were afoot at The Rose and Crown, which was being renovated after being taken over by locals Teresa and Adrian Taylor, with brewery Stonegate supporting their efforts to return it to its former glory. This included introducing an a la carte menu offering a much higher level of cuisine than was previously served.
Unfortunately it’s taken us over half a year to return to the pub and experience the changes first-hand, as well as sample some of the dishes being whipped up by chef Paul Cooke, who comes from a background at award-winning, two star Michelin and AA Rosette-rated restaurants including Tom Kerridge’s Hand and Flowers, Thompsons of St Albans, and most recently The Plough in Sleapshyde.
Blessed with some long-awaited warm weather, we took a table in the expansive beer garden (a perfect sun-trap!), enjoying a couple of glasses of Prosecco while musing over the menu, which was a simple affair celebrating produce from The Stickleback Fish Company in Welham Green and specialist suppliers Direct Meats.
The starters immediately grabbed our attention, offering mouthwatering choices ranging from mushroom and pearl barley arancini to coppa ham platter, using a traditional Italian or French Corsican cold cut.
I opted for the tomato gazpacho, which belied expectations with its accompaniment of what I can only described as sour ice cream, a remarkable concoction which blended admirably with the sweet and smooth soup and crunchy croutons. Added points for the sliced olives and fresh basil which permeated throughout each mouthful. A truly exceptional dish.
Also ticking all the boxes was my partner’s burrata dish, quality mozzarella cheese served in a cream of barbecued sweetcorn, coriander and jalapeno for a slight kick. It was surprisingly light and packed with flavour, elevating what could have been a very simple offering into something far more elegant.
So far so good, with fantastic service and a very generous kids’ portion of fish and chips to keep our daughter happy. Regular readers may have spotted a consistency in her choice of meals whenever we go out to review somewhere, to which I can only reply, she’s at THAT age.
It may have been because this was a weekday – as I spotted a more expansive selection on a sample menu in the gents – but the choice of mains was a little bit limited. If you took away the £85 1kg sirloin (and that’s unlikely to be within budget for most diners!) there were just four items to choose from, with only one vegetarian option.
I took the plunge with the Rose & Crown’s signature double cheeseburger (forgoing the cheddar), which came with caramelised onion, tomatoes, pickles and triple cooked chips.
It. Was. Huge. Despite avoiding lunch in order to prepare for the evening’s feast, I just couldn’t get through the large, juicy and tender patties, generous accompaniments and massive chips. It was like an episode of Man Vs Food, and definitely will not disappoint someone with a big appetite. What I did finish was very good indeed, so maybe I should have asked for a doggy bag…
Described merely as ‘St Ives day-boat fish & chips’, my partner’s dish also included the surprise addition of minty mushy peas and a tartar sauce sprinkled with cod roe, and also proved too much for her to get through. One thing’s for certain, you won’t leave the Rose and Crown feeling hungry.
Even our daughter’s eyes proved too big for her stomach, as despite declarations to the contrary, she was unable to finish her scoop of rich and velvety chocolate ice cream…
What Teresa and Adrian have achieved with the previously rundown and tired venue is nothing short of remarkable, and it has carved out an identity of its own in contrast to the other two pubs in the village. The Rose and Crown definitely has the potential to become a destination pub for diners in St Albans and Wheathampstead looking for something a bit different, and maybe even people from further afield as its reputation grows. Prices are a little bit on the steep side, but are definitely reflected in the portion sizes, and there is probably an argument that less is more in terms of what appears on your plate.
The starters are without doubt the stand-out features of the menu, and chef Paul is obviously enjoying what he’s creating there, but a greater choice of mains is to be encouraged for diversity’s sake.
While very good indeed, the meat is definitely king here, and with a growing number of vegetarians and vegans, especially in St Albans, that could put off a section of their potential customer base.
