Now that they are no longer with us, it is still a special day for me and there could be no better way to remember the day than at the Pavilion Restaurant in Ashton Gardens in St Annes-on-the-Sea, Lancashire, where as well as their delicious day-time fare, a special evening menu is on offer on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
On Friday, 7th October, the Pavilion restaurant also offered musical entertainment as Peter Ritmo was there to sing for diners. Peter’s extensive, impressive repertoire includes classic songs made famous by the Rat Pack, Matt Munro and Bobby Darin. Peter sang for over two and a half hours without taking a break. Add to that the delicious food on offer and you have a recipe for perfect evening out.Paul:
I had the leek and potato soup as a starter and it was smooth and creamy and served piping hot. However, it wasn't just your run of the mill "whizz everything together in a blender" sort of thing as there were little bits of leek in it so you could really see what you were getting. It came with a lovely fresh roll - rather large to be honest - but an excellent way to start the meal.
Lucy had the Sweet Potato Rostis to start - 2 of those with topped with grilled goats cheese and, with a small salad on the side and some home made onion chutney, this could have been a meal all on its own!
For the main course I had the lamb shoulder. This was a really tender, succulent cut of lamb that meted in your mouth. I don't normally like peas but the minted pea puree was also very pleasant. I had the green beans as a side order and also pushed the boat out to try the chunky chips - you can always tell how good a restaurant is by their chips and how they are cooked...!
Lucy had the Vegetable Bake which consisted of aubergine, tomato, courgette, rocket and sweet potato in a tomato passata sauce and a side salad to go with it. I had a try of the Bake and this was also very tasty - it is nice to know that restaurants can show a bit of imagine with their meat free dishes and not just rely on the previously over used "mushroom risotto" option.
We'd like to tell you how nice the desserts were but to be honest, after eating all that, we didn't have any more room left to try any! We have had desserts there in the past, however, and they have always been tasty imaginative and above all fresh. The teas and coffees are very nice (they have their own blends prepared by Atkinson of Lancaster) and we quite often drop in for a coffee during the daytime as well.
Whether it's a special occasion or just a night off from cooking, the Pavilion Restaurant in its delightful Ashton Gardens setting is a really nice place to go for a meal. Daytime or evening - why not give it a try?
To find out more, visit their website at: http://www.ashtonpavilion.com/
