The Alpine Restaurant

NickFoster

14th September 2008

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Delicious and well presented food in a quirky setting with excellent service.

We managed four courses (starter, pasta, main and dessert) taking our time and accompanied by some very reasonable wine. (a crisp Pinot Grigot with the starters and a very tasty Barolo with the pasta/mains)

Angella

The Alpine Restaurant for special occasions 3rd December 2007

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The Alpine Restaurant
135 High Road,
Bushey Heath,
Herts WD23 1JA
Tel:020 895 2024. Mobile 07801 491727.
Closed Monday.

Smart, modern, newly decorated, lovely food though a bit pricey. Lemon slices were in our glasses of tap water.
The good brown bead contained crunchy bits and came with butter. The long wine list had several wines by the glass including an acceptable house red.
I ordered an off the menu kir which was a generous size and good pink colour. (Kir is a drink of cassis i.e. blackcurrant enlivening a dry white wine which should be Aligote ).

Soup of the day was minestrone or watercress. I noticed gravadlax and melon with parma ham and mango, but my companion chose antipasta and I was looking for something unusual so I chose as my starter the pumpkin tortellini (like ravioli) with pine nuts and delicious pickled ginger.

My main course from the set Christmas menu was turkey – nice thick slices but rather small potatoes (I could have ordered a side portion of potatoes) plus perfect squeaky clean sprouts and cranberries. Sea bass was on the set menu. From the main menu medium rare meat was perfectly cooked. And we had a generous portion of spinach.

Desserts: fresh fruit salad was fanned prettily around the plate; praline, a bit like a white towering kulfi, came surrounded by dark chestnuts; bread and butter pudding was served with pears which were a bit hard but I felt so happy after my wine and the rest of the meal was so good I hardly noticed. I was very pleased with the free bite size biscuits; one macaroon, one chocolate cube, one with jam centre. No room for coffee which we could see was served with brown and white lump sugar.

When I got home I realised I’d been charged for an extra dessert although we’d had set meals but when I phoned they said they’d send a cheque for the refund.

Ambience:
Italian owners have been there for years.
Large detached building by traffic lights. Renovated 2007 (visited Dec) with new carpets, spotlights, fashionable trendy and warm.
White fabric cloths and napkins. Pink carnations on tables.
Paintings still include my favourite of the card shark. Table 22 by the fireplace has banquette seating. More tables upstairs.

Waiters were easily identifiable in brown with yellow ties and it was easy to get attention as they kept rushing about intently reminding me of the Mafia. Service was very prompt and obliging ’though I thought younger waiters should smile like the efficient blonde lady in charge. Well dressed clientele.

Price: Christmas set menu was £25.75 plus 12 and a half % service, or choose from the a la carte menu.
Cover charge of £1 per table included bread, olives and the free baby biscuits.
A three course evening meal for three without coffee cost £100 including a glass of red wine for £4 and Kir £5.95.

Travel and parking
Free car parking front and back. Later we had to shift our car to allow a huge Rolls Royce to manoeuvre out.

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People at a nearby table thought the restaurant wanted a Michelin star.
I reckoned a restaurant serving fresh and interesting food and pleasant brown bread could probably get one star. For more stars I’d expect hot bread, or three types of bread.

Finally, the leftovers test.
First, were they willing to wrap he leftovers? Yes.

Second, could they wrap leftovers securely? Not just in tearable silver foil which might puncture and leak? Yes, leftovers came in a silver foil bowl with lid.

Thirdly, was the leftovers package with a handle or bag. No, but I had my own bag.
Fourth, did I get all the leftovers? No, just the turkey meat, no vegetables.
Fifth, did it taste good next day? Yes.

I gave them five stars because any restaurant which gives me a free chocolate leaves a sweet memory.