Review of The Crown Inn at East Rudham: Fantastic food and wonderful staff at charming village pub

If I had £1 for every time I’ve driven past The Crown Inn at East Rudham and thought I’d like to pay a visit, I might not be a millionaire but I’d certainly have enough cash to treat myself to a good lunch out!

So when I was looking for somewhere for a nice meal with my partner Lee, my parents and my nan a couple of weeks ago, I decided it was long past time we finally tried the quaint village pub/restaurant on the green.

I’d booked our table for just before 7pm and when we first arrived, the pub seemed fairly quiet - but it had only opened for dinner service at 6pm and it soon started to fill up with evening visitors.

If The Crown Inn looked quaint on the outside, it was even lovelier on the inside, with the fireplace keeping us toasty, wooden beams hinting to its lengthy history (the premises date back to the 1700s) and lots of lovely artwork and charming touches throughout.

As soon as we were inside, we were greeted by a super friendly member of staff who showed us to a cosy table tucked in the corner of the restaurant, and - luckily for us - very close to the fireplace.

She took our drinks orders without delay. I went for an Appletiser (£3), my mum and nan both chose a Coke Zero (£2.90 each), Lee opted for a 0.5% Ghost Ship (£4.50) and my dad ordered a wherry pint (£4.20).

We all felt the drinks prices were really reasonable, and the service was immediately impressive. We received everything in decent time but the staff were far from fraught - they were friendly and helpful.

Not wanting a starter each, but feeling we could have a little something to share, we decided to get two helpings of homemade rosemary cold-pressed rapeseed oil focaccia with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (£4.50 each) from the bar snacks menu.

This was a brilliant first impression of the food at The Crown Inn as the bread was crunchy yet soft, and perfectly warm and the balsamic vinegar and olive oil were a great accompaniment.

Onto the mains, there was plenty of choice - thanks to the menu being supplemented by a specials board.

Although being vegan meant that there was only one option, but I didn’t mind as I was really keen on the sound of it.

So I ordered the teriyaki glazed cauliflower steak with red pepper hummus, charred tenderstem broccoli, vegan feta cheese and pomegranate chimichurri for £17.95. It also came with charred carrots, which I was happy about!

This dish was appetising to look at, but it was even better to taste. I think it’s rare that the word I think about a plate of food is exquisite, but that’s exactly what went through my head.

Sometimes, people might think a cauliflower steak would be boring, but this was far from it, with the multiple flavours and textures creating a stunning dish. Also, vegan cheese can be hit or miss but the feta was delicious, while the vegetables, hummus and chimichurri were fantastic accompaniments - and it was all cooked to perfection.

Lee chose the beer-battered haddock with skinny chips (he could have had chunky chips if he’d preferred), tartare sauce and mushy peas (he could’ve picked garden peas if he’d wanted) for £16.95.

He said the batter was golden and crispy, while it was clear that the fish was “fresh and perfectly cooked” and it was a very healthy portion.

My dad had The Crown Inn’s homemade rump burger in a brioche bun, with smoked bacon, cheese, onion rings, saffron aioli, purple slaw and skinny fries for £17.95.

The burger - he said - was “beautifully presented”. He also “loved” the bacon and found it all-round to be “very enjoyable and filling”, with it being a good-sized portion too.

Meanwhile, both my mum and my nan opted for the pan-roasted breast of chicken, with fondant potato, roasted root vegetables, tenderstem broccoli and wild mushroom sauce from the specials board for £18.50 - although my nan asked for a smaller portion.

They both agreed that the chicken was “succulent and delicious” and the whole meal was “excellent and beautifully presented”.

Not having had enough of the fantastic food, we all found room for dessert.

I opted for the saffron poached pear with caramelised white chocolate and salted toffee popcorn for £8, which was presented like a work of art.

I was glad of the popcorn and white chocolate as it could have been a bit simple without them, and there was a lot of pear to get through, but it was really tasty and fresh, and didn’t feel too heavy as some desserts can often be.

Lee chose the tartlet of apple and rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard and minted creme fraiche (£8.25), with him describing the crumble as the highlight of the meal for him.

“It was really delicious combination and one I never would’ve thought to put together but it worked perfectly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dad went for the sticky date pudding with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream for £8.25. He said it was the pudding itself was deliciously sweet, offset by the ice cream.

Mum picked the lemon and pistachio crème brûlée with a raspberry white chocolate cookie and fresh raspberries (£8.25), which she said was “light and really flavoursome with citrus notes”.

My nan simply had a scoop of the chunky chocolate ice cream for £2, which she described as “lovely and nutty”.

After three courses, you might think we would end the evening there, but not quite, as my mum and nan both had an Irish (whiskey) liqueur coffee for £8 each and Lee and I both had a latte (mine was decaf with oat milk) for £3.50 each.

These were a wonderful way to finish off a brilliant first - but definitely not last - visit to The Crown Inn. In fact, my mum went as far as to say: “The liqueur coffee was the icing on the cake, it was divine.”

Our total bill came to £174.10 - or £34.82 per person - which we felt was reasonable for the three courses and considering most of us had two drinks each. The food was a little pricey - while we felt the drinks were good value - but we were happy to pay that for the service we received and the quality of what we ate.

If you’re looking to enjoy an evening meal where you feel completely at ease and the food is fantastic - albeit it is perhaps a special occasion - then we’d definitely recommend The Crown Inn at East Rudham.

Ratings out of five:

Food: We were so close to giving full marks as everything we ate was delicious, fresh and presented beautifully but my only criticism of my dessert being a little simple means it’s just shy of five stars. ****

Drink: A great selection and we felt the drinks were really good value for money. ****

Decor: It was so charming and welcoming inside and out. *****

Staff: They were faultless, the service was impeccable - all staff we encountered were friendly and attentive but not in a pushy way. *****

Price: At the pricier end of the scale for food but far from extortionate. ****