WHEN you find a hidden gem of a restaurant you have two choices - keep it to yourself or share the news far and wide.
And while this may change its status of being ‘hidden’, at least others will get to enjoy it.
Newish to the restaurant scene after opening last November is the Boxford, a family-friendly Italian tucked in the heart of the West Berkshire countryside and around two-and-a-half miles from Newbury.
It is the sister restaurant of the Woodspeen, a favourite with foodies, based on Lambourn Road.
It may have lost its Michelin star last year but it continues to be a destination for those with a love of fine dining.
Its owners decided to branch out, taking over the site of the Bell at Boxford pub. It underwent a complete transformation and it reopened last year, billing itself as a more relaxed eatery than its big sis but none the less still prioritising fresh, home-cooked food with high-standards for hospitality.
Having grown up locally, I spent many family meals at the Bell and I was curious when I was invited to visit to see its transformation first hand.
None of the original pub, which sadly became run-down in its later years, remains.
In its place stands a striking and distinctive barn. Inside, the fittings are sleek yet welcoming, a fine balance between comfort and expense, borrowing on the wooden textures from its sister restaurant up the road.
We arrived promptly for our 7pm reservation where we received a warm welcome from the front-of-house staff. The restaurant was half full, with most of the tables outside occupied with those making the most of the warm summer’s evening.
We were given the choice of sitting indoors or outdoors and we opted for the latter. Our waiter couldn’t do enough for us, bringing out cushions for our chairs and putting up a parasol to ensure the setting sun didn’t blind us.
I had already had a good look at the menu beforehand and knew I just had to embrace the Italian theme and opted for the delicious mozzarella sticks to start with which were sublime. It is hard to mess fried cheese up but a striking number of restaurants still manage to.
But gladly, not here. The crumbs were crispy and light, the complementary marina sauce adding acid to the cheese. They were 10 out of 10 and writing about them right now is only making me wish I had more!
Joining me for the evening for a good catch-up over some great food was an old friend who choose the prawn cocktail to begin with. She said was “delicious”. It came with big, juicy morsels and was elegantly decorated with edible flowers - a classic with a modern twist.
Their homemade Spaghetti Alla Carbonara was calling my name for the main. It was a generous portion, made up with pecorino Romo and seasoned with black pepper. Deliciously, it was made following the traditional Italian way of not including cream.
Topped with crispy Guanciale, an Italian salt-cured meat, it gave the dish a sharp contrast to the pasta.
My dining friend couldn’t resist the parma ham pizza which she described as being “packed full of flavour” and with generous toppings. She said: “I really liked the oregano and basil oil flavours, the Parma ham was very tasty.”
After enjoying a feast of pasta and pizza, neither of us had room for pudding and instead rounded off the evening with a non-alcoholic cocktail.
The location, looking out onto the countryside as the sun was setting, was clearly a popular choice as more cyclists and diners turned up over the course of the evening to call in for a drink or a bite to eat. It was nice to see a restaurant busy and bustling on a Sunday night.
While it is around a 40-minute drive from Reading, it is well-worth the trip for lovers of high-quality homemade food. This is a perfect taste of Italy in the heart of Berkshire and a gem of a find.
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