L’Anatra
Bourton-on-the-Water
A visit
to the Cotswolds cannot go amiss without a trip to one of its most famous villages,
Bourton-on-the-Water, which is not short of places serving cream tea and good,
honest pub grub.
The Chester House Hotel located opposite the river is one of
the village’s famous landmarks and has recently bought some eccentricity to the
culinary scene by opening an in-house Italian restaurant.
As we
walked through the door, we were warmly welcomed by the owner, Donna Holland,
and shown to our table in the restaurant, positioned in the window with a view
of the River Windrush.
The river flows through the middle of the village,
earning it the nickname ‘The Venice of the Cotswolds’ – and we definitely had the
best seats in the house.
Having
studied the decent sized wine list, we settled on a refreshing glass of Fathoms
Sauvignon Blanc, which embodied flavours of elderflower and gooseberry, and at
an honest price of £16.95 a bottle was a delight for a bargain.
L’Anatra
has accomplished an intimate ambiance that runs throughout the restaurant.
Lit
by a mixture of candlelight and fairy lights, it has all the traditional features
of Cotswold country chic in place and bestows a real feeling of home comfort.
Multi-colour
pasta arrangements in vases are just a few of the subtle touches that have been
added to the décor to remind us that this is in fact an Italian rather than a
country pub, adding a real sense of authenticity thanks to the use of one of
the country’s prime ingredients.
The
menu is simple Italian food that we all know and love.
It begins with a list of
the daily specials including the soup and risotto of the day, as well as a meat
or fish dish.
Starters include a traditional antipasti platter, a range of
bruschettas, and their most popular dish, Pollo (chicken) Pesto Salad, made
with their own homemade pesto.
Having tried this, I can see why it’s become a best
seller.
The pesto is like no other found anywhere but Italy.
I’ve even
suggested they jar it up and sell it; it’s a true, and not to mention delicious
representation that Italians would be proud of.
Main courses range from Seabass
alla Ligure and Chicken Principessa to the mush-loved Spaghetti Carbonara and
linguini with mussels, crayfish and prawns, and are priced from £7.95 to £14.50.
However, the real crowd pleasers are the handmade pizzas, which are available
to eat-in or takeaway.
Since L’Anatra has opened its doors, these have become
the talk of the county with locals flocking from the surrounding villages in
preference to a free-delivery Dominoes – definitely a ‘no brainer’ by all
accounts.
As we sat comfortably, indulging in our own pizzas, numerous people came
to order theirs – and judging by the Donna’s knack of remembering past orders, this
clearly wasn’t their first time at L’Anatra.
Priced from £8.00 for a classic
Margherita to £11.00 for a Formaggi (known to some as ‘cheese heaven’) and made
to order using only the freshest of ingredients, I’d say these are definitely
‘an eye for a bargain’.
And if you can’t finish it at their table, they will
happily box it up so you can take it home.
To
finish, no Italian feast can go amiss without a helping of Tiramisu and at
L’Anatra, this is another dish chef Michele Samoila does to perfection.
Priced
at £6.00, the portion size is more than generous and for those with a sweet
tooth, it’s a must try!
Ingredients
used in the kitchens at L’Anatra are seasonal and sourced locally, something
that is consistent throughout the menu.
During a conversation with Donna, she
explained to me that it was important to them when sourcing their ingredients to
support local producers, celebrating the delicious produce that this part of
the country has to offer.
To me, as I’m sure many of you will agree, listening
to a restaurant owner and her chef talk so passionately about supporting the
local community of food producers whilst we relish in the delicious dishes their
goods have created is something rather special.
Overall this is what L’Anatra
is as a whole – special.
From the setting in which it sits, the ambiance it has
created, to the food which it produces, whether enjoyed in their surroundings
or back home, I guarantee that the overall experience is one you will return for.
L’Anatra
A: Chester House Hotel, Victoria Street,
Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire GL54 2BU
T: 01451 820286
(Closed
Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
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