Ian Waller and his family enjoy a superb Sunday lunch at Emberwood, the restaurant at Bath’s Francis Hotel
There are few better ways to spend a Sunday than sitting down with the family for a proper roast dinner. No cooking, no washing up and, best of all, everyone gets to choose exactly what they fancy. So when the opportunity came to sample Sunday lunch at Emberwood, the restaurant at Bath’s historic Francis Hotel, we were more than happy to accept.
And what a lovely setting it is. Overlooking Queen Square in the heart of Bath, Emberwood combines the classic elegance of its Georgian surroundings with a bright, spacious and thoroughly modern dining room. There’s a gentle buzz of conversation, plenty of natural light and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere that immediately makes you feel at home.
In fact, one of my first thoughts was that this was somewhere I could happily bring the family for a special occasion or meet business clients for lunch. It’s smart without being stuffy, with diners in hoodies and jeans sharing the restaurant with those dressed rather more formally. Everyone fits in.
Our waiter, Orgest, was excellent from the outset. Friendly, knowledgeable and wonderfully smooth in his service, he dealt effortlessly with the various requirements of our teenagers, including a firm request from the youngest for no celeriac purée!
Drinks of Emberwood pale ale, Asahi and lemonade were quickly delivered, while I was delighted to accept a recommendation of Emberwood Reserve Rhône Blend to accompany the meal. I’m a great believer in taking advice from people who know their wines, and this was a very good choice indeed, given plenty of time to breathe before the main event.
Although we were there for the Sunday roast, the wider menu offers plenty of temptation. Starters include beef tartare, chicken liver parfait and coal-roasted Cornish scallops, while other dining options include steaks, seasonal vegetable dishes and seafood, with fish of the day among the choices.
Sunday lunch itself offers the choice of roast sirloin, corn-fed chicken, rolled pork belly or a meat-free tart, with sharing roasts available for those who prefer a proper family feast.
One of the joys of eating out with children, particularly as they get older, is encouraging them to try something new. My daughter took the opportunity to sample the beef tartare, a generous and beautifully presented starter that proved an excellent introduction to a dish she might never otherwise have ordered.
Meanwhile, something rather exciting was making its way around the restaurant. A dessert trolley! Oh, how I love a dessert trolley. Laden with irresistible-looking creations, it was attracting appreciative glances from diners as it was wheeled between tables. We made a mental note to save some room.
But first, the roast.
Now, I’m a firm believer that a Sunday lunch can stand or fall on the quality of its roast potatoes. Get those wrong and, however impressive everything else might be, there’s always a sense of disappointment.
Absolutely no such worries here. The potatoes were gorgeous, beautifully roasted and full of flavour, while the giant charred carrots were equally delicious and the kale had just the right salty kick.
But the real statement piece was the Yorkshire pudding. Or perhaps I should say mountain. Towering above everything else on the plate, it was wonderfully crisp, full of flavour and quite clearly freshly cooked. Naturally, we requested extra gravy to make the most of it.
Everything was cooked beautifully, with generous portions and those little touches that elevate a Sunday roast into something special. Between us, we loved the lot, which, as anyone dining with teenagers will appreciate, takes some doing.
There was even some vegetable food left over, which seemed a terrible shame given how good it was. We would happily have eaten more, but there was the small matter of that dessert trolley to consider.
And then there was the small matter of dessert. I’d had my eye on that wonderful dessert trolley from the moment it first appeared, but the teenagers were equally tempted by the choices on the main menu.
My daughter’s choice combined dark chocolate and raspberry, one of those classic flavour partnerships that rarely disappoints. This was absolutely fantastic, rich and indulgent, with the sharpness of the raspberry providing the perfect contrast to the chocolate.
My son, meanwhile, went for the miso tart with vanilla ice cream, an intriguing combination that proved every bit as delicious as it sounded.
And for me? Well, there was never really any doubt. That dessert trolley had been calling my name throughout lunch, and a magnificent chocolate éclair was the inevitable result. Absolutely gorgeous!
All three desserts were excellent, providing a suitably indulgent finale to a wonderful family meal. And there’s something rather special about a dessert trolley, adding a lovely touch of theatre and making choosing a pudding feel like part of the occasion rather than simply the final course.
Throughout our visit, the service was superb. Orgest and his colleagues struck exactly the right balance between being attentive and allowing us to enjoy our family lunch. There was never any sense of fuss or formality, just friendly, knowledgeable hospitality delivered with genuine warmth.
And then came one final flourish. My absolutely essential post-meal cup of tea arrived in a beautiful silver teapot, complete with strainer. Such a simple thing, perhaps, but exactly the sort of thoughtful detail that makes a meal memorable.
Emerging back into Queen Square, suitably well fed and in excellent spirits, we were also reminded what a wonderful location the Francis Hotel enjoys. It’s perfect for combining lunch with a family day out in Bath, with the city’s shops, attractions and sights all within easy walking distance. One of our favourites, Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein, is just a short stroll away.
Emberwood manages that rather clever trick of making a special meal feel like a genuine treat without ever becoming intimidating or overly formal. The setting is beautiful, the food excellent and the service among the best we’ve enjoyed.
And, perhaps most importantly, every member of the family left happy.
Now that’s what I call a successful Sunday lunch.
Emberwood at the Francis Hotel, Queen Square, Bath. Sunday lunch is served until 4pm. Booking recommended.
Visit www.francishotel.com/dining/ for menus and reservations.
