The Rummer is already one of my favourite places to go for a cozy drink; their drinks list seems almost limitless with a huge range of spirits, extensive wine list and a separate cocktail list tailored around an evening of eating. They serve up a fantastic Negroni – the perfect way to start any evening in my opinion.
It has recently upped its game on the food front as well though, with the addition of a new head chef, Andrew Clatworthy, joining last September who has shaken things up a bit. For one, the downstairs cellar has been transformed into a cosy dining experience. The menu now includes a five and seven course tasting menu options as well as the a la carte. The menu also reflects his particular passion for nature and ingredients you can easily forage from the garden.
Arriving on a fairly quiet evening we had time to sit on the cosy sofas to peruse the menu. A plate of little tasters of pastry topped with cheese and poppy seeds were popped on the table to whet our appetites for what was to come.

The little additions didn’t stop there. Just as the first glass of wine was poured, along came a beautiful plate of little tasters of crispy pastry topped with reduced peapod with mint and a tiny portion of goats cheese with pickled tomato and freshly picked oregano leaves. Delicious flavour combinations.
Bread rolls, still warm from the oven and ready to apart, came next. We had THREE different types of butter to try: standard, truffle and garlic and herb. Garlic and herb was my favourite and I slathered it on with some sea salt, just for a bit more indulgence. I would like to say I was reserved here to save myself for the upcoming courses, but bread and good butter is just too hard to resist.

Here the actual five course taster menu began. What was described as ‘A Burnt Forest Floor” was absolutely stunning. A perfectly rectangle piece of toast was hidden by an assortment of mushrooms, mushroom mousse, truffle, leaves and a branch made of cheesy pastry to replicated a forest scene. Not usually a mushroom fan, dishes like this could start to win me over and I really liked the earthy flavours of the dish.

Monkfish Cheek “Scallops”, apparently created for the chef’s friend who is allergic to shellfish, were matched perfectly with the crab sauce and curry dressing. The texture of the “scallop” made it the perfect sponge to soak up as much of the sauce as possible.

Delicious and beautifully presented food, in lovely cosy surroundings, The Rummer is definitely one to add to the visit list. It is also perfect for a rainy evening (we have one or two of those in England) as you can have a pre-drink in the bar, head downstairs for dinner and finish with a coffee on the sofas; all without leaving the building. 🙂
They have regular events, so keep an eye out for what’s coming up on The Rummer website: http://therummer.net/
You can also see what they’re up to on Twitter: @TheRummer