If you asked me what my favourite restaurant in the area is, it’s fair to say that The Kingsway Hotel and Restaurant in Cleethorpes would definitely have a firm spot in my top three.
Renowned for its exquisitely presented and delicious food, the beautiful interior with stunning views of the sea and not to mention its AA Rosette awarded status, it’s no surprise The Kingsway is such a popular spot for both locals and tourists alike.
Having only visited for special occasions before, I was surprised to find out that The Kingsway offers a weekly set menu, in which two courses are just £19 and three courses are £23, which I thought was so reasonably priced for such a top quality restaurant. Needless to say, I didn’t hesitate to book in for tea.
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We were greeted by the friendly staff upon arrival and shown to a spacious, immaculate sitting room where we ordered our drinks. This experience alone sets The Kingsway apart from other restaurants, because sitting and waiting to be shown to your table isn’t really the ‘done thing’ at most restaurants anymore.
Usually, if you book in somewhere for 6pm, you’re shown to your table at dead on 6pm, having pretty much finished by 7pm. So I did really like being able to sit and relax with a drink whilst enjoying the lovely early evening views of the sea. Plus, it gave indecisive old me the chance to properly look at the menu and decide what I liked the look of the most.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
The friendly water came to take our food orders before we were shown to our table. We both went for the Prawn Cocktail to start, followed by the Flat Iron Steak Frites with peppercorn sauce and grilled flat mushrooms on the side for my main.
My partner went for the Kingsway Burger, which was described on the menu as an open burger in the French ‘hache’ style, topped with caramelised onions, fried egg, French fries and Bearnaise sauce.
By the time we were shown to our table at 6.30pm, we were absolutely starving, and didn’t hesitate to dig into the complimentary bread and butter at the table. I say ‘bread and butter’ like it was the most generic thing in the world, but this was just something else. The bread was more like French toast – the crispy kind, that is – and went down a treat.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
Our starters arrived within about five minutes, and were delicious. A generous helping of prawns in a thick Marie Rose sauce was served on a bed of iceberg lettuce, with slices of cucumber and cherry tomatoes, accompanied by a lemon wedge. Both of us do love a good Prawn Cocktail as a starter choice, and we couldn’t fault this one at all. It was presented beautifully, and the crispy French toast was perfect for mopping up the sauce. Yum.
Our mains were served promptly, and both looked absolutely immaculate. I do think the way dishes are presented makes such a huge difference to the overall experience – and this is something The Kingsway has got down to a T.
The steak was thick and juicy – albeit a little bit too well-done for my liking – but I still polished off the lot. The peppercorn sauce was rich and bold in flavour with a lovely, spicy kick, and the fries and mushrooms were the perfect sides for dipping.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
A lot of fancy restaurants can be guilty of serving ultra small portions, especially when it’s a dish from the set menu, but I don’t think this is the case at The Kingsway at all. In fact, I was really impressed with the portion sizes, and thought you got loads for your money.
I was completely stuffed after finishing my main, but somehow I found room to squeeze in a dessert – The Kingsway Creme Brulée with a toasted tuille and seasonal fruits. Creme Brulée is my absolute favourite dessert, and this may just be the best one I’ve ever had.
Instead of being served in the usual pot, it arrived in the form of a huge square slab – much to my happiness. The combination of the hard burnt sugar with the generous portion of thick vanilla custard was just heaven.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
My verdict:
It’s no surprise The Kingsway has been awarded an AA Rosette Award, because the food there is out of this world. The place itself is absolutely immaculate, with top service and stunning views of the sea to take in as you enjoy your meal.
At £19 for two courses and £23 for three, you really cannot go wrong when you take into consideration the whole package – so I think it goes without saying that I’ll definitely be going back.
