Situated in a little country lane on the outskirts of Louth is a hugely popular pub and restaurant, The Royal Oak.
Known by most people as ‘The Splash’ because of the gigantic puddle/ford – situated on the very aptly named Watery Lane – that you have to drive through to get to it, the eatery has long been a renowned spot for locals of Louth and those of us who live a bit further afield in good old Grimsby.
After having spent a couple of hours in Louth one Sunday earlier this month, me and my family decided to make the short drive over to The Splash for our tea.
One thing I absolutely love about this place is that it never seems to change, which I think is part of its appeal. It has a homely, cosy and comforting vibe that you can only find in those quaint little country pubs that have been around for generations. Or, in the case of The Splash, 400 years!
We’d booked in for 5.30pm, but arrived about 45 minutes early so we could sit in the bar area and have a drink before being shown to our table.
For my starter, I went for the Burrata Cheese (£7.50), which was absolutely amazing. The cheese was served atop a bed of fresh red and yellow vine tomatoes on a thick slice of bread and generously drizzled with olive oil, garlic and herbs.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
It’s been a couple of weeks on and my mouth is still watering just thinking about it. The creaminess of the burrata cheese combined with the tangy taste explosion of all the tomatoes – and the delicious, indulgent combo of bread and olive oil – just worked so well together. It’s the sort of thing you’d eat for a light lunch in Italy, and I’m so here for it.
For my main, I was spoilt for choice. Having looked on the Royal Oak website, I couldn’t see what I ordered on the online menu, so I’m not sure if it’s still on the physical menu at the restaurant or not.
I went for the Chicken Satay Poke Bowl (£14.50) in the end, which sounded lovely (and very healthy) on paper – but, I’ll be honest, didn’t look the best when it was served. The whole dish combined satay chicken with rice, cucumber, edamame beans, avocado, carrot ribbons, seaweed strips, lettuce and more veg.
(Image: Grimsby Live)
Sadly, I just felt the dish as a whole was a little lacking in flavour. I’ve had satay chicken quite a few times, but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me – I didn’t feel there was enough seasoning or sauces.
Saying that, every other time I’ve been to The Splash I have never been disappointed – and I thoroughly enjoyed my starter. I’d never seen the poke bowls on the menu before, so whether it was a new or temporary addition that just didn’t quite work for me, I’m not sure.
I’ll definitely be visiting The Splash again to try some of the items on the Winter menu. The food has always been top-notch here in my experience, staff are friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere of the place is entirely of its own.
