Why The Royal Oak is still one of my favourite places to eat in the area – review

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One restaurant in the area where I’ve been wowed each and every time I eat there has to be The Royal Oak in Holton-le-Clay.

Now also known as The Knife & Cork restaurant, The Royal Oak on Louth Road has been a longstanding fixture within the village for many years. Along with its adjoining sports bar and the Route 68 street food spot in the beer garden, the popular pub has something to suit everyone.

Having never once been disappointed when we’ve visited before, we decided to make the drive here for our tea on Bank Holiday Monday.

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We were shown to our table by a friendly member of staff, ordered our drinks and had a browse of the menu. It always takes me absolutely forever to decide what to have, because everything on there always sounds so delicious.

But, keen to try something I’d never had before, I ordered the Seabass En Paupiette, which was described on the menu as a seabass fillet with new potatoes cooked in Thai flavours, lemongrass, ginger, chilli and coriander.

My partner went for the Pulled Chicken Gyros, which was described as marinated pulled chicken with fried onions and peppers on a garlic and coriander naan bread, served with tzatziki sauce and skinny fries.

The food was served within about 15 minutes, and we dug in. I liked that the seabass was served to me the way it was cooked in the oven, in a little foil parcel that you had to unwrap, revealing a piping hot slab of juicy seabass on a bed of buttery new potatoes and seasoned to perfection.

Appearance-wise, the dishes at The Royal Oak always look absolutely fantastic, but they taste even better. The seabass was perfectly cooked, with its delicate flavour complemented by the Thai ingredients with a subtle spicy kick. It was a light dish that’s perfect for those mild summer evenings, and I’d definitely order it again.

I did also have a little taste of my partner’s Chicken Gyros and thought that was just as delicious. The amount of flavours and textures stacked onto that naan bread was unbelievable, from the tenderness of the pulled chicken and the creamy tzatziki sauce to the sweetness of the onions and peppers.

We were absolutely stuffed by the end of our meals, and (very uncharacteristically of us) had to turn down a dessert.

My verdict:

The Knife & Cork restaurant at The Royal Oak is an eatery you just cannot go wrong at, in my opinion. It’s such a pleasant place to eat, with a cosy and rustic vibe inside that can typically only be felt in those really old English pubs that have served generations of people. It’s decorated beautifully with modern touches while still retaining its character, which I love.

All of the dishes on the menu sound delicious, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every one I’ve ever had. Not to mention the staff are always lovely. Needless to say, The Royal Oak is one of my firm favourites when it comes to places to eat in the area – and I think it’ll be staying that way for a while.

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Why The Royal Oak is still one of my favourite places to eat in the area – review

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Police officer who shot Chris Kaba tells court his actions were lawful

Israeli strike on a school turned shelter in Gaza kills at least 27 people

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