By Clare Wallace
Walking into Rustington Manor Hotel one late September evening our party of four was quickly and warmly greeted by Jordan, our waiter for the night.
“Well, if you're thinking of bringing me anywhere for my 40th, here would be great,” he said as he devoured the last of his five spice spare ribs.
Situated just five minutes from the village and the delightful beach and a short distance from the rolling hills of the south downs national park, this cosy family-run hotel or what could be called a ‘bijou’ manor was taken over by partners Ken Rush, who is also the head chef and Bob Brooman in March this year. They had previously had a successful run of 21 years at The Tudor Close in South Ferring.
There are five individually decorated stylish bedrooms each with an ensuite along with tvs, free wifi and room service. Guests can savour the peace and retreat to their room. And non residents and residents alike can relax in the friendly bar, in the private enclosed garden or enjoy fine dining in Lodwick’s restaurant.
Jordan showed us to our table in the intimate restaurant which had a clean modern décor. Subdued lighting and a restful colour scheme lent itself to create a sociable and relaxed ambience. And high backed comfortable leather dining chairs and fresh flowers on each table added a touch of class.
From the a la carte menu there was plenty to choose from the extensive menu, which included several vegetarian options and a variety of meat and fish dishes. For starters the Lodwick's vegetable soup was hearty, the generous portion of buffalo wings coated with honey and ginger barbecue sauce was by all accounts really tasty and the flame grilled peppers on goats cheese bruschetta with chilli chutney was delicious.
While waiting for our main courses it was noticeable how popular this eateries has become as the room filled up with more guests making for a lively Saturday night atmosphere.
The Sausage and mash with three free range Sussex Heritage sausages were full of flavour and served on a bed of smoother than smooth mash with a rich onion gravy which was just the right consistency. And I had The Finest Salmon fillet coked in a special blend of Cajun spices which came with dauphinois potatoes. The fish was cooked perfectly and a dish of additional vegetables of broccoli, carrots, and green beans complemented the plate well. The Flame Grilled Birchstead Rimp Steak with button mushrooms, tomatoes and twice cooked chips was tender as was the Rosemary and Garlic Lamb Shank.
It was difficult to choose from the tantalizing desserts on offer but after much deliberation, and making sure we all went for something different, I chose the warm pear and almond tart - sliced pears and almond frangipani in a sweet pastry with a Sussex honey creme Anglaise and pistachio ice-cream which was light in texture and all the component flavours came through well. My Dad had the Raspberry Truffle Torte, a rich dark Belgian truffle encasing raspberries topped with a raspberry glaze and served with a home-made blackberry ice-cream. On a rare occasion he allowed me to dip my spoon in and it was truly gorgeous. While my Mum chose the Spiced Apple crumble cheesecake with a warm rhubarb and calvados compote. All were beautifully presented.
We opted for standard coffees, although if you're feeling in the mood there are several exotic liquer coffees to try including Italian with Strega, Calypso with Tia Maria or even Monk's with Benedictine.
Starters range from £2.95 - £5.25, mains between £7.95 for an omelette to £14.95 for the Aylesbury duckling and desserts were around the £4.85 mark.
Overall Rustington Manor is ideal for a special occasion, intimate dinner or equally celebrations can be catered for such as christenings, birthdays and reunions – the restaurant seats up to 40. The food was excellent, the portions generous and the service polite and attentive.
Lodwick's Restaurant & Bar at the Rustington Manor Hotel,
12 Broadmark Lane,
Rustington,
BN16 2HH,
Tel. 01903 788782
www.RustingtonManor.com