Why You Need to Visit The Lord Crewe in Bamburgh
For a Friday night dinner at the coast, you couldn't choose a prettier location than Bamburgh
Having jumped in the car straight after work to head up to the coast, a head-clearing walk on the beach is much needed before dinner. Bamburgh is as beautiful as ever as we head down The Wynding, back along the sweeping beach and up to the Castle. Edging around the cricket pitch, we make our way to The Lord Crewe.
The Lord Crewe is towards the bottom of the village, and its beer garden has fabulous views of the iconic castle perched on its rocky throne (the perfect place for chips and a drink after a long day on the beach). Tonight however we’re here for dinner, and so we head into the welcoming bar where a few people are already enjoying pre-dinner drinks.
When we’ve previously visited The Lord Crewe we’ve eaten in the main dining room behind the bar, but tonight we’ve asked for a dog-friendly table. We’re expecting this to mean we’re in the bar itself (which we’d be more than happy with), but it turns out The Lord Crewe has a separate dining room especially for those bringing dogs, a smart and welcoming space which has windows looking towards the castle, and plenty of doggie hints in the decor (think dog-shaped book ends). The only problem is one of our own making: we haven’t, in the end, actually brought the dog.
No matter – this is a lovely space and the occupants of the other tables (both four- and two-legged) aren’t causing any fuss. Having ordered, we’re quickly presented with a pint of lager (for him) and a glass of dry white wine (for me), alongside a pitcher of cold water (welcome after our yomp along the beach) and a basket containing two warm bread rolls with salted butter.
It’s not long before our friendly waiter returns with our starters. I’ve chosen ‘The Lord Crewe Prawn Cocktail’. It’s a substantial portion, packed with Greenland prawns, Bloody Mary jelly, iceberg lettuce and pickled cucumber, all in a Marie Rose dressing. Artfully presented in a glass dish held aloft by a silver octopus, topped with a tempura king prawn and a crispy spring roll stuffed with Whitby crab, it’s quite the poshest prawn cocktail I’ve ever enjoyed. Across the table, my partner tucks into a more straightforward option: a steaming dish of Scottish mussels, cooked in white wine, cream, garlic and parsley. There’s sourdough for dredging up the sauce, and our waiter helpfully provides a spoon too.
Sticking with the seafood theme (when in Rome and all that), I’ve ordered half a lobster for my main course. Grilled in garlic, parsley and almond butter, with Queenie scallops and juicy tiger prawns, it’s served with a side of watercress (for welcome crunch) and a bowl of fat, steaming chips. I barely make a dent in the chips, but I’m not wasting any of the seafood. My partner’s grilled fillet of halibut is served with a lobster and crab soufflé, a fennel croquette and a portion of samphire, along with a shellfish bisque which I happily dip a chip into.
To finish, we share a plate of four British cheeses (served with crackers, grapes and chutney), and a dish of sorbets (one of which is Champagne flavoured, and really does taste like it). By the time we take our leave, we’re the last ones left in the dining room, and although darkness is starting to fall, we can’t resist one more stroll around the cricket pitch before heading home.
The Lord Crewe Bamburgh, Northumberland NE69 7BL
lord-crewe.co.uk
