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– it all arrives fresh from the market and is served the day after it’s caught. If they can’t use it the day it arrives, it’ll be served in fish cakes or perhaps a fish pie. I’m a vegetarian so didn’t have the fish, but I did enough eavesdropping on the tables around me to confirm: it’s very good. Luckily for me, veggie options were plentiful enough that I spent some time torn, before eventually opting for the mushroom linguine with truffle oil, which was creamy, nutty and utterly delicious. Chippy informed me that some guests had once told him the story of the best mushroom linguine they had ever eaten; in Rome at a concert afterparty with the band Queen (not that they were name dropping) – that is, until they came to The George & Dragon. It is really good linguine. I followed that with a blackberry crumble tart – not a typo, but a match made in heaven. Served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of cream for good measure (ice cream and clotted cream – another dream team), it was the perfect summer dessert; sweet and meltin-the-mouth but without the heaviness of a full crumble. I scraped my plate until it was clean. Then came time to retreat back to my cosy room for the evening. Rather than settle in for the night with a film (there was a shelf outside the room offering a selection of DVDs, which, as I can never decide what to watch with the infinite options presented by Netflix, I actually loved), I instead sank into a bath with my book. Really the only way to spend a solo night in a hotel, in my opinion. After a night in a squashy, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing bed (I Instagrammed it), I didn’t want to leave. When Chippy had made me breakfast (perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs served on crusty bread), I wanted to leave even less. Next time friends or family are passing through, I’ll most definitely be directing them to The George & Dragon. I want an excuse to go back. n
“The expansive gardens are filled with pink roses”
DINING DETAILS The George and Dragon, High Street, Rowde, SN10 2PN, tel: 01380 723053; www.thegeorgeanddragonrowde.co.uk Opening hours Monday to Friday 12-3 /6-11pm, Saturday 12-11pm, Sunday 12-4pm (closed Sunday night) Covers 38 inside plus 26 on the terrace Prices Starters £8-£12, mains £14-£50, pudding £6.50 Owner Chippy Day Chefs Executive chef Tom Bryant and sous chef George Paget Established 2004 Specialties Fresh seafood with fish sourced daily from St Mawes in Cornwall Disability access Yes
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 53