Cerise at The Forbury, Reading, UK - by Bernice Hurst
‘The river is dirty and dismal here. One does not linger in the neighbourhood of Reading’, so wrote Jerome K Jerome in Three Men in a Boat. Decent restaurants in the town have, until recently, been few and far between, but as Bernice Hurst discovers, things are now looking up…
At last Reading has somewhere sexy, funky and cool to eat and drink in the town centre. After living in a nearby village for the past 35 years, all I can say is, it’s about time. The past few years have certainly seen some improvement in town centre dining, what with the better chains opening as well as the faster food ones – the town now hosts Loch Fyne, Carluccio’s, Wagamama and Yellow River as well as the perennially popular and excellent Standard Tandoori. But none are really suited to spending a leisurely evening. Only the London Street Brasserie, an edge of town Bel and the Dragon in a spectacular armaments factory conversion and out-of-town L’Ortolan provide quality and ambience aimed at those wanting to linger over and savour their meal. But now we have Cerise in the Forbury Hotel, right smack in the town centre but just out of sight and sound of Friar Street’s club and pub scene.
Cerise takes itself seriously but not too seriously. Head barman, Toby Boyes, was sent to Cuba prior to opening to learn how to mix cocktails with the best of them. And Neal Dove, chef at Cerise, has a pedigree at which one would not dream of sneezing. From his Northern origins, Neal moved down south to spend time with some top chefs, including Daniel Galmiche at Cliveden before being offered his own kitchen. Like Toby, he was given time and encouragement to seek out excellent suppliers and products, an exercise he describes as being “the best job in the world”. His only frustration, especially now that diners are coming fast and furious and appreciating his best efforts, is the difficulty of persuading local producers to wend their way into Reading. Many of those in closest proximity sell through farmers’ markets or box schemes and don’t have the capacity or margins to oblige longing chefs. This deterrent apart, Neal has created some excellent dishes and presents them beautifully in his striking but comfortable dining room.
 Lunch on a summer’s day was indoors as the gorgeous Moroccan style patio was too hot for comfort. Tantalizing, though, and worth a return visit one evening to sit on the cushioned stone benches relaxing with a cold drink beneath a pomegranate tree while gazing at the waterfall cascading down the granite wall.
Choosing a meal was challenging as we could easily have enjoyed anything on the menu.
The light summer menu features starters of watercress soup with poached duck egg, foie gras terrine with rhubarb chutney or duck rillettes with mango and chilli relish. Main course dishes of corn-fed chicken with peas and broad beans or minted lamb have replaced winter warmers such as slow cooked pork belly. Game lovers might be tempted by squab pigeons in two styles with a caramelized garlic tart. Classics such as organic rib eye steak and lemon sole have been left on for traditionalists but garnishes and vegetables consist entirely of what is in season. Desserts, too, reflect a combination of the popular and seasonal with cool, fruity choices, ice creams or a chocolate plate for those who cannot resist. It’s enough to make even a country lover like me venture into town again.
About £60 for 2, Midweek Quick Lunch £10.50 for 2 courses Cerise at The Forbury Hotel, 26 The Forbury, Reading, Berkshire. tel: 08000 789 789 www.theforburyhotel.co.uk
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