Eat Here: Hawkyns Restaurant, AmershamBy Angelica Malin

I do love a good country pub, me. Give me a crackling fire, a comfy leather armchair and an oaky white wine, and I’m a happy girl. Luckily, Hawkyns Restaurant, located at the lovely The Crown Inn in Amersham, ticks all of these boxes. What’s more, the restaurant boasts great food, a lovely, intimate vibe and the best smoked salmon in town. Read why it’s about time you visited this new restaurant opening for a night outside the big smoke:

Hawkyns Restaurant Review: The Lowdown

A new restaurant by twice Michelin starred Chef Atul Kochar, of Benares and Sindhu fame, Hawkyns is Atul’s first British food offering. A break from his usual, amazing Indian affair, as a huge fan of Atul’s Indian restaurants, I was scared that they wouldn’t live up to his name. But I shouldn’t have worried, Hawykns is a total triumph.

A more low-key and casual affair, Hawkyns is the kind of place you could happily take your mum, partner or friends for a low-key dinner. Located in the picturesque town of Old Amersham at The Crown Inn, there’s a warm ambience at Hawkyns, which is a welcome break from the manic and fast-paced feel of London restaurants.

Hawkyns Restaurant Review: The Food

For modern, British cuisine, this is the place to come. The food is surprisingly playful, with modern twists on classic dishes elevating a pub dining experience. We start with the smoked salmon and Jerusalem artichoke pearl barley risotto, which are lovely. The smoked salmon is really, truly delicious – thick slices of raw salmon, with a deeply smoky flavour, paired with a selection of tasty extras, such as grated egg, capers, black hay mayonnaise and red onion. The dish is fun and playful, allowing you to adapt the flavour of the salmon as you wish. The risotto is also fantastic – a welcome break from your classic rice risotto, the nutty flavour of the pearl barley works really well with the earthy, deep flavour of the artichoke, and a dash of pine oil is perfect to compliment the woody tones.

For mains, we loved the take on a classic fish and chips, with a light sprinkling of puffed rice atop a perfectly cooked piece of cod, in a creamy herb sauce. A lighter, healthier version of a classic fish and chip dinner, this a fun version of a British classic, and one carried out with skill and creativity. What’s more, their triple-cooked chips are to die for – so you won’t miss out on a good carb fix. I loved the brill with burnt cauliflower puree, roasted celeriac and garlic chips; the fish is cooked just right, with a fantastic mix of strong, powerful flavours, to match the intensity of the brill. It’s a bold, daring dish, which just works.

We finish with the fill your own doughnuts with baked apple, pear, chocolate, which are absolutely delicious, and great fun, too. All in all, the food is top – playful, imaginative and visually stunning.

Hawkyns Restaurant Review: The Drinks

The restaurant boasts a good wine list, with lots of French, Italian and British wines. If you’d like to have a night at the bar, they also offer a lovely bar menu, with delights such as build-your-own mini beef burger, beer battered artichoke and meat platter. For spirits, I’d say try one of their whiskies, simply on ice, sipped by the fire.

Hawkyns Restaurant Review: Our Verdict

The food, vibe and atmosphere at Hawkyns is just perfect for a special weeknight dinner. It’s a pub, gone fancy, with some really impressive, delicious food. The service is a little on the slow side, which is probably just teething problems with the new opening, but it’s more than made up for with the delicious chips, winning starters and intimate atmosphere that makes you want to come back, again and again.

Hawkyns Restaurant is at The Crown Inn, 16 High St, Amersham HP7 0DH