The Boathouse, Amberley, Sussex – Chilled lodge style dining

Riverside dining experience in Amberley, West Sussex, serving a mediterranean inspired menu, freshly made pasta and thin crust, wood fired pizzas.

Modern Dining in Amberley, Sussex

I recently moved from Putney in London where I have lived most of my life and when I mentioned in our newsletter recently that I had visited The Boathouse an old friend of mine Jolyon who I knew from The Spencer Arms in Putney and who now works at Andrew Edmunds in Soho mentioned his friend Jamie runs the floor at The Boathouse at the weekends.

So, it’s a small world as they say.

I say this as when one moves out of London, though you might know the areas, I think speaking personally one has to re calibrate one’s outlook in relation to gastronomy and the like.

Of course, there are many excellent dining experiences in the countryside, and one should not even need to say that but it’s interesting to observe how we all view what is great and our perceptions.

In many ways it’s all about those sayings which talk about who we know and being primarily centred around six degrees of separation.

When you go to a certain type of hotel, you bump into people who know people you know and private clubs work on a similar basis and so it goes on and on.

The Boathouse, Amberley

To my mind The Boathouse is a gem pure and simple.

The Boathouse was created by Jasper Gorst. Formerly a restaurateur of 25 years in London, he has now turned all his knowledge and talents within the industry to focus on this delightful riverside setting in Amberley.

My friend who joined me is a photographer based in Lewes and specialises in interiors photography amongst other things, and I have spent my life in television production and luxury lifestyle.

I say this to give a framework of both of our comments which were natural and immediate.

Its lovely really lovely was our reaction ….

Having driven through the Sussex countryside one December evening we catch up on boarding school days which we finished this year some 40 years ago this year, we arrive at Amberley, West Sussex, a picturesque village at the foot of the South Downs, famous for its charming thatched cottages, historic Amberley Castle (now a hotel), medieval church, offering countryside walks, pubs and authentisticity.

We are both fussy in different ways with my amigo maybe more interested in the specifics of the cuisine and the wine and interiors whereas I am highly focused on my emotions.

 I often say places have a vibe, a feeling and maybe with my film background I am conjuring up a scenario, a mini film script.

You enter and the exterior aesthetics are perfect.

Black converted boathouse with that cool rustic feel, a weeping willow tree underlit and the beautiful arch of the bridge with the water passing through at pace.

And Barry sat there … we will come back to Barry whom I find out is lonely, maybe Barry deserves an Instagram page of his own.

My sub conscious is telling me about the days I used to row but also there is the feel of a ski lodge as well, and when we enter the vibe is very authentic cool with a New England lodge feel, open bar, big sofas and then around to the beautiful, and chic and relaxed dining area.

My view on life is to try to make life as simple as possible and when I go out, I want friendly, comfortable, upmarket but relaxed with tasty well-made food.

Quite simply this is exactly what you will find at The Boathouse.

Tasty Italian Cuisine

We both had starters with my amigo plumping for the Monk fish whereas I really wanted to try their wood fired pizzas, with Tuscan sausage.

2 old buddies sat, stared drinking a pilsner one alcoholic, one not…

Starter, main course and dessert

And a really wonderful bottle of Portuguese “Barbera D’alba” red wine which was a superb suggestion from Jasper….

And of course, desserts and a coffee and then over to the sofas to chillax before departing.,

It was a Thursday, so nicely busy without being rammed.

And the food what did I think, well I confess doing the job I do I am spoilt for choice so for me the standout was the Caramel Panna Cotta and the wine.

The pizza was very tasty with the fantastic Tuscan sausage but would have preferred a bit more on the pizza, but its still an 8 out of 10 so no slouch but the Panna Cotta’s colour, texture, presentation and taste were top notch.

 And what about Barry well so the legend goes Barry, is the Heron that sits by the bridge and is lonesome …. Ahhh..I feel there is a definite story here or maybe a mood board for children to find out all about Barry the Heron.

I love tales like that, I loved the place, really did and you can tell how you or your guests are enjoying their night out by looking at their faces and ours was relaxed, happy and eating good what I would call modern contemporary Italian cuisine.

Viva “The Boathouse” definitely I would say one for the diary.

The Boathouse

www.theboathouseamberley.co.uk

Houghton Bridge, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9LR
Located just by Amberley Train Station
Tel: 01243 971880