The Crab restaurant sits inside the newly refurbished Park Central hotel in Bournemouth. While the name doesn’t really do it justice, the food here is superb. The location of the hotel and restaurant is ideal, only a short walk from Bournemouth town centre on the seafront. The perfect spot for a seafood restaurant.
The style of the food is homemade, almost rustic, but done very well. The marketing for the restaurant uses a la carte to describe itself, but the menu seems more down to earth. Fine yes, but straightforward and unfussy. The homemade aspect of it appealed to us, and was borne out by the taste and texture of the food.
"The staff at The Crab really care about what they do, and it shows."
Our meal began with a pre-starter of crayfish cannelloni which came with pesto cream. This was fresh, with vibrant colours and an excellent taste. A great way to whet the appetite for a meal.
Starter was homemade tagliatelle and butternut squash and pumpkin risotto. The tagliatelle came with Provencal garnish and tomato fondue. It was superb, possibly the finest we have ever eaten. The tomatoes were rich and fruity and packed a real punch. It was excellent.
The risotto was served with a fennel salad that was the perfect blend of light and aniseed kick from the herb. The rice was cooked perfectly and the dish as a whole was a delight to eat.
We elected for an English main course of roast Dorset beef with Yorkshire pudding. It came with onion gravy, roast potatoes, butternut squash and green beans. Even though this is an English favourite, The Crab managed to do it with a little extra flair. The beef was delicious, the onion gravy was rich but not overpowering, and each vegetable was cooked perfectly.
The service at The Crab was superb. The staff were friendly, helpful and served us quickly. The only issue we had was that our waiter continued to serve men before ladies, which jarred a bit. Apart from this faux pas, the service was great.
The Crab restaurant serves good food in a nice atmosphere. The staff really care about what they do, and it shows.
The Bill: £42 per person
