There’s many reasons why Bath is such a popular destination - the history and culture, the spa, the shops, and, of course, the great food and drink on offer. Because when it comes to dining out in Bath, you’re spoilt for choice. Whether you’re looking for fine dining or fast food, big chains or something more unique there’s something for everyone. But, this popularity can have a downside if you’re looking for a more laid-back kind of vibe, with city centre venues regularly packed to the rafters - especially during the tourist season.
The Henrietta restaurant at Roseate Villa, however, is an oasis of calm. A short amble from the centre, over the world-famous Pultney Bridge and round the corner, the Victorian boutique hotel and restaurant is just the place for an elegant dinner.
It’s already gained a glowing reputation for its afternoon teas, but now the kitchen has branched out into dinner. The dining room is a beautiful space - light and bright and overlooking the garden. It’s all soft tones, and polished wood making it feel welcoming and modern, but not so much so that it feels out of step with the history of the building. Outside there’s a pleasant garden - something of a rarity for restaurants in Bath - which makes a lovely spot for an aperitif on a sunny evening.
The menu is small, but has been carefully created to please all palates. My starter of asparagus, scallops and cauliflower is a delight in every way. The asparagus still has just the right amount of crunch, and the scallops are wonderfully caramelised on the outside, but still soft within. There’s a silky cauliflower puree, and a welcome burst of acidity from a raisin, caper and shallot dressing. A couple of my dining companions are tucking into a tomato and burrata salad with relish. It might sound like a lighter option, but don’t be fooled! Their bowls are piled high with crisp colourful salad, with a whole burrata perched atop which yields at the touch of a knife to release the oozing, creamy centre.
My main course of lemon sole is light, but full of flavour. The fish is perfectly cooked - flaking beautifully at the mere touch of the fork - demonstrating a sensitive and accomplished touch from the chef. A chorizo crumb brings a saltiness and just a whisper of smoky heat, and the accompanying lemon and butter sauce is wonderfully decadent. Across the table a steak arrives, cooked exactly as requested, with a generous selection of the traditional sides of tomatoes, mushroom and watercress salad, and elsewhere the chicken, chestnut mushroom and leek pie is getting rave reviews.
When puddings arrive it becomes obvious why the Roseate Villa afternoon teas are so popular. My Eton Mess is far from messy, and more of a deconstructed version of the classic dish. Meringue kisses sit among fresh strawberries and spoonfuls of vanilla cream. There’s a compote that’s almost jam-like and bursting with berry flavours, and a bright and zingy strawberry sorbet. It reminds me more of an afternoon tea than an Eton Mess, and I feel like the addition of a few chunks of freshly baked scone nestled among the other treats might make this something really quite special. My neighbour is enjoying an almond tart, which is unbelievably dainty - so dainty, in fact, that it looks like it could have been lifted straight from the cake stand of an afternoon tea.
There’s a quiet confidence to all the dishes. Everything is well cooked, and beautifully presented, but it’s not overly showy, and laden with fancy foams or gels or other extraneous bits and bobs. This understated elegance runs through everything at Roseate Villa, and it’s what sets it apart from other places in Bath. In a city where there’s so much choice it can be hard to cut through the noise, but the calm tranquility of Roseate Villa does just that.
