Review
ROSE & CROWN
PUB AND DINING ROOM
United Kingdom - World Showcase - Epcot

by Debra Martin Koma
ALL EARS Senior Editor
July 2003

It had been a few years since my last visit to this restaurant, and I thought what better time to revisit than when I had a native of the United Kingdom with me? I'd heard that the menu and the chef had changed, so, hoping things had improved since my last meal there, I took my sister and our English-born mother along. Sadly, we were all a bit disappointed with what we found.

The evening started out ominously -- A heavy rainstorm had forced too many park-goers into the cheery Rose & Crown Pub, so that there was no indoor place to wait for our Priority Seating. And wait we did, huddled under one of the covered gift kiosks just outside the Rose & Crown's podium. Still, despite the 45-minute wait, we were thrilled when we were finally seated -- we snagged a table outdoors, ensuring we'd have a nice view of that evening's IllumiNations... if the rain didn't cancel the show.

Our cheery server Kate, from Lancaster, made small talk with us about Britain, and we dried out and warmed up. After much discussion, we placed our orders, and the meal began on a high note. The Mushroom Medley ($5.79) appetizer was a buttery puff pastry with lots of garlic, shallots and a mixture of mushrooms, including portobello and small white buttons, perched atop a creamy sauce. The tomato-based Lamb Barley Soup ($3.99) was seasoned perfectly and was loaded with lots of small pieces of tasty lamb, carrots, barley and a fresh parsley garnish. Both starters were rated winners!

The main courses, however, dampened our moods once more. The English Pie Sampler ($15.99) should have been a spotlight on some of the finest English mainstays: chicken and leek pie, pork pie, and cottage pie. The cottage pie suffered from too much time under the heat lamp, I fear -- although the ground meat was spiced nicely, the cheese and potatoes topping it were very dried out. The pork pie was flavorful, but it was dressed with a brown gravy that tasted as if it were straight out of the jar. The chicken and leek pie was the best of the trio, with an excellent pastry and cream sauce and a mild leek flavor -- my only complaint was that it could have used a bit more chicken. The dish came served with fresh, crisp green beans.

The Harry Ramsden Fish & Chips ($14.79) served up a nice white cod fillet fried in a tasty batter, enhanced by malt vinegar. Sadly, though, the English "Chips" were nothing more than frozen French fries, and the garden peas had come out of the same freezer. How the dish could have benefited from traditional English
"mushy" peas and some real chips made from roughly cut potatoes!

Last, and least, were the Bangers and Mash ($15.99). The traditional English sausage was plump and not too fatty, but it was served with heavy mashed potatoes and a rather tasteless onion gravy. The accompanying "bubble and squeak" was cabbage fried with onions -- according to our UK native, it was authentic in composition but not flavor, lacking the pizzazz of the "real thing."

Dessert was the meal's saving grace in more ways than one -- it came as the rain cleared, during a spectacular viewing of IllumiNations! Although the Sticky Toffee Pudding ($4.29) and the Warm Apple Crumble ($4.99) were inviting, we settled on splitting the Chocolate Grand Marnier Trifle ($3.99). It featured two kinds of chocolate and strawberries layered with sponge cake, laced with orange-flavored liqueur, and garnished with fresh whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. Definitely enough to satisfy both the chocoholic and the biggest sweet tooth!

Dinner for three, including coffee and tea, one glass of wine, and tax, came to just under $75 (gratuity not included).

More Dining Reviews