restaurant review: The Ely, Blackwater

I started celebrating my 21st extremely early, the 4th of June to be exact with my friends in Salamanca. The celebrations carried on further with a meal out with my mum, sister and boyfriend at The Ely in Blackwater on Saturday evening.

The Ely is a hotel with a cosy pub and large restaurant inside. It has a relaxed charm to it, with an equally relaxed menu to suit everyone's tastes. My boyfriend and I differ considerably on the type on favourite food and we both found something we loved! I had the Goat's Cheese and Mushroom Risotto, which was creamy, filling and full of flavour (and a cheeky glass of rosé)! Adam had the Beef and Ale Pie which was a very generous portion of food for the price.

Even the seafood dishes were very well priced (my mum had the Seabass and Scallop Risotto), whereas in most restaurants you're paying a much heftier price for fish! You can see their full main menu here. I saw that they also serve sunday roast if you're feeling a little more indulgent.

Whilst the food service was a little slow at times, the staff were extremely friendly and helpful throughout the meal, and I liked the warm atmosphere of the restaurant. The Ely even had a special menu when we visited over the Queen's 90th birthday. Below is the Prince Philip's Rich Tarte (haha!). It was the perfect amount of chocolate and clotted cream without feeling like I was about to explode, enough to feed my chocolate craving!

All in all I had a wonderful evening with my family and boyfriend at The Ely. The menu has a really great variety and they don't scrimp on the portions! We all emerged with happily full bellies and I would heartily recommend the restaurant if you want a relaxed and enjoyable evening!

Thanks for reading! Where would you recommend for a birthday meal?

This is a sponsored post. I was given 30% off all main menu dishes in exchange for a review. However, as always, all opinions are my own. For more info visit my Disclaimer page.