I feel sorry for my old local
I feel sorry for my old local- such a fine place over the summer- now looks distasteful and rank. Cheers White!
This week the Cooksbridge based pub/restaurant The Rainbow finally re-opened its doors, following on a major refurb and change of direction. Now under the expert stewardship of Marco Pierre White, The Rainbow has undergone the full Wheeler’s of St James treatment, reenergising a restaurant which had somewhat lost its focus.
Wheelers of St James @ The Rainbow in Cooksbridge, has all the hallmarks of MPW’s other Sussex restaurants in Maresfield and Fernhurst. The interior is crisp and stylish with dark walls and a clean white trim, hung with symmetrical artwork and illustrations by satirical Daily Express cartoonist JAX – many featuring MPW himself.
The most notable change however, has been the removable of the small bar area just inside the front door, which has gone to make way for tables. As a result the main entrance has also been moved to the side of the building, which helps make the restaurant feel much roomier. The makeover has given The Rainbow a real ‘destination restaurant’ feel, with an impressive menu and culinary flare which should please and excite regulars and newcomers alike.
Inside the kitchen there have also been some changes, brought in under the experienced hand of new head chef Chris Warwick. Warwick has worked with Marco in the past, setting up the kitchens and menu’s at London restaurants The Hansome Cab and Punch Bowl, owned by Marco Pierre White, Piers Morgan and previous Rainbow owner Tarquin Gorst, and Gorst and Guy Richie respectively.
Warwick has installed a raft of Sous vide water baths at The Rainbow, to help his team to create melt-in-the-mouth meat dishes, bringing consistency and precision to the cooking process. Although I only got to taste a sample canapé menu, I have tasted many of the flavours and dishes at MPW’s other Sussex haunts including an amazing glazed pork belly, quails eggs Maintenon, the Wheelers prawn cocktail (which is the best I’ve experienced) plus a delicious duck pate with an a l’orange twist.
In previous conversations I’ve had with Marco about his Wheelers of St James restaurants, he clearly feels passionate about offering his patrons the kind of food they want to eat, honestly priced so to encourage repeat visits. Fish and chips, pies, steaks and Eton Mess all feature on his menus, cooked with finesse and those little MPW touches that make those dishes extra special.
Full review coming soon.
To reserve a table contact:
The Rainbow Inn
Resting Oak Hill
Cooksbridge
E Sussex
BN8 4SS
01273 400334
enquiries@rainbowsussex.com
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Comments
Big mistake to lose the pub
Big mistake to lose the pub-was a great place on a fine day.Sure there is more room for tables but hard to see them filling them in today,s climate.Note the re-appearance of the dreaded cover charge-the scourge of Italy!
I didn't know the Rainbow as
I didn't know the Rainbow as a pub but stumbled upon it during a drive down to Lewes last week- stunning place, friendly staff who know what they're doing and sublime menu at affordable prices. The ambiance was great too - looking forward to round two on our way back home - i strongly recommend you give this a try - Lewes friends said the pub was previously suffering from lack of local support for a good few years before MPW moved in - hopefully the change will suit the majority and the minority might just give it a whirl in time.
We've been visiting he
We've been visiting he Rainbow for 43 years, since dating days when the pub was tiny and hot sausages at the bar were to die for!
We enjoyed lunch yesterday, the atmosphere was sheer perfection as was the food including the very famous Prawn Cocktail!
Excellent staff and we're looking forward to visiting again very soon.
Very very well done!
The 3 course Sunday lunch is
The 3 course Sunday lunch is priced at £21.50 on your website, but when we arrived today, a month after you opened, the price had gone up to £24.50. Ther is also a cover charge of £2 PER PERSON! What is this for? We asked for 2 large glasses of wine priced at £4.80 on the menu (there were 2 sizes to choose from - small or large). When the bill came we were charged £11.20. When we queried this, we were told that they thought we wanted the 'largest' size of 250ml, which were not even on the menu, but which they had infact given us! As we were quite full, we couldn't make room for the third cours and asked if we could just have the two. We were told that that was fine and the cost would be £20 per person.
We are regular Sunday Lunch pub diners, and whilst the meal was very nice, it did not compare with, for instance, The Cat at East Hoathly -amazing food!- 2 courses less than £20, Whites at Steyning ditto and nearer home the Jolly Sportsman at East Chiltington (fabulous food, always packed) sunday Lunch, 2 courses £19.50.
It makes a poor first impression, which is a shame, as we have been looking forward to making this a regular place to visit.