Nestled on the banks of the River Dee in the picturesque village of Bangor on Dee, Wrexham - I'd heard from many locals that the Royal Oak offers excellent quality of food. It also boasts this unique riverside setting with a warm and friendly welcome which all combine to make it a cut above the average village pub. This gastropub boasts a recent proud history too, famed in 2015 for winning the Wrexham Gourmet Burger Challenge and also Restaurant of the Year at the Wrexham Tourism Awards in the same year!
Our food blogger Jen was keen to check out if the Royal Oak matched up to expectations and wasn't disappointed...
My two friends and I arrived shortly after 7pm on a warm Wednesday evening in May. We sat outside on the sunny terrace and enjoyed a sparkling water while we browsed through the menu. Inside was also cheerful and contemporary, with cosy armchairs and log burning fires as well as plenty of space for diners. Outside where we sat there is terracing providing an idyllic setting on a sunny day, where you can enjoy a meal, coffee, glass of wine or pint and just listen to the gentle rippling of the water and watch the world go by.
There was plenty of choice, from hearty pub fare to light bites to sharing platters...
I opted for broccoli and Stilton quiche with coleslaw and salad, one friend chose chicken breast stuffed with goats cheese and spinach on a bed of linguine and Mediterranean vegetables, and the other friend picked lamb koftas with Greek salad, tzatziki and warmed pitta.
We decided to eat inside (it became a bit chilly once the sun had gone down) and were given a table near the bar. It was fairly quiet that night, but it still took over 40 minutes for our food to arrive.
Thankfully, the food was worth the wait! My quiche was tasty, with nice, big chunks of broccoli and the perfect amount of Stilton to give it that delicious salty flavour. The accompanying salad was fresh and filling, the coleslaw was creamy and they both went perfectly with the quiche.
My friend's chicken dish looked impressive. The stuffed chicken breasts were moist and flavourful. The pasta wasn't mixed with the surrounding tomato sauce and the courgettes, peppers and other vegetables were in little piles at the side of the dish. My friend said that they would have been better mixed together (which she ended up doing herself) but each element was good and the whole dish was delicious.
The lamb kebabs looked gorgeous and I felt slightly envious when I saw my other friend's meal arrive! The Greek salad was full of juicy olives, chunks of feta cheese and it was dressed in glossy olive oil. The tzaziki was the perfect consistency and the slices of warmed pitta were perfect 'soldiers' to dip into it! My friend said that her meal was delicious and, although described as a light bite, it was pretty substantial.
"We'd spent a while enjoying our food and chatting, so felt that we had limited time to have a pudding on a 'school night!"
We had a cappuccino, latte and peppermint tea between us. My cappuccino was large, hot and frothy... and came with a nice little minty dark chocolate.
All in all, we decided that the food was good, reasonably priced and the staff were friendly. There was a delay in getting our meals but I'd rather wait for something freshly cooked than get a microwaved meal in minutes!
"We'll be back... I spied an amazing-looking fish and chips heading to another table that I'm now eager to taste!"
OVERALL:
Food 4/5
Ambience 3/5
Service 2/5
Value 4/5
At The Royal Oak you can be sure of great food, a wide selection and of finest beers and wines, a relaxing ambience and friendly helpful staff. They are open 7 days a week, from 11.30am till 11pm, serving food from 12 until 9.45pm every day. Large bookings are welcome.
Whether you’re out fishing, walking or enjoying a pre/post race day drink or meal, they’ll do their best to make you feel right at home.
They also won 'best restaurant' at the 2015 Wrexham Tourism Awards.
Bookings; 01978 781602
Website; www.theroyaloakbangorondee.co.uk
Click here to make a reservation
The images below are from a recent photoshoot at the Royal Oak, but please note, may not currently feature on the menu...
