Chilterns – Events

Lunch at The Crooked Billet in Stoke Row

July 22, 2022

12.30pm for 1pm on Friday 22nd July 2022

Members £90 / Guests £100

Dress: Smart Casual with Chaîne regalia

Full details can be downloaded HERE.

The booking form can be downloaded HERE.

Built in 1642, the Crooked Billet retains the original features, flagstone floors, low timbered ceilings & inglenook fireplaces. Chef Paul Clerehugh acquired the Crooked Billet in 1989 using car bank loan cash to secure the lease (Barclays wouldn’t trust him lending cash to buy a pub).

The phrase ‘gastropub’ first appeared in print 1989 when The Daily Mail christened the term when describing The Crooked Billet – making it Britain’s first gastropub. Clerehugh points out Jesus was born in a gastropub. The Crooked Billet attracts a bohemian bunch of foodies, famous names often sitting with regular diners. Prince Harry, Kylie Minogue, Kenneth Branner, Theresa May, Jimmy Page, Joanna Lumley, Stella McCartney, Pierre Koffman, Paul Ainsworth, Mary Berry, Jason Atherton, Marco Pierre White, AWT, Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumenthal & James Martin have all dined at The Crooked Billet.

The pub famously cooked Kate Winslet’s bangers & mash wedding reception.

Conde Nast recently listed the Crooked Billet in their top 10 places to lunch. Tatler list it as ‘must visit’. Winner of the Observer food Monthly’s ‘Best Sunday Lunch’, Waitrose food monthly’s favourite foodie pub. Paul Clerehugh was the first pub sector chef awarded the Craft Guild of Chef Award. Andrew Pern, Michael Bedford, Dominic Chapman, Tom Kerridge were to follow. Clerehugh hosts BBC radio Berkshire’s ‘Food on Friday’ lighthearted foodie chat & kitchen conundrums.

Paul’s cookery demonstrations are legendary. He won the TV series ‘British Food Hero’. Hosted BBC’s ‘Mind Your Own Business’ daytime TV programme helping struggling restaurants. Paul also held the world record for the tallest Yorkshire pudding rise (13 inches). The Crooked Billet’s food reputation & philosophy is simple. Buy the very best seasonal produce, support local & British produce. Don’t fuss around with ingredients. Simple cookery, let the produce speak. Please book ASAP so that you don’t miss out on this great event.

We are trying something different with Paul’s help. As you will see below you have a choice for each course and you can make your mind up on the day. However, we still need any dietary requests on the booking form.

  MENU

  Arrival:
  A selection of arrival nibbles, including foie gras parfait toast.
  Porthilly oysters. Barkham blue bon-bons and more 
        with
  Very local champagne methode English sparkling wine-
  Barbara Laithwaites’ award winning Stoke Row Wyfold Vineyard

  ~

  Starters:
  Baked Oxfordshire goats cheese button,
  late season Northumbria asparagus, broad beans, radish
        or
  Cornish lobster, King Prawn, crayfish bloody marie, celeriac slaw

  ~

  Mains:
  Fillet of Brill, Orkney diver scallops, nut brown caper butter,
  parsley potato mousseline, runner beans
        or
  Local Dexter beef fillet steak, rösti potato, spinach, chanterelle, jus 

  ~

  Dessert:
  Elderflower & gooseberry crumble, custard sauce,
  Devonshire clotted cream
        or
  Caramelised lemon tart, local raspberries, crème fraîche 

  ~

  Cafetieres Coffee, Homemade chocolate truffles and Crooked Billet fudge

  ~

  Wines accompanying luncheon:
  Chablis Domaine Elodie Dupres

  Saint-Emilion Lussac Grand vin de Bordeaux

  Muscat, Heaven on Earth (South Africa)

Address: The Crooked Billet, Newlands Lane, Stoke Row, Henley-upon-Thames RG9 5PU Website: www.thecrookedbillet.co.uk

Tel: 01491 681048

Directions:

Car:
The restaurant has its own car park. Sat Nav: RG9 5PU

Train: There are regular services to Reading from London Paddington, Bristol, and Birmingham, as well as other major railway stations across the UK. Please see www.nationalrail.co.uk for further details. There are two Taxi ranks at Reading station one on town side, one on Caversham side either will do and it is c£20/£25 journey. Reading Station is 8 Miles from Stoke Row.

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