The Alverton Brasserie

The service at this restaurant was extremely slow. It took a long time for our food to arrive, our plates to be cleared, and for dessert options to be offered. While the roast beef was overcooked and tough, the side vegetables were undercooked. Those who had the turkey enjoyed it, but also found the vegetables lacking. Overall, the experience was disappointing. On the bright side, the salted caramel and chocolate ice creams were delicious.

We ordered the afternoon tea, but found it to be just average. There was a very limited selection of sandwiches and sweets, and the mulled wine and tea/coffee were served at the same time, causing one to get cold. No one checked in on us to see if we needed another drink or refill of tea. Overall, the atmosphere was not very festive. For the price of £25 per person, it was not worth it. Sorry.

We decided to have lunch at The Alverton based on the promising description on their website. The staff was friendly, the wine was excellent, but unfortunately, the food did not meet our expectations. After a long journey from West Sussex to attend a funeral, we were hoping for a nice meal upon our arrival in Cornwall. We opted for the three-course lunch menu priced at £28. My starter, described as 'Mix of Cornish fish bits from the sea', was a disappointment as it consisted of five battered pieces of white fish with a minimal drizzle of sweet chili sauce. The main course, tortellini, was decent but lacked a proper sauce. The real letdown was the dessert. We both ordered the 'Black Forest roulade with almond dacquoise, cherry puree, and a cherry and chocolate ganache', but what we received was a dry Swiss roll with a single cherry from a jar, a scoop of ice cream, and a dollop of cream from a can. This was unacceptable, especially considering the restaurant's claims of offering an amazing food experience. It felt like a joke, and it was disappointing that we were taken for granted as paying customers. We understand the need to use up supplies after the holidays, but this was simply unacceptable. We had considered returning for a weekend stay at the hotel, but after this experience, we were put off.

What a delight. The Taste of Truro evening was all about the vegetables and local seasonal produce. Each course was talked through by the chef Ollie, who was clearly passionate and proud about what he and his team does and the local produce that he uses. Hearing the explanation, ingredients and where they had been sourced, behind each of the courses was a great element of the evening and really helped you to appreciate what you were eating. I particularly liked hearing about the local goat’s cheese and how passionate the chef was to be using this again in his menu. Each of the courses was beautifully presented. Five out of the six courses were served cold which was a first for me, but worked really well, suited the dishes and the weather. The one hot course was watercress and celeriac risotto which was incredible with the crispy cavolo nero. Just great flavour and texture. I would order this every time. The cold lettuce soup was refreshing and something different. The chef’s menu had me trying things I would have never considered and created a lot of conversation around the room. I had the accompanying wine flight which complimented each course beautifully. The evening was relaxed and unhurried, the staff were friendly, the venue is beautiful and the food was simply amazing. I hope this vegetarian Taste of Truro is held again in the future.

Beautiful building, visited whilst staying nearby on holiday. Service a little disjointed, we were left alone for about 15 minutes and had to ask to order. I ordered a Caesar with a side of tempura veg which, when it came, was all clumped together in one big mass. Other food was lovely. Again left after mains and eventually asked for the bill as we’d gone off the idea of dessert. Very nice setting and quiet, peaceful ambience.