Latest Restaurant Review (The Last Inn)
The Last Inn (formerly known as The Aston) is situated on the outskirts of Newport in Church Aston. After having undergone a refurbishment and rebranding in October last year, the restaurant reopened under its new name of The Last Inn.
On arrival we were shown through to our table in the far end of the restaurant which overlooks the garden. A major part of the recent refurbishment was to the conservatory at the rear, which has a new floor that now flows right through from the main restaurant and also a new ceiling with spotlights that has replaced the glass conservatory roof, which makes it feel much more a part of the pub than previously. New tables, chairs and dining booths have been added and with a new lick of paint everywhere it has lifted the ambience of the restaurant – giving it a much lighter and airier feel.
Nik ordered a pint of the Last Inn IPA and I ordered a large glass of Sauvignon which promptly arrived whilst we were looking through the menus. As we visited on a Sunday afternoon, we had the choice of a traditional Sunday lunch or we could select off the main menu. There are always vegetarian dishes to choose from and most days there is a daily specials board with the fish of the day. A lunchtime menu is also available Monday to Saturday. Children are most welcome and there is a separate menu just for them.
For starters Nik ordered the Breadcrumbed King Prawns (£7) and I chose the Twice Baked Blue Cheese Soufflé (£6).
My soufflé was served with candied walnuts and a red onion marmalade. The soufflé was beautifully light and fluffy with a tang of the delicious blue cheese, this worked perfectly with the marmalade and the candied walnuts were amazing.
Nik’s huge prawns looked very impressive, they were served with a wasabi mayo and an Asian slaw. Nik said that the three enormous prawns were very succulent and the wasabi mayo added a lovely extra zest to the dish. The Asian slaw was fresh, crunchy and bursting with flavour.
Nik decided on the Steak & Ale Pie (£14) for his main course and I opted for the Sweet Potato Curry (£11) and added chicken as an extra (£3). We also ordered a side of hand cut chips to share (£2.50).
My curry had a lovely sweet taste with a mix of chick peas, spinach, sweet potato, mango, coconut and chicken. It was served with a bowl of wonderfully fluffy rice and two small nan breads. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish a great change from the usual curry dishes. The hand cut chips were nice and chunky with the skin on – lovely and crisp.
Nik loves a proper pie with a full pastry casing, not just a pastry lid and this one didn’t disappoint! He said it was exceptional and packed full of meaty chunks of beef in a delicious rich gravy, it was served with a generous helping of soft creamy mash, broccoli, roasted parsnip and carrots.
We saved just enough room for a dessert, Nik ordered the Baileys Panna-cotta (£6) and I was tempted by the Rocky Road Cheesecake (£6).
My cheesecake looked very pretty, a nice chunk of chocolate cheesecake topped with a row of cherries and two rows of small marshmallows, served with a dollop of Chantilly cream and a strawberry coulis. A luxuriously soft and smooth chocolate filing with a firm biscuit base.
Nik’s creamy panna-cotta was served with a coffee granita and an almond biscotti. Nik said the panna-cotta was amazing smooth and the unmistakeable flavour of the Baileys was nicely balanced and not overpowering. The coffee granita was refreshing in between mouthfuls and the biscotti was a nice contrasting texture.
If you enjoy a good afternoon tea, then you must try the famous Last Inn afternoon tea which is available at £13.95pp or £16.95 to include a glass of fizz – you must book in advance for this.
Monday nights are 50% off all the classic main dishes and the specials board – it is always busy on a Monday so booking in advance is advisable. Quiz nights on a Thursday night are also popular and start around 8:30pm. Live music with acoustic bands is held regularly on a Saturday night – dates and details are available on the website or call for more details. You can also keep up to date with events on their Facebook page.
There is a lovely garden at the rear of the building and when the sun is shining you can enjoy a drink outside with the outdoor bar.
A new menu has just been launched, so book yourself a table and check out the new dishes available – you can view the menus online on the website at www.thelastinnnewport.co.uk
Reviewed by Fleur & Nik Abel
