Dining At The Clare Castle

I was able to get out for a dinner the other night and it was being held at a place that was new for me. It was a pub called The Clare Castle in Carlton and it was quite a surprising experience. When you think of pub dining in Carlton you don’t really expect anything terribly fancy and you certainly don’t expect to feel the need to rave about it, but that’s what I’m going to do in a sort of restrained and respectable way.

The Clare Castle is a very relaxed place that is clean with a rather sophisticated atmosphere. It is the sort of place that you feel instantly comfortable and ready to settle in for a meal with friends or relatives. You certainly don’t feel as if you are enclosed or stifled at all and this, I reckon, is very important.

I think we all expect to find good Italian food in Carlton but perhaps you would expect that dining to take place in an actual Italian restaurant rather than a pub bistro. Well the food at The Clare Castle was quite exceptional. I had the Veal Scallopini which was to die for. The beet and cabbage slaw on the side was the perfect accompaniment to the veal and the serving was generous.

After our meal I decided to take a bit of a walk around the pub to get a better feel for the place and was surprised by just how spacious it was. The place looks as though it can be easily converted into an exceptional venue for small to medium sized parties without any trouble at all.

This is certainly a place to seriously consider if you are planning some sort of party such as a 21st or a small wedding reception. Certainly the food would be a hit with the guests and the atmosphere has the right blend of casual and intimate to make it a memorable night or day.