Bill’s Restaurant Rushden Lakes Review

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Last Friday the Hubby and I were lucky enough to be able to enjoy a date night at Bill’s at Rushden Lakes. It’s a restaurant we have been to a couple of times before and is hands down one of our favourites.

Nathan and I are still getting used to having child-free time together as it’s not something we got to do much when living in Sydney so we almost feel like we are a newly dating couple!!

We had the table booked for a slightly early 6 pm as we had to get back to pick the kids up. Due to this I was worried we would be the only ones in there but luckily there were already a few diners seated.

Bill’s Restaurant is set on the Boardwalk alongside Skew Bridge Lake. For me this gives it a real holiday vibe, eating dinner overlooking the water. In warmer weather, they also have plenty of outdoor seating to really make you feel away from home.

 

the restaurant…

It always amazes me how large the restaurant is inside and how many people it can sit, yet the tables don’t seem to be too close together. I find the recently updated decor fascinating and as you walk from one end of the restaurant to the other it almost seems to change slightly. It has a slight Alice in Wonderland Vibe with its dark velvet seating slash tropical feel with its large plants inside and trees outside slash English home with a mix of artworks on the walls and display cabinets full of varied ornaments. All this together somehow really works and provides a modern, trendy yet comforting feel.

Upon arriving at the restaurant we were really made to feel welcome by the cheery and professional staff. Once we were sat at our table I was straight onto the drinks menu remembering on the last visit I had really enjoyed a specific cocktail. I soon found it to be the Bill’s Collins which is Wyborowa vodka, rose liqueur, rhubarb & lemon, topped with sparkling water, so refreshing!

the food and (drink)…

Once I had a few sips  glugs of my Bill’s Collins I looked over the menu. Whenever I eat out I always end up having a burger and Bill’s do a couple of amazing ones but this night I was determined to try something new and I’m so glad I did.

For our starters, I had the Fried Halloumi Sticks with Bill’s Chutney and Nathan had the Crispy Calamari with red chilli & lime aioli. I always get a bit nervous having a starter that I will get full and not want to eat my main but these were a really good portion size and I cleaned the plate.

 

For mains, I had the Roasted Butternut Squash and Feta Risotto and Nathan had a 10oz Rib Eye served with rosemary salted fries & roasted tomatoes. I am a sucker for anything with Feta in and the Rissotto did not disappoint. It was a really flavoursome dish with baby spinach & courgette and topped with shredded fennel salad & toasted pumpkin seeds. I always think pumpkin seeds add a delicious crunch however a little more feta would have been nice and although I again finished everything on the plate it was a struggle, especially as I had had a starter.

Nathan really enjoyed his steak, especially with a peppercorn sauce over it. He wasn’t a fan of the roasted tomatoes that seemed to have some kind of chutney in them and did ask for an extra portion of fries on top of the ones on his plate but it would definitely have been enough for me.

I thought I would wash down my main by trying a different cocktail. This time I went for a Hedgerow Fizz which is Wild Sussex elderflower cordial, a frozen blackberry and topped with Prosecco. This is now my new favourite. I love elderflower and anything with Prosecco in it is a winner for me!

On my previous visits to Bill’s I have absolutely loved their take on the Eton mess, it was basically a mix of cream and meringue topped with passionfruit! Due to the restaurant changing over to their Autumn menu this was no longer available however they did have a Spiced Pear and Raspberry Eton Mess that I went for instead. Although still delicious it is not as good as their passionfruit summer version, hopefully, that will be back next year.

Nathan doesn’t usually go for a dessert but he couldn’t resist the warm triple chocolate brownie with warm chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream &  a chocolate flake. This was divine and is probably what I will have on our next visit.

Having eaten so much food I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get out of my seat for a little while so passed the time with one last cheeky cocktail for the road. This was an Aperol Spritz – Bittersweet Aperol topped with refreshing Prosecco & soda and garnished with an orange wedge. I had no idea before ordering what Aperol was and I probably should have asked! The first couple of sips were nice but then it got too bitter for me and I couldn’t finish it.

conclusion…

Overall we had a really enjoyable night at Bill’s. The atmosphere, staff, food and cocktails were all amazing! As I mentioned already we have been a few times before, a few of those times were for lunch with the kids and they have always been very welcomed. I noticed there were a few children in the restaurant when we were there last week and it was absolutely fine.

Postcode: NN10 6FA

Have you been to Bill’s? What are your thoughts? Share below!