Sloane’s Tavern Lunch at Cranwell Resort
This article is Sloane’s Tavern Lunch at Cranwell Resort. It is a review of my wife and my lunch experience lunch at golf club and restaurant.
The article is part of our New England Road Trip.
Cranwell Resort
Cranwell Resort is a classic Berkshire Estate that has history dating back to 1803.
The history includes purchases of individual land during the civil war by Civil War General John F. Rathbone and United States Naval Captain, John S. Barnes.
In 1893, a relative of the Vanderbilt’s, John Sloane purchased the property for $50,000 and build the mansion that is present today.
An 18-hole golf course was added in 1926.
The property later became a Preparatory school where Senator Ted Kennedy attended in 1945 for the eight grade.
A 35,000 square foot spa was added in 2002.
It’s current owner is the Hyatt Hotel Corporation and the property is being converted into a Mirivial Luxury Spa Brand Resort.
Check out reviews of Cranwell Resort and Spa on TripAdvisor.
Photographs share the rich history of the resort and the culture of the Berkshires.
Sloane’s Tavern
Sloane’s Tavern is a casual restaurant offering fresh ingredients, great drinks in a relaxing environment.
Sloane’s Tavern is a casual restaurant with awesome dishes that are inventive and made by Executive Chef James Rankin. Chef Rankin grew up in England until he was 19 when he relocated to the United States. The executive chef started his US career in Boca, and later moved to the Berkshires and has been serving amazing dishes for years. His contemporary cooking style paired with his desire to use local food sources delivers both comfort and delight with each bite.
The restaurant has a small bar that is decorated neatly.
I was connected with the Cranwell Resort thanks to 1 Berkshire. The Cranwell generously offered a complimentary lunch for my wife and I during our New England Road Trip.
While the lunch was hosted by the resort, the views expressed in this review are my own.
Check out other reviews of Sloane’s Tavern on TripAdvisor.
Arrival
My wife and I arrived at Sloane’s Tavern and were immediately offered a seat by the host.
The table was provided in the recently renovated dining room.
The room was decorated with blue tones which set a comforting feeling immediately when you arrive in the restaurant.
A server greeted us at the table within a minute and welcomed us warmly.
A manger joined us at the table for a few minutes to welcome us to the Berkshires and to highlight the menu.
In addition, the Chef Rankin stopped by our table and provided background on the restaurant as well as suggested a tasting menu for us to enjoy.
You can check out the current menu here.
The server suggested a cocktail to go with lunch. I accepted and ordered a margarita.
The margarita was delivered a few minutes later in a jumbo glass that was as big as my head.
I misread the menu and was surprised at the size. The chef said that it was a popular drink because of the size and the value.
The margarita was excellent, and it was garnished neatly and had a strong level of premium tequila and lime.
Chef Rankin’s Menu
The chef suggested the following items from the menu:
- Fritto Misto
- New England Burrata
- Cottage Pie
- Fish and Chips
- Chocolate Fondue
- New England Sticky Toffee Pudding
We knew we were in for a treat and were glad that we only had a light breakfast before lunch.
The chef thanked us and the manager wished us a great time.
Appetizers
About 10 minutes after ordering, the server approached the table and delivered the Fritto Misto and New England Burrata.
Fritto Misto
The Fritto Misto is tempura-battered cauliflower with green beans and Peruvian cherry peppers. The dish is served with a garlic honey and lemon dipping sauce.
The cauliflower had a flavorful batter and were lightly fried. The cauliflower was fresh and it had an excellent taste. The beans were crisp, and the peppers were mild in flavor and added a hint of spice. The portion was large, and the dish was excellent.
The dip was sweet and tangy which added a further kick to an excellent dish.
New England Burrata
The New England Burrata was an inventive version of burrata which was served on top of a thick slice of watermelon.
The dish is also served with heirloom tomatoes and crisp basil. It is drizzled with an aged saba reduction.
The cheese was soft and creamy and tasted freshly made. Each bite with the watermelon was incredible and the dish was excellent. The tomatoes were fresh and tasted right out of a garden. I enjoyed how the basil was crispy which added an additional texture to the dish.
The server checked back with us a few times while we were enjoying the appetizers.
Once we finished them, the server cleared the table and prepared for the entrée course.
Entrees
The entrees were served promptly after the table was cleared of the appetizers.
Fish and Chips
The fish and chips entrée was on the special of the day menu. It was battered in a tasty battered and it was fried golden brown.
The fish was fresh cod which was flakey, and it had an excellent.
The cod was served with freshly cut fries which were also fried perfectly. The dish had a hand made cole slaw and lemon tartar sauce on the side which further enhanced the flavor of the fish.
Cottage Pie
The Cottage Pie was served hot and it was an imaginative play on Sheppard’s pie.
The dish consisted of New England braised beef stew that is topped with carrots, onions and baked cheese mashed potatoes.
The New England braised beef was excellent, and each bite was fresh.
The vegetables were tender, and they went well with the rich and creamy basked cheese mashed potatoes.
A tasty braised red cabbage was served on the side. The cabbage was fresh and it had a tangy flavor. When taking a bite of the cottage pie together with the cabbage it added a crunchy element that made the dish amazing.
The manager checked in with us while we were enjoying the entrees.
After we finished the entrees, the server promptly cleared the table.
Dessert
A few minutes later, the server returned to our table and presented the two desserts.
Chocolate Fondue
The Chocolate Fondue consisted of a rich chocolate dipping sauce in a small container. The chocolate was rich and creamy, and it had an excellent sweet taste.
The fondue was served with fruit skewers which were large pieces of fresh strawberry, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. Marshmallows were also served along with funnel cake straws.
The fruit was fresh, and the funnel cake straws were light and sweet, and they tasted amazing with the chocolate sauce.
New England Sticky Toffee Pudding
The New England Sticky Toffee Pudding was a perfect end to the meal. It was presented elegantly on a plate with a small bowl of cream.
The pudding was sweet and tangy, and it had an excellent taste. I savored each bite.
The cream that was served with it was a Chantilly cream that was light and airy, and it added another excellent element to the dish.
The server checked back with us after the desserts were served.
Departure
When we were ready to depart the restaurant the server did not return to the table for some time. This was surprising as she was attentive throughout the meal, so we were delayed in being able to depart. Fortunately, that was only a minor detraction from a great experience.
It was very generous that the Cranwell Resort hosted us for the lunch. The value of the lunch was approximately $100.
The host also thanked us as we departed the restaurant.
Overall
My wife and I enjoyed our Sloane’s Tavern Lunch. It was a pleasure meeting the chef before the meal. The chef’s recommendations were excellent, and we would suggest you order those same items for an incredible meal. The staff was friendly and polite, and we enjoyed our experience overall.