Richard Bagnold

Named after the number of dishes to choose from for each course (choice of 2 starters, 1 interlude, 2 mains, 1 pre-dessert, 2 desserts) this meal displayed highly creative and colourful food. Texture played a serious part of this meal and it was completely entertaining all the way with some original elements (shot of sweetened milk as a pre-dessert was pleasing as a dairy fan) and although I didn’t think it was the strongest Michelin star restaurant among its peers for overall flavour and satisfaction, it was perhaps the most inventive and reasonable.

The opening snacks were quite simple here with pickled cucumber and ghurkin and the chive oil was a pleasant change for the gooseberry bread to dip in and the latter was wonderfully squidgy and sweet. The duck ragout was smoked nicely and the dehydrtaed mushroom and supporting, soft vegetables was a contrast of textures with freshness.

The opening snacks were quite simple here with pickled cucumber and ghurkin and the chive oil was a pleasant change for the gooseberry bread to dip in and the latter was wonderfully squidgy and sweet. The duck ragout was smoked nicely and the dehydrtaed mushroom and supporting, soft vegetables was a contrast of textures with freshness.

Much the same can be said of the main. I opted to skip the soup (making my meal a choice of 2,2,1,2) and this chicken dish was the tenderist one could have with a lovely cheese and bacon element. Sweetness was provided from the pineapple and orange tang (purée and shavings) and texture from the beat crisps. The vegetable side was colourful and glazed with oil nicely but was at the same time quite bland.

The pre-dessert of sweetened milk was a creamy and sweet mouthwash and much more interesting than most pre-desserts. Dessert itself was fun, playful, interesting and I loved the custard. The pear pieces at the bottom with breadcrumbs were interesting but I didn’t like the honey comb as this was darkened a bit too much and too sticky. However, the overall effect was original and pleasing.

The hospitality was very welcoming here and the restaurant itself narrow, but homely. This is the sort of venue that would be a lovely place to take Godparents and parents out for a celebratory meal.

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With its main entrance directly accesible from Princes Street you would be forgiven Number One was separate to the Balmoral hotel. However, it most definitely is a part of the hotel and is suitably laid out to remind guests they are in a flagship hotel. This was a highly enjoyable tasting menu with a high level of design from intricate canapes and petit fours to the bread selection and I had one of the best dishes in a long time via their signature cold-smoked salmon dish which was frankly superb. Serving as an evening, romantic treat as probably its main forte (with no natural light being underground) I believe this could be enhanced even more with a small tweak to their music selection and I would also see this restaurant working for celebration events well.

This was a slick menu, no question. The canapes that arrived of cheese and welsh rarebit gougères were a good concept and crunchy, but somehow I wanted more moisture. The liver parfait with delicately thin shell canape left me grinning from ear to ear. The amuse bouche of Scottish lobster with orange hollondaise was a brilliant varient for the hollondaise but I found I didn’t need the mandarin slice as big as this dominated and drowned the rest of the small elements on the plate for me.

This was a slick menu, no question. The canapes that arrived of cheese and welsh rarebit gougères were a good concept and crunchy, but somehow I wanted more moisture. The liver parfait with delicately thin shell canape left me grinning from ear to ear. The amuse bouche of Scottish lobster with orange hollondaise was a brilliant varient for the hollondaise but I found I didn’t need the mandarin slice as big as this dominated and drowned the rest of the small elements on the plate for me.

The salmon: worthy of a paragraph in its own right. For one, this was the best dish I had on this weekend that saw me visiting all four Michelin starred restuarants in Edinburgh and for another, it is one of the best dishes I have had full stop. The salmon is cold-smoked through clever kitchen equipment as the smoke from the woodchips is passed through laboratory kit in order to bring down its temperature. The effect this has on the salmon is to give it its smokey flavour but reduce the overall oilyness, leaving a protein rich and flavoursome quality without overloading on the fat content. This, combined with the luxuriously rich quail’s egg gave the dish it sumptuous quailty with perfect balance of salt from the caviar and cod roe and a beautiful judgement of the lemon curd providing sweetness and just enough sharp from the apple matchsticks. The latter components helped to bring this dish together completely. The final layer of small chicken skin crisps were a wonderful component to have and these raised the overall flavour to the stratosphere and it really was an utterly superb dish as a result. I was told that it had taken three years of refinement to get this dish to where it is and my good fortune to catch it its current guise.

The beetroot was very fresh but could done with a bit more cheese or some pickle to make less flat as it simply seemed to need something else, although there was lovely beetroot ice cream to go with this. The halibut with squid pasta and creamed sauce beneath was refined but did not make me sing truth be told. However, the fillet of beef, was luxury to the core – perfect jus, beautifully tasty and tender beef, fried seaweed element, and potato in support was excellent. Pretty darned happy by this stage.

The pre-dessert of kohlrabi custard was quite citric but well designed and had a lovely crunch of the almond slices with light texture of the custard as well. The almagnac ice cream was not really my bag but the soufflé was great with its supporting banana component serving as a very pleasing add on as opposed to the usual blob of ice cream. There was no question with the skill here, but I had just too much sharpness for this dessert for me. The petit fours of rhubarb and custard stretched sugar with sherbert produced childhood memories and was perfectly light enough at the same time. The chocolate disc was decadent and these rounded off a job very well done by Number One.

Overall I was very pleased with this meal and it was clear that the staff were very much behind the concept of wanting the exprience to be a higher grade of one for the diner. Numerous satisfaction bells were ringing for the food on this menu and the effort was also clear as a bell. A couple of things only that I didn’t agree with but overall this was a splendid meal, worthy of being a stamp in the city to do for an occasion of sorts.

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This was my first Michelin starred restaurant to try in Edinburgh and it was a very strong opener. Not only was the quality of the food evident from the start, but there was clear attention to detail on the basic, set menu and this in itself is always a strong indicator. A beautifully designed interior by Tom Kitchin’s other half combined with his very obvious skill and wonderfully prepared dishes made an immediate impression and I would come back to here in a heart beat. This is a very safe option for virtually any occasion – romantic, business lunch, celebration or just wanting to be in good hands with a high degree of value for money.

It will be hard not to see how nice this place is when you get in. Staff clearly know their game here as was evident from the way in which everyone was on the ball and the opening salmon and cream cheese dip to nibble on was frankly worthy of a starter in itself as it was completely delightful to nibble on whilst waiting. A highly smooth carrot puree and finely chopped topping was a lovely, light way to begin as an amuse bouche (although a bit of spice may have livened it up a little) and the freshly made sour dough in its quadrant ball was perfectly done with velvet like butter.

It will be hard not to see how nice this place is when you get in. Staff clearly know their game here as was evident from the way in which everyone was on the ball and the opening salmon and cream cheese dip to nibble on was frankly worthy of a starter in itself as it was completely delightful to nibble on whilst waiting. A highly smooth carrot puree and finely chopped topping was a lovely, light way to begin as an amuse bouche (although a bit of spice may have livened it up a little) and the freshly made sour dough in its quadrant ball was perfectly done with velvet like butter.

The hare starter was a good break from the norm with faultlessly smooth celeriac veloute and the plaice wrapped in pancetta was another take on surf’n’turf I haven’t seen in a while (lovely salt value from the pancetta). The potato risotto made for a filling main and this was actually another nice suprise in that many set menus are the price they are because the portion sizes, for one, are less. Even though this was the case, it was still substantial enough. Perhaps the most lovely aspect was the apple crumble souffle and the fact that there was a nice surprise of apple gel at the bottom of the souffle was such a very pleasant touch (again, not seen before).

There’s not much more to add to this in that it was a tasty, well done lunch in a beautifully designed interior representing very good value for money. It was kind of Tom Kitchin to afford a few moments of his time to chat with a random, food obsessed diner such as myself afterwards and overall, it was pretty easy to see the high level that this venue was operating at.

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I finally got to the place I’ve been meaning to get to for quite a while now with the poetic justice from all accounts of it now (as at 2017) being granted its Michelin star. The short version is that I thought this was a lovely, neighbourhood restaurant, the sort that is the flagship of the area in look, feel and taste. The new design allows plenty of light and a nice touch of having the open kitchen to observe as well as a plesant bar area overlooking this if you want to have a pre-drink at the bar. The set lunch on this visit showed a strong 1 Michelin stared lunch menu all the way and it was an absolute pleasure speaking with Adam Byatt at the end, learning from his approach. The restaurant is also unique in that there is a more causal option upstairs with high rise tables and stools complete with a good-looking bar and separate kitchen serving bar snacks in the aptly named Upstairs at Trinity. I had a quick look before lunch and I can imagine this would be a buzzing option for a quick, drop in evening bite and drink. In summary, a lovely place and a credit to Clapham and South London in general.

The meal started off with some lovely squid ink crisps with roe and small gruyere cheese puffs which were the simple choices that were never going to fail in terms of making you instantly happy to be there. Although the amount of cheese inside the latter was not tiny, I would have liked a touch more of the gruyere in the puffs as is the best bit in my opinion, but this is probably influenced by my visit to House of Tides just before Christmas. Breads were glazed with olive oil and again reminded me of why going to very good restaurants is so enjoyable, because things are simply so well considered. Good bread done well that is freshly baked for the table is an immediate signal of the care and attention a restaurant practises and the fluffyness of this bread with butter that had perfect spreadability and temperature and this was the case here.

The meal started off with some lovely squid ink crisps with roe and small gruyere cheese puffs which were the simple choices that were never going to fail in terms of making you instantly happy to be there. Although the amount of cheese inside the latter was not tiny, I would have liked a touch more of the gruyere in the puffs as is the best bit in my opinion, but this is probably influenced by my visit to House of Tides just before Christmas. Breads were glazed with olive oil and again reminded me of why going to very good restaurants is so enjoyable, because things are simply so well considered. Good bread done well that is freshly baked for the table is an immediate signal of the care and attention a restaurant practises and the fluffyness of this bread with butter that had perfect spreadability and temperature and this was the case here.

I thought the pig’s trotter was outstanding. Inside were wonderfully diced, cube-sized meat all in a sumptuous sauce, held together by a cripsy coating that held itself together perfectly. The emulsion was very nicely balanced and the pork skin stick was a joy – altogther, this was gorgous to have. The makerel interlude was light and welcome and although I didn’t get any crescendos from the overall flavour it was well handled, balancing its fat, oil and sharpness (with its fresh apple matchsticks) with parity.

I was surrounded by wine enthusiast company all round on this visit, not least in the wonderfully safe hands of WineChap, so was, as always, comforting to hand over the wine list to my guest at wine selection time and the Vieilles Vignes, Benoit Mulin, Arbois at £48 for the bottle was great value for having a different type of Chardonnay which I found had a slightly less floral taste, was crispier in general and allowed a pleasant background filler taste to all of the, mainly light flesh had throughout the meal. Job naturally, a good’n.

My mashed potatoes in the main was perfectly smooth with a very satisfying, creamed sauce to go with my tender brill which the kitchen had also de-boned for the plate, having cooked it on the bone, as a significant bonus! I tried the chicken dish and this was spot on and was difficult telling who had more food envy on this course. Dessert of cheesecake was simple and elegant and did not need to boast any clever presentation tactics as the perfect texture and soft yet lovely flavours of the almond and quince did this admirably on their own.

Service was slick, attentive and professional. I’m taking these venues on a fresh page each time and based on the food this was comfortably in the upper quadrant of 1 star venues for the set lunch. Set lunches are very useful for reconnaissances and this has made me already look forward to coming back to try the main event one evening whenever I can. The price of this set menu lunch has seemingly risen since my visit but with the advent of a passing year and the promotion of its star and rising popularity, this can be understood. I would frankly be happy to pay a little extra if it gives the kitchen more leeway to pump out food of this and hopefully even greater quality for next visit.

A final word on the experience. Within this passion of mine, gallivanting around wonderful eateries, I sometimes get the opportunity to have a quick hello with the chefs afterwards. It’s evident on these that some chefs are understandably wary of food writers or bloggers, probably steming from those that are purely free-loading their way through life using social media as their threat-based leverage to enjoying a position of power or to gain simple freebies. I’ve got no interest in this and it makes me understand, with so many wanky bloggers out there, why some chefs are prickly to writers in general. I say all this as talking with Adam Byatt after the meal was actually a rare privilege in that he was genuinely interested in discussing food thoughts afterwards and on differing places and more of a treat for me gleaning his thoughts on contrasting and complimenting flavours, structures and energy sources etc. A genuine food pleasure exchange (I say exchange but I was the one learning from him a great deal!) and I could not be more pleased for the local area having one of its prized venues now accoladed with a Michelin star.

So basically everything clicked here and it would appear to be perfect for catch up lunches, business discussions or to celebrate a more special occasion on a Fri or Sat night alike.

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The Samling has had a huge facelift owing to the demand of the food and has therefore created a very light and modern looking restaurant overlooking Cumbria’s (and England’s) largest lakes. The food is carefully conceived and attention to detail has been considered from the new, easier entrance for cars, wonderful cutlery and obvious care over the breads and butter (naan bread and tandoori butter being particularly pleasant). I also liked the clever tablet that held the canapes, with the glass posing as the very lake it overlooked. Overall the food was highly detailed with only one element on this menu that disagreed with me and in the main was a prime example of skilled, Michelin starred cooking at a reasonable price for lunch. Worth another visit I think as there is clearly more to be offered here.

From the outset there was a clear intention of the staff to accommodate all guests that were present as much as possible. It is getting a little bit more tricky for me now to be anonymous (the more I do this) even though I do not anounce myself as a food writer, I am finding more establishements are curious over of people dining on their own and several recently have even gone to doing an online check and as a result, some have linked myself to this website before arriving. Whenever that happens, I am aware that the staff may be more aalert to my table than they would otherwise be – the interesting thing is the way in which this is done and more importantly, what the exchange is like when I outline where I geuinely found some elements not so successful.

From the outset there was a clear intention of the staff to accommodate all guests that were present as much as possible. It is getting a little bit more tricky for me now to be anonymous (the more I do this) even though I do not anounce myself as a food writer, I am finding more establishements are curious over of people dining on their own and several recently have even gone to doing an online check and as a result, some have linked myself to this website before arriving. Whenever that happens, I am aware that the staff may be more aalert to my table than they would otherwise be – the interesting thing is the way in which this is done and more importantly, what the exchange is like when I outline where I geuinely found some elements not so successful.

I write all of this as I sensed that Samling had done their homework before I had arrived but were genuinely happy to listen to the feedback points that I offered at the end (which are the same as below) and that I think says a lot. It was a pleasure to meet the head chef (Nick Edgar) and hear how many ingredients they are now able to pull from in their extended garden surroundings and the new kitchen certainly looks like a chef’s dream, mirroring the same, almost space age and modern feel of the restaurant.

Canapés here were very good – a mini Spanish omelette with ham was spicy and pleasant; squid crisp anchovy mayo was fresh and lovely and the potato and mint was smokey & had a lovely quality. Like I mentioned, I thought it was a very nice touch to see them on a scaled down version of Windermere. The amuse bouche of pork dumpling was deep with a suede broth but also light at same time and I absolutely loved the tandoori butter to go with the naan bread. The goat’s cheese was a little bland in comparison and the supporting bread with tomato was fine, but in general, it always makes me shine to see this level of effort on the smaller aspects as it shows the higher grade of ethos that the venue has.

The salmon, dill ice cream, avacado cream starter was a beautiful looking and fresh it was! I found the pickling of the cucumbers a little faint and there certainly was a crunchy texture of the sour dough crouton pieces to add this, but I could see how much planning had gone in to this dish with the dill ice cream being a very nice touch. The quali itself was a comforting and highly warming dish which gave that reassuring feeling when you know you are in skilled hands.

The only aspect I found less successful was the dessert as I found the parsnip quite strong (to cut and in flavour) with the banana which was essentially overtaken. Essentially this was sweet and savoury and I simply this is much better placed in a pre-dessert to serve as the transition if both are to be incorporated. It wasn’t a horror show and I loved the banana elements on the plate, but the parsnip inclusion simply wasn’t my cup of chai. Petit fours were beautifully done and again obvious pride in making the smaller elements carefully prepared was clear to see.

For these reasons of such attention to detail and overall flavours, this as a solid 1 Michelin starred venue and a return visit is clearly needed at some stage as a) it clearly has more to offer and b) my estimate is based on the new build and what I saw, even the entrance / driveway in the warmer months is likely to look utterly spectacular from Spring onwards. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to see it in its full prime. The £45 for the four courses was reasonable based on the return.

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The Yoke Arms dominates a small village green within Pately Bridge and has a country-grand feel on the inside and outside. This is softended by the very caring service and I had a warming experience here. Flavours were judged well with little treats here and there that raised a smile and it was frankly a very nice to be. Frances Atkins even kindly gave time to have a chat and once again was a genuine pleasure to meet the architect. Thr turbot was definitely the king of this meal as well as its own ocean and the environment is utterly perfect for couples getting away for the weekend or anyone wanting to have a an upscaled Sunday lunch or evening meal.

The dining room itself is split in to two areas with the main dining area presenting a fine antler chandelier and fire place at the far end which sums up the country grandeur of The Yorke Arms. Snacks at the table of sugar glazed nuts and cheese pastry straw were simple and pleasing and the amuse bouche of bergamot is simply not something I enjoy – I’ve always found anything resembling marmalade difficult to handle but the textures were good and it was very nicely presented. The bread selection was actually quite impressive with five different kinds, all freshly warmed to the touch and a clearly well done salted butter – these are the tale-tale signs of attention to detail and frankly it was nice to have the basic things such as really good olive oil to dip the bread in to. Simples.

The dining room itself is split in to two areas with the main dining area presenting a fine antler chandelier and fire place at the far end which sums up the country grandeur of The Yorke Arms. Snacks at the table of sugar glazed nuts and cheese pastry straw were simple and pleasing and the amuse bouche of bergamot is simply not something I enjoy – I’ve always found anything resembling marmalade difficult to handle but the textures were good and it was very nicely presented. The bread selection was actually quite impressive with five different kinds, all freshly warmed to the touch and a clearly well done salted butter – these are the tale-tale signs of attention to detail and frankly it was nice to have the basic things such as really good olive oil to dip the bread in to. Simples.

The Artichoke salad had clever variations and came with a very good purée but I found the acid from apple cubes and overall sour notes quite strong, but a healthy dish with good textural crunch in the mix. However, all was utterly restored to life with the sensational linguine and truffle combination with turbot. Not only was the turbot nothing short of imaccualte in careful handling, succulence and juicy flavour, the seafood linguine with subtle truffle handling was perhaps the best I have ever had and that includes in any Italian eatery. This was a marvellous main course and I was practically flying after that.

Sadly time was against me so I coudn’t stay for dessert however, the petit fours with coffee in the lounge by the fire was not a bad compromise to settle up the bill. This was all finished with the icing that was a chat with Frances Atkins who was a genuine pleasure to speak to and was gracious enough to afford some time. Overall this was classic cooking in a warm and alluring venue and would cater very well for just about anyone who wanted to be in good hands for the day or night.

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From the outside the Raby Hunt appears house and pub-like and on the inside, holds a very small bar and double-living room sized dining room. The tasting menu only option is a collection of small sized offerings, some of which are painstakingly crafted, not least the garden salad dish using 40 different herbal and vegetable elements taking a reported (approx) 30 minutes to prepare. This dish, along with the sea bream were outstanding and the bite size courses were all, bar one, pleasant to have. As nice as these were though, the lasting feeling I had was that the meal was not substantial enough to merit being sated. I would concur with the Michelin guide in that it belongs within the 2 Michelin star family (based on my impressions from visiting all the other UK options) and I did like aspects, but I would run back far more quickly to the likes of Le Champignon Sauvage or Midsummer House for the upper league and all round experiences at 2 Michelin starred level and this sits in the lower quadrant of its new family for me.

The first thing I noticed on this visit was the immediate and personable attention on entering as it is almost as if walking in to someone’s home. That it might be, with the father of the head chef (James Close) on the front of house, working together when they can. Another stand out element on initial impressions was the wonderfully colourful and well explained wine list which really was easy to follow and educationally interesting in its presentation.

The first thing I noticed on this visit was the immediate and personable attention on entering as it is almost as if walking in to someone’s home. That it might be, with the father of the head chef (James Close) on the front of house, working together when they can. Another stand out element on initial impressions was the wonderfully colourful and well explained wine list which really was easy to follow and educationally interesting in its presentation.

And so, on to the snacks. The cod skin crisp with yuzu zest and caviar was a belter of an opening – light, crispy and somehow juicy at the same time with a superb twang of citrus. The artichoke crisp with frozen liver parfait was clever and needed to be eaten quickly and I opted for the addition of truffle shavings which were fine and decadent although I was surprised at the quanitity for the extra £15 which seemed a little steep for the few shavings – perhaps more was used than seemed.

The potato crisp, pomme soufflé in style was lighter than light, with gorgeously balanced crème fraîche inside and these three opening snacks gave the distinct impression of being in very capabale, culinary hands. Unfortunately I didn’t like the heritage carrot confit spoonful with barley as this was just too oily and sour in taste. I could see very clearly though that the style of these dishes and the lovely spoon had been influenced by the restaurant Geranium in Copenhagen.

The Australian wagyu was so tender that it almost didn’t require any chewing and the caviar gave it is the seasoning it was in need of – but only just for me. It was in fact, in danger of not having enough salt but the beauty of the beef was the overriding factor for me here. The sea bream however, was a piece of rare brilliance. It wasn’t much to look at and actually I was a little dissapointed when it came because it simply didn’t look special, but the most perfectly brittle and seasoned skin with the freshest and most tender sea bream I have had with its supporting cod roe powder caused me to want the dish to take the most amount of time to eat as humanly possible and immediately made me want to have a glass of wine to accompany. The English Davenport was a wonderful white to do this job the and appears to be becoming a well used resource (see Michelin starred Peels). This was a superb dish and matching wine without question.

The winter garden salad using vast numbers of ingredients in one bowl was a delight particularly with its fried cabbage and got me close to the feeling of my experience at The Ledbury where I have had the finest salad known to mankind. Pigeon is not my favourite but with the olive jus, dehydrated spinach powder, squab with star anise and smokey artichoke emulsion, one can see why the Michelin inspectors were keeping a close eye on this establishment and these made for an interesting combination.

The chocolate and olive crisp dessert was clever and brilliantly done but also strange in that it was the only sweet that was just about dessert size but was perhaps the pre-dessert – it’s difficult to tell. It could have simply been dessert and the remainder of the mouthfuls of sweets including the ginger doughnut with honey tuile, lemon explosion and chocolate skulls were all petit four before the coffee, but these were presented on the menu so I took these as the actual desserts, which, were therefore, pretty small.

Whilst I’m on these, the cacoa butter shell of the lemon explosion with yuzu and lemon liquid cream inside was another offering that made me see where the stakes had been raised in its simply perfect texture and thin coating of a buttery shell, that was also sweet, with the burst of liquid as soon as the mouth had closed – a fine and fun moment. The skulls were visually fun and a refreshing change of flavours in smoked pine salt and white chocolate in one and rosemary and yuzu in the milk chocolate skull, but other than that they were pleasant and original chocolates.

So, all in all, there were some moments of delight. James Close, who has seemingly dined in a catelogue of restaurants across the globe has had inspiration from some clear winners out there and designed a precise menu. At the same time, and for a menu, I was suprised about the portion sizes (the sweets for example would have been best served together) and the absence of any bread, as the latter is actually quite useful to fill gaps, mop up jus and sauces and a decent opportunity to show case different takes on butter.

My final feeling when leaving, based on the whole food experience, was very pleased to have done it, but it felt more of a series of finely done mouthfuls rather than a full blown meal. My current, intolerance towards molluscs made me miss out on a reported 5 shellfish bites and add-ons to central dishes that I was unable to have and this could have affected the overall verdict so, those of you that can, you may find yourselves having a better experience than I. To sum up, rather than wanting to happily skip through hay fields at the food afterwards, I left thinking “OK, where next?” with a smile.

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The short version is that these were truly lovely dishes and was utterly enjoyable from start to finish. I could have happily sat in the bar all evening and had a plate of the sensational cheese and eel mini tartlet (in potato crisp shell) with Northern ales on hand as it was simply that memorable. A couple of other dishes caused endorphin rush. It was superb to see the young head chef leading at the helm in the open kitchen from start to finish (shielded so far from the lure of TV) and personally bringing various dishes to the tables. A couple of points only that didn’t resinate for me for this visit, but overall, experiences like this are a genuine treat when they are of this calibre in food and hospitality.

From the moment I stepped in to the bar downstairs, something told me this was going to be well done. A rosy, greeting smile, lovely bar area and no sight of the restaurant (upstairs) created intrigue and combined with one of the finest tartlet snacks I have ever had with genuine northern ale by the fire. This disolved the dramas of the four hour journey to get there such was the quality of the opening. I really can’t emphasise how good the eel, mousse-like cheese and acid crunch from the apple was and I genuinely would come in and pay double for some of these at the bar. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing that can’t be done unless you have found space to come for the whole experience. Another delicate snack of a dumpling with garlic at the base and chestnut shavings was also good.

From the moment I stepped in to the bar downstairs, something told me this was going to be well done. A rosy, greeting smile, lovely bar area and no sight of the restaurant (upstairs) created intrigue and combined with one of the finest tartlet snacks I have ever had with genuine northern ale by the fire. This disolved the dramas of the four hour journey to get there such was the quality of the opening. I really can’t emphasise how good the eel, mousse-like cheese and acid crunch from the apple was and I genuinely would come in and pay double for some of these at the bar. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing that can’t be done unless you have found space to come for the whole experience. Another delicate snack of a dumpling with garlic at the base and chestnut shavings was also good.

Once sat down upstairs, it was great to see all the chefs together in the open kitchen with the Great British Menu champion and head chef Tommy Banks bringing out at least one dish to each table along with his chef de parties bringing elements out that they had made – very nice touch. It was a treat hearing from Tommy how rare things such as Oca potatoes are and their unique characteristics and it was a very light, yet bitter amuse bouche (slightly more bitter than I was expecting), but hoovered down with no problems at all. The risotto made from spelt (variety of wheat) with sweet, sweet onion and tunworth cheese (from the camembert family cultivated in Hampshire) was utterly delightful.

I loved the fact that the bread was good enough to be a course in its own right (and was offerered to be topped up throughout so full marks there) and the highly moist texture of the bread with cultured butter (rested in a cellar for 24 hours more than usual) gave the butter its interestingly sour and cheese-like quality; in essence, it was basically at the perfect half-way point bewteen butter and cheese. Next up, the slowly cooked beetroot which was smoky, salty, loveliness….and beetroot is not normally my favourite. So bravo Mr Banks for making something customarily difficult to handle, actually nice to eat.

My intolerance to molluscs made me gutted to hear that the scallop dish here is one of their signature dishes but the langoustine in its place was done as well as it could be with interesting, supportive apple and creamed sauce for balance. This was pleasing but I simply can’t put this langoustine in the same league of the The Peat Inn or at Umu. The halibut however, was a triumph. Perfectly cooked and flake-like halibut and having the fennel and salsify was something different and again, the celery was toned down beautifully and the sauce was outstanding – a dish that simply made me want to have this every day as the perfect, nutritious meal.

The venison meat was first class, pure and simple. What wasn’t as successful for me were the brussel sprout leaves and general vegetable decoration on top – it provided a fresh texture but didn’t seem to have much more in flavour to offer. The flavours were, however adequately boosted by the soft Rioja that was perfectly workable in unison. I can’t quite believe I didn’t get any snaps of the lollipops but in ascending deepness were the celery leaf and sheep’s yoghurt, chicory root and hazelnut and finally artichoke, all in chocolate ice cream-like presentation. These were different and great at the same time. The absolute star of the whole performance though was the Douglas Fir dessert and with the spectacular pine sugar on top with the freshness of the lemon verbena and cooled down with the yoghurt sorbet; this was a truly memorable dish wih flavours I have not had before and will not be forgotten.

There was a minor slip on the offer of tea which was sold as included in the price of the menu but this is actually the petit four cake that is (tea is an extra £5). However, the fact that you can easily forget you have already provided a £25 discount, the bill has less of a sting in it as a bonus as it goes down from £85 to £60 and this is actually quite a pleasing secondary effect. Other than a couple of aspects as mentioned which are always not going to get everyone, my only remaining niggle is the lack of choice and only having the tasting menu and no options for snacks or small bites at the bar (so far as I could see). However, it was great hearing Tommy explain that when you have so many freshly prepared and rare vegetables on the a la carte and not many people go for these it can add up to a distinct waste; and that’s great to know as now I understand!

So, if you can withstand the fact that you are going here for a one choice menu in a pub and forget about the ability to drop in for food quickly (with its Michelin star and well-deserved popularity you will also need to plan well ahead for here anyway), this is an exciting and stand out meal / experience within England. With its lovely design and vast acres of freshly grown vegetables (and awesome flavours) combined with nice touches along the way it is clear to me now why this is worth travelling to and I’m very pleased I did. The only remaining question I have is what are the room service food options like….something that actually might have to be done just to gain some!

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Having toured Scotland for 6 days it was time to head south / home and as I was passing nearby Newcastle on the A1 it made utterly no sense not to go in to try its Michelin starred jewel in the crown for lunch – and I’m very glad I did. The 7 course menu for £50 at Michelin starred level showed good value for money at lunch and there were some rocket fuel moments. The design of the food was intricate (details at the expansion button) and it was justifiably popular but you are far better financially going for lunch if the food is your key interest as the same menu bar one snack and main course is available in the evening for an extra £20. Reportedly the menu changes often and this shows flare and creativity from the head chef (Kenny Atkinson) unafraid of trialling different ideas which is a bold move. Some great food here and it is obvious a tidy ship is run on the dining floor by an attentive team. This venue would seem to cater for romantic or friend gathering occasions equally well, day or night.

First up these were some of the tastiest canapés I have had at any restaurant – and that is a very good start! The spiced fennel pollen and carrot macaroon was spritely; the duck liver with curried cone was slightly sour but intriguing, but the caramelised onion and cream cheese gougere was utterly superb! So many of these cheese puffs have an injection of cheese only but this gave the full magma of the good stuff, was brilliantly balanced and not overpowering and gave a full golfball size of the wonderful truffled cheese. I would happily divert a journey to Newcastle based on this one alone.

First up these were some of the tastiest canapés I have had at any restaurant – and that is a very good start! The spiced fennel pollen and carrot macaroon was spritely; the duck liver with curried cone was slightly sour but intriguing, but the caramelised onion and cream cheese gougere was utterly superb! So many of these cheese puffs have an injection of cheese only but this gave the full magma of the good stuff, was brilliantly balanced and not overpowering and gave a full golfball size of the wonderful truffled cheese. I would happily divert a journey to Newcastle based on this one alone.

The white onion soup was a bowl of creamed delight (so well judged) and this was another knock out dish. The halibut was a fresh dish but also I didn’t get much joy from as there didn’t seem to be a unique selling point on it, but clean nonetheless. The red deer dish was earthy but sweet at the same time and with no issues in the actual execution of this dish. Then the pre-dessert of gentle and warm spices that really was a clever addition and in tune with the festive cinnamon-esque season. Finally, the dark chocolate and whiskey had the perfect crunchiness to the base and velvety chcoloate you could ask for – almost genache in quality and with gentle handling of the whiskey flavour which worked superbly.

All in all, this was a great menu and with most of the supporting acts turning out to be the stars, and those smaller aspects being strong enough in themselves to make me look forward to the excuse of going back again. The head chef changes the menus regulalry and this demonstrates a great confidence in itself (as opposed to sticking to a safe bet once an accolade is attained). The only gripe with this venue being the lack of any other menu choices and the fact that it is only one snack and main course extra in the evening but for £20 in addition. So, best value for the food only is lunch but evenings are evenings and I would happily come back here for the full ensemble whenever I can based on this first visit.

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I was very glad to get here and loved the look of this restaurant – you feel almost is if you are in a cave of treats, hidden from others who are missing out. The food was unquestionably good here and I was actually glad to catch it on a quiet night as this is actually a bonus when on your own (you can be in and out more quickly with more personalised service as a time saver when gallivanting around the country). There was clearly some superb decision making by the chef when designing this menu and I believe this was very worthy of its Michelin starred accolade as a result as each component for each dish had a well used purpose creating that more than satisfied feeling. A shame I could not stay for long owing to timings to get to my next town but was very happy to have done here and The Cellar would appear to work for casual and more special occasions just as well.

First up, I think I fell in love with the semolina in breadcrumbs snack with homemade ketchup. I don’t think I’ve had semolina since primary school and this was a near instant explosion. The venison bon bon with apple puree on top was also a lovely treat of a canape followed by an muse bouche of Oxtail with cheese espuma which was basically advance to go on the monopoly board as nothing wrong of any kind with this one.

First up, I think I fell in love with the semolina in breadcrumbs snack with homemade ketchup. I don’t think I’ve had semolina since primary school and this was a near instant explosion. The venison bon bon with apple puree on top was also a lovely treat of a canape followed by an muse bouche of Oxtail with cheese espuma which was basically advance to go on the monopoly board as nothing wrong of any kind with this one.

The white crab starter was so fresh, completely livened up with the dashi and egg yolk with heritage carrots that were wonderfully sweet. The hake was beyond perfect in tender succulence and although I couldn’t sense the flavour of the butter foam (meaning this was ultimately more for visual rather than taste impact) it was still a gorgeous fish course. Perhaps if the foam was more substantial as a light mousse but not too much, this would have raised its game, but it was certainly a fine dish to enjoy otherwise.

Such was the selection of fine teas available that one of these had to be gone for and the petit fours replaced my dessert which I was sorry to not be able to do under the time constraints that I had. However, the tea and petit fours finished off a very good meal all round. This struck me as a venue that the neighbourhood is proud and pleased to have within its boundaries and rightly so.

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