The stand out aspect from this visit was the bold move of the restaurant to include a set menu in the evening which is a superb option for having dinner and not wishing to spend several hours in the process. It is also fantastic value for money as the set menu in this Michelin starred restaurant turned out to be £25 for 3 courses which, with a sublime cod with cacao bean puree amuse bouche made it a four course meal. Some lovely options here, cooked well and showing a very good return for the bill.

I really enjoyed the flavours and textures of the crab starter with its citrus gel and cauliflower and the foie gras was beautifully smooth with a great supporting element of the toasted nuts which I haven’t had before and was a brilliant coupling. The partridge was succulent but I found I didn’t need anywhere near as much of the salsify powder provided as was a powerful bitter; in fact this was the only element that didn’t really gel with me. Otherwise, the food all round was carefully considered, including the pepper butter at the start (quite a kick and original as a result) and olive spread as extra bits of efforts from the kitchen which I think does make a difference.

I really enjoyed the flavours and textures of the crab starter with its citrus gel and cauliflower and the foie gras was beautifully smooth with a great supporting element of the toasted nuts which I haven’t had before and was a brilliant coupling. The partridge was succulent but I found I didn’t need anywhere near as much of the salsify powder provided as was a powerful bitter; in fact this was the only element that didn’t really gel with me. Otherwise, the food all round was carefully considered, including the pepper butter at the start (quite a kick and original as a result) and olive spread as extra bits of efforts from the kitchen which I think does make a difference.

What was a little bizarre was the position of the rest room in the upstairs dining area which was directly next to the kitchen entrance so you will need to dodge waiting staff as you are need to cut right across their cross-lane in a congested corner of the restaurant. As I could see the staff having to knock on the door of the kitchen to avoid a clash with anyone on the otherside (whilst holding finished plates), making way for customers is another constraint so I actually didn’t go to the restroom upstairs to avoid causing more strain and was strange to see. However, this is not show-stopper and certainly not much an exquisitley old building that the restaurant has based itself in can do to change this at this stage.

The hospitality was genuine and clearly many a strong, local following was evident for a much-loved neighbourhood restaurant. Very good food here and exceedingly good value, all served with a top level smile.

https://major-foodie.com/restaurant-tristan-horsham/
https://instagram.com/richardbagnold