All That I'm Eating

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.

The Fox at Peasemore

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The Fox at Peasmore

This was a gifted meal.

Earlier this year I went to The Fox at Peasemore for dinner. I hadn’t ever been there before but it’s safe to say that I will be going back. Not long after I’d been for dinner lockdown happened and the pub closed for a little while. So I’m writing about the dinner now they are back open, and getting rather hungry doing so.

The Fox at Peasemore is in a fantastic countryside location with some beautiful views. It had a very welcoming atmosphere and the staff are great. It’s run by a husband, Philip (the chef), and wife, Lauren (front of house), team and the menu changes so regularly they have been known to re-print the menu halfway through the evening! read more

Cocktail Masterclass at L’Ortolan

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L'Ortolan mixologist at cocktail masterclass
Jayson mixing up cocktails

This was a gifted event.

Having eaten there before I was really looking forward to this cocktail masterclass at L’Ortolan. I thought the idea of pairing cocktails with canapés was really interesting; wine, beer, cheese and charcuterie are all well matched but how would it work trying to match the complex, sweet flavours in a cocktail with a canapé?

The masterclass was held by Jayson, L’Ortolan’s resident mixologist and Marco, GM, was on hand to answer any questions. There was quite a collection of bottles, jars and ingredients on the bar containing dried fruits, flowers, freeze-dried raspberries and all manner of different colours and flavours of syrups. All the syrups that are used in the cocktails are made in house which I think really gave the cocktails an added edge. read more

Dinner at Blandy’s Bistro

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Inglewood outside

This was a gifted meal.

When you drive into Inglewood you can see the large house in the distance; at this time of year with the lights on it looks very welcoming. We had been invited to have dinner at Blandy’s Bistro at Inglewood House in Kintbury. I was really looking forward to it as I had been only a few weeks before and immensely enjoyed their afternoon tea. My expectations for dinner were pretty high.

Sometimes I’ll go to a restaurant and the choices on the menu will not be quite to my liking which leads me down a narrow path ending up at only one choice, not because it’s my favourite but because I’m not that keen on anything else. I had the opposite problem at Blandy’s; I wanted to try one of everything. So while I decided which one to try we munched on some warm bread with a hint of rosemary and onion, the butter was soft and ready to spread which I always think is a good sign.

Starters

The starters I was torn between included: butternut raviolo with chestnut and truffle; smoked salmon roulade, cockle popcorn and wasabi or grilled mackerel nicoise salad. Luckily the OH fancied the ham hock and foie gras terrine (£7.75); the texture of which with the smooth apple chutney and crisp pork scratching was excellent. I ordered the beef broth, ox cheek croustillants, spring onion and shimeji mushroom (£7.75).

It was just fantastic; the broth was clear and so full of rich flavour, there was the smallest hint of star anise in the background which enhanced rather than overpowered the flavour. The ox cheek was tender and the little peeled cherry tomato was a stroke of genius as it was so sweet amongst all the savoury flavours. On the top was crispy potato which brought great texture to the whole dish. Clean but comforting this will be a hard dish to forget.

Mains

It might not come as a surprise that choosing a main course was just as tricky as a starter. We didn’t try the Ramsbury beer battered fish, chips and crushed peas; chicken Caesar, egg and Parmesan crouton; the dry aged beef fillet, bourguignon and roasted bone marrow or the cod, tiger prawns, charred leeks and caviar veloute.

What we did try however was the wild mushroom and fine herb risotto (£15.50), the OH’s choice, and the guinea fowl supreme, heritage carrot, pistachio and hispi cabbage (£17). The mushroom risotto was exactly what you wanted it to be; full of savoury mushroom flavour and oozing with cheese, the herbs really added a freshness to the whole dish.

I had the guinea fowl and the pistachio crust not only looked great but the flavour it added to everything else was delicious. Most unexpectedly the hispi cabbage had been mixed with ginger and despite not being a huge fan of ginger I wolfed it down. The sweet purple carrots and butternut purée with the perfectly cooked guinea fowl and the richest jus were balanced so well with the slight fiery flavour of the gingery cabbage.

Desserts

After a little interlude it was time to look at the dessert menu and, lo and behold, I didn’t know what to try! I was extremely tempted by the roast figs, crème mousseline and puff pastry and the apple and blackberry pie. But then I saw there was quince on offer and I had to have it. The OH ordered the dark chocolate fondant, salted caramel ice cream and popcorn (£7.50) and I opted for the vanilla panna cotta, quince compote and coconut straw (£7.50).

When the fondant arrived at the table I feel like the description had undersold it somewhat. This was no ordinary salted caramel and chocolate get up. The best way to describe what came alongside the fondant would be like a giant Twix or Mars bar; biscuit at the bottom, salted caramel ice cream on top all wrapped in thin dark chocolate and topped with popcorn. It tasted as good as it sounds yes.

The coconut straw that came with my panna cotta was sort of like a sweet, skinny cheese straw using coconut rather than cheese. Also atop the panna cotta was a dried, thin slice of quince which I really enjoyed. At the bottom of the glass was the beautiful, glowing quince compote. I’ve no idea how Gert (the head chef) managed to keep it so pink, mine always turns brown! The slightly tropical flavour of the quince with the creamy panna cotta worked really well together.

We were pretty full at this stage but still managed to squeeze in these lovely little cakes. You can see from the above picture what the Bistro is like inside. The tables are spaced just far enough away that you can’t overhear anyone else but close enough together to create a nice atmosphere. Everything is decorated tastefully and boldly at the same time; oversized ceiling lights and huge wall paintings are the name of the game.

What most struck me across this menu is that you know exactly what time of year it is by looking at it. There’s apples, blackberries, quince, carrots, mushrooms and so many other ingredients that are all in season right now. I really loved how these seasonal ingredients are being used and celebrated and some of the ingredients are from Inglewood House itself. The quality of the food served at Blandy’s Bistro along with how the food is presented means you know you are somewhere special. A good atmosphere, a good drinks menu (including some local beers) and a regularly changing menu means I will certainly be going back.

This meal was paid for by Blandy’s Bistro, thank you to them. All opinions and words expressed are my own. Prices correct as of 9.10.18.

A Weekend in Brixham

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Brixham Simply Fish takeaway

A quick whistle-stop visit to a British seaside town is a perfect way to blow away the cobwebs and having recently spent a weekend in Brixham, Devon I wanted to share some of my favourite spots to eat and drink. As a harbour town with a thriving fish market it’s no surprise that there’s Brixham fish, crab and shellfish almost everywhere. From little seafood stalls on the harbour front to the restaurants it’s not hard to get fresh fish and Devonshire ice cream, wine and more from almost everywhere.

Simply Fish

Is it just me or is eating chips by the sea so much better than anywhere else? Maybe it’s the peril that accompanies the enjoyment of the chips; at any moment an overly-confident seagull could swoop down and snatch that chip right off of your chip fork. Perhaps it’s the smell of the salty sea air as you munch through the hot, crispy chips that you don’t get anywhere else. Simply Fish are next to the harbour and there’s normally a queue to get in, not surprisingly as their batter is crisp, chips are well cooked and not greasy and their mushy peas and curry sauce are delicious.

Rockfish

One of a few restaurants of the same name I have to say I’ve been to Rockfish many times. Despite them offering plenty of delicious menu options I just can’t say no to their fish and chips; which come with unlimited chips! There are three types of tartare sauce to choose from (classic, seaweed or jalapeno) and the fish depends on the day’s catch. With a real emphasis on Devon produce and serving sizes as generous as the views over the harbour it’s a great place for lunch or dinner. They do have a takeaway too and you must try their pickled onion rings.

Port Espresso

I really like it in Port Espresso, it’s a small coffee shop with an equally small menu but the emphasis is on proper, quality coffee and food. They make a cracking iced (and hot) coffee and it would be rude not to get a cannoli while you’re in there. Other menu options include homemade granola, avocado on toast and some very squidgy looking brownies.

The Curious Kitchen

Home cured bacon? Yes please. The menu at The Curious Kitchen all sounds so tempting but I had to try the home cured bacon and homemade tomato ketchup. Quality here, again, is king and the coffee is great, the portions generous and just look at that bacon! There are plenty of veggie, vegan and gluten free options on the menu too.

Revisit: No 5 Bridge Street Winchester

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No 5 Bridge Street Grazing Menu

This was a gifted meal.

I do love Winchester as a city. Compact, historic, quaint and with just about everything you could need (including a fantastic tea shop) all in one place. At the bottom of the main high street there’s a subtle, unimposing restaurant called No 5 Bridge Street and we were invited for dinner. I have been before, the menu was completely different a few years ago, so I was looking forward to seeing what had changed.

Normally when I’m perusing a menu a few things will jump out at me and then I’ll whittle them down to what I will order. Not here. I wanted everything, absolutely all of it, I just couldn’t choose what to try because it all sounded so good. Fortunately the menu is designed to be a big sharing menu which helped but even then it was hard to choose which six to try first! Think of it like tapas but with plates inspired from all over the world: Japan, India, America, Britain, France and all sorts of other places. Just some of the things I picked out at first glance were: croquettas, crispy pork belly, beetroot hummus, jamon, hot smoked trout, charred leeks, stuffed courgette flowers, parsnip tart tatin, pulled beef sliders, lamb tagine, poached hake, dahl, smoked polenta, gnocchi…the list goes on and that doesn’t even include the specials.

We managed to choose some to start with, thinking we could try a few more if we had room. The shortlist is all below, and yes, we did find room for a few extras later on.

Salmon and Wild Garlic Croquettas (£4.50). The croquettas change regularly, this was the combination on offer when we went. These weren’t your ordinary mashed potato croquettas, oh no, they were thick with bechamel with flakes of salmon and sparkles of wild garlic throughout. I honestly could have just eaten these all night and been so happy, but I would have missed out on so much more.

Pigeon, Guinea Fowl and Black Pudding Terrine (£7). I loved the texture of the carrots in this, they were still crunchy which was such a good contrast against the meat and black pudding. It worked really well with the rhubarb and beetroot compote and some peppery watercress.

Parmesan Gnocchi (£8.50). There is a chance that this was the dish of the meal for me. It was delicious and just the comfort food needed on a chilly evening. Soft, lightly fried Parmesan gnocchi alongside roasted, slightly smoky squash, chicory for added bitterness, a cep veloute to bring everything together and a few crispy sage leaves on top.

Red Lentil Dahl (£6). This was a great dish to bring some lovely freshness and vibrancy to the meal. Full of zingy tomato flavour the fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds really lifted the dahl and it was just the right level of spiciness for me.

Iberico Pork Cheeks (£9.50). I don’t know what they did to these pork cheeks but they were just brilliant. Unctuous, savoury and melt in the mouth. Scooping them up with the polenta and salsa verde was such a pleasure. This is what I would like to cook at home, but I know it would never have that same depth of flavour.

Chalk Stream Hot Smoked Trout (£8). This is also a contender for best dish of the meal as it contained pretty much all of my favourite things in one. A crusty piece of bread covered in mascarpone and wasabi, topped with hot smoked trout and red wine shallots. It was a really generous portion and so full of colour and flavour. I loved this.

Pulled Beef Sliders (£10). The OH is often hard pushed to say no to a burger so we had to try these little sliders. I really liked the sauce on the pulled beef, it wasn’t overbearing so you could taste the beef. Coupled with some bacon jam and a little monterey jack cheese they were lovely.

Charred Sweet Potato (£6). Now I don’t usually like sweet potato so I was interested to try this. Turns out, I do like sweet potato, especially when charred as it has a great smoky flavour. Covered with saffron yoghurt, coriander and chickpeas this was clean, vibrant and a brilliant veggie choice.

Dark Chocolate Mousse (£7). I have to admit that I was pretty full at this point and not sure I could fit in a pudding, so we shared one. The chocolate mousse was served alongside caramelised banana, peanut butter and a milk ice cream. It was balanced really well and I loved the way they served up such a classic combination.

In case you can’t tell, I really, really liked this meal. I love how many different cuisines have been pulled together on the menu and there are so many different choices. The dishes all come at different times so you can sit back, relax and wait for things to arrive and eat them at your leisure. The menu is divided into sections, ordering something from each section would be a good place to start: tidbits, cured, botanist, grazier, seafarer, grains and pulses, gamekeeper, butcher’s cut and the specials and desserts. The drinks list is good too, different wines and cocktails to choose from and some great soft drink options.

We shared eight plates plus some bread and I think we were a bit greedy, six would actually have been plenty and left a bit of room for pudding. They have some good deals on the sharing menu during the week; for example on Wednesdays you can share five veggie plates and a glass of wine for £15pp or on Mondays all the dishes are £7. Worth looking into I’d say! I can’t wait to go back.

This meal was paid for by No 5 Bridge Street, thank you to them. All opinions and words expressed are my own. Prices and weeknight offers correct as of 24.5.17.

The Ferry Cookham

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The Ferry Cookham Menu

This was a gifted meal.

I hadn’t been to Cookham before having Sunday lunch at The Ferry a few weeks ago. In Berkshire and nestled alongside the Thames it’s a lovely village for a walk around, a nose in a few of the independent shops and finding somewhere for a drink, good food and a natter. Home to the Stanley Spencer gallery you could easily while away a morning before heading for some lunch. My top tip: get there early. Parking in Cookham is somewhat limited, there is a big car park just outside the village but if it’s a sunny day you won’t be the only one trying to park! Having said that, we did find a space after doing a couple of loops.
The Ferry Cookham has very recently been decorated along with a menu relaunch and we were invited to try out the new restaurant. With a riverside table in a bustling restaurant we settled down to look at the menu. There were plenty of wines and beers to choose from along with soft drinks; I had a Chilean Merlot (£7.55, 250ml) and the OH a local golden ale (apologies, I have forgotten the name of the brewery completely). There were several things that caught both our eyes on the menu: wagyu burger, pea and mint tart, smoky short rib of beef and battered halloumi.

We started with some bread (£5.25) with oil and vinegar, flavoured butter and caramelised onions. It was a generous portion of bread, warm and lightly toasted too, good for dunking in the oil. The butter was a lovely orange colour I think it had paprika and parsley mixed in but a little more paprika would have really made it sing. I’ve not had caramelised onions on a bread board before and I really liked it; a nice bit of sweetness to go alongside everything else.

I chose the mozzarella and artichoke aranchini for my starter (£6.95). What a pretty plate of food! I’ve got to say that these are the best arancini I’ve had and I could have eaten them several times over. The flavour and texture were just perfect and really cleverly executed so that neither the artichoke nor mozzarella were overpowered with any other flavour. The OH had the mushrooms on toast (£6.95) which had a lovely flavour from the buttery mushrooms, creamy blue cheese sauce and thyme. It was nice that they used large portobello mushrooms rather than chestnut or button, it was a bit different.

For my main I had the roast beef (£15.95). It’s worth mentioning that they do roast beef, lamb, chicken and pork (or all four if you’re feeling hungry) as well as a veggie roast. You can see from the photo that the Yorkshire pudding was massive (always a good thing in my book), the beef was perfectly cooked and the potatoes were nice and crisp. I had steamed kale, pickled red cabbage, cauliflower cheese and roasted parsnips so there was a good bit of veg on the plate too; pickled cabbage and cauliflower cheese are always a ‘yes please’ if I’m having a roast dinner and I’m pleased to say they were both exemplary. This was a cracking roast, really generous and full of flavour. If I’m being really, really, picky then a few steamed carrots would have made it perfect.
The OH opted for the southern fried chicken (£15.50). Stuffed with ‘nduja sausage and served with sweet potato fries and preserved lemon aioli it was something different for a Sunday. The ‘nduja added a good spicy kick, the chicken’s coating was crispy and not at all greasy and the citrusy aioli worked well.

After a little pause we ordered pudding. I was very tempted by the apple tarte tatin but was so full I went for something a little smaller: cookie and ice cream (£4.95). I’m not sure who they get the ice cream from but it was really good; nice and thick and creamy. The triple chocolate cookie was good too, crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. It would have been great if the cookie was slightly warm. The OH went for the sticky toffee pudding (£5.95) and it was delicious, so rich, sticky and dark. We had a couple of coffees while staring out of the window over the river.

It was really busy when we went and despite the staff being so busy they were attentive to everyone. I think the fact that it was so busy shows that the locals, and some people from further afield, are clearly supporting the relaunch. I liked the restaurant and the food and I think it would be a great destination for lunch if you parked up in nearby Maidenhead and walked to Cookham.

This lunch was paid for by The Ferry, Cookham, thank you to them. All opinions expressed and words are my own.

The Newbury Tasting Menu

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The Newbury mushroom veloute

This was a gifted meal.

I have to admit that I am a big fan of a ‘Tasting Menu’. An opportunity for the chef and restaurant to show off different styles, techniques and flavours; improved further if there’s matching wines to accompany it all. Also, let’s be honest, I’m a fan of anything that means I get to gorge myself on everything indulgent. I was invited to try out The Newbury Tasting Menu and was really looking forward to it; what to expect in terms of theme or style made me wonder what we would be served and yes, I was very excited about the matching wines.

I should begin by saying that there were nine (yes, nine) courses on the menu. Also, as it was a tasting menu and they were after our feedback on the dishes there are no prices below. However, I’m hoping that this, or a very similar menu, will soon be available at The Newbury.

The first course was wild mushroom velouté, garlic chantilly and toasted sourdough. This was paired with an Argentinian sparkling sauvignon blanc. This was a nice, light way to start the meal. The chantilly was good and thick but could have done with a touch more garlic for my liking. The mushroom flavour was just right and the sparkling SB was a great match; acidic enough to just cut through.

The second course for everyone else was scallops and chorizo, however as seafood and I don’t get along I had confit chicken leg with celeriac remoulade. This was paired with a Sicilian zibbibo. The skin on the chicken was so crispy and the meat just fell off the bones. The jus was so rich in flavour and when it got all mixed into the remoulade it was just delicious. I could happily eat a massive bowl full of this. The zibbibo was the wine of the night for me, it’s my new favourite white and I’ll be looking out for it everywhere I go.

For the third course we had chicken liver parfait and redcurrant gel, paired with an Austrian grüner veltliner. The parfait was very rich, it was served with more sourdough toast to scoop it all up and the redcurrant gel and wine worked well together to cut through the richness.

The fourth course was cod, black garlic mash, crispy kale, salsify (and curried mussels for everyone else!). This was paired with a South African Rhone style blend. I really liked this. The kale was so crispy, I thought it could do with a little sweetness to make it even better and the cod was perfectly cooked. A few bits of salsify added a good bitterness and the lightly curried sauce brought everything together well. The black garlic mash was very earthy and the little blob of lemon gel cut through this nicely. Again, the wine was a good pairing for this dish; definitely a combination for the summer.

I was starting to feel well on my way to full at this stage but there were plenty more courses to go. The fifth course was duck breast, cherry puree, spinach, potato rosti and wild mushrooms, paired with an Italian primativo. I loved how crispy the rosti was with this as the texture was great with the soft, rich duck. The cherry and mushroom worked well together, especially with the wine. There were also some kirsch soaked cherries but they were a little strong for my taste.

The sixth, and final savoury, course was rump of lamb, basil mash and ratatouille. This was paired with an Australian cabernet/merlot. This was such a pretty dish and a real classic combination of flavours. I liked that the ratatouille was diced so finely and was full of colour. The lamb was perfectly cooked but a special mention has to go to the basil mashed potato; so smooth, so green and so fresh. The Italian wine was a good partner for this French inspired dish.

The first of three desserts was ginger and white chocolate cheesecake served with a sauternes. I’ve got to confess I really don’t like ginger, however, scooping around it led me to a wonderfully smooth but light cheesecake. It wasn’t too tangy (like with some cheesecakes can be) and was so smooth I’d have thought it was just clotted cream. I do like a dessert wine and I thought the sauternes was great with this.

Unfortunately I had to leave the tasting before the final two desserts, which I was most upset about, but I had an early start the next morning. Had I stayed I would have enjoyed banoffee mille fuille and a warm chocolate tart. I’ll have to hope they make it onto their menu soon!

Overall I thought it was a great menu showing off some real classic flavour combinations and styles of cooking but with some modern twists thrown in for good measure. I think my favourite dish has to be the lamb; that basil mash was fantastic. Or maybe the chicken as it was so rich and homely. The menu as a whole I think would have dishes for everyone giving people an opportunity to try something they might not have tried before. Who could say no to trying this many different plates of food, all in the same place, that are designed to work together.

I was invited as a guest by The Newbury, thank you to them. All opinions expressed and words are my own.

The White Star Tavern Southampton

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The White Star Tavern Southampton

This was a gifted meal.

I must start by saying that there are a few things I think everyone should know about Southampton. Firstly, it’s not just a place to get boats to and from. Secondly, it’s home to the UK’s third longest stretch of Medieval town walls (and believe me, they are pretty long). Thirdly, as a city to walk around in, there’s always something to see round every corner; from fantastic old buildings to modern architecture. Lastly, it’s home to The White Star Tavern which makes some of the most interesting food I’ve had in a while.

The White Star is divided up nicely inside with squishy sofas at the front for drinks and coffee, plenty of bar stools around the sweeping bar, a relaxed informal dining area complete with roaring fires and a more formal dining room near the open faced kitchen. The drinks list, more like a small book, was full of cocktails, wines and beers but the Seedlip drinks caught my eye. Seedlip is distilled, like gin, with plenty of flavour; according to them it’s what you should be drinking when you’re not drinking and with a Fever Tree tonic this is my new favourite soft drink (£5.50).

We started with some sharing plates (three for £12): Black Pudding Sausage Roll with Piccalilli, Pulled Smoked Chicken with Pear Chutney and Halloumi Stuffed Falafel with Tahini Dressing. I liked the contrast between the soft black pudding sausage roll and the crunchy, vibrant piccalilli, the falafel were nicely spiced with a good amount of halloumi and tahini and the pulled smoked chicken worked really well with the pear, although the bread could have done with being slightly less toasted. We made a bit of a mess with toast crumbs all over the table!

There are two menus available; one with pub classics and sandwiches and one with more restauranty dishes. I was tempted by everything but I really like venison so I tried the Roast Venison Loin, Red Cabbage, Glazed Salsify, Oats, Galette Potato, Huntsman Sauce (£20).  My dish had everything you could possibly need from a plate of food: rich sticky sauces, slightly bitter salsify, crunchy spiced oats and seeds, buttery potatoes, lightly pickled cabbage and perfectly cooked venison. I wish I could have had it again as soon as I’d finished it but you’d have had to roll me out of the pub.

The OH can never say no to a burger, he’s quite the aficionado, a burger-sseur if you will. He tried the Steak Burger with added Pulled Beef and Onion Rings (£18, the burger without added extras is £14). The burger was, in the OH’s own words ‘epic’ and I have to say the combination of juicy burger, rich pulled beef, burger sauce, crispy salad and toasted bun was pretty irresistible. The onion rings could maybe have done with a few more seconds in the fryer as they were slightly doughy but I think I’ll be hard pushed to find a burger to match up to that.

When something is called Death By Trillionaires on a menu it’s hard to not order it. This dessert consisted of: Pistachio Brownie, Tonka Bean and Chocolate Cream, Chocolate Crumb, Caramelised White Chocolate and Vanilla Parfait, Salted Dulce de Leche, Morello Cherry Sauce (£8.50). I think we can all agree that this sounds pretty good but when it came to the table in the shape of a coffin (complete with gold leaf) with a skull on top and blood spattered on the plate it made me take a step back. What fantastic presentation, they could have served it any old how but I love how inventive this was and it wasn’t all about appearances by any means. It tasted as good as it looked.

The OH ordered the Baked Rice Pudding Brûlée, blueberry Compote, Passion Fruit Parfait (£6.50) which would have been my other choice and I think this looked pretty as a picture. Rice pudding isn’t really known for having much texture but with the brûlée on top it added a great crunch.

I think The White Star Tavern has a bit of food for everyone; a few plates to share, classic sandwiches and something a bit different too. It’s found down Oxford Street, near the city centre and is definitely one to seek out. One more little fact about Southampton for you if I may. Jane Austen and her family used to go to the Southampton promenade in the summer (for walking around with parasols I imagine) and in winter they would ice skate on the nearby frozen meadows. read more

Lunch at Browns, Windsor

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Windsor Long Walk

This was a gifted meal.

I love Windsor. Partly because it’s both Windsor and, after a skip over the bridge, Eton. We went last weekend for lunch at Browns, Windsor but before we ate we had some exploring to do. As a compact town there’s plenty of wandering around shops that can be accomplished in no time at all but we opted for grabbing a drink and promenading up the Long Walk. On a frosty morning, looking back at Windsor Castle with a warm coffee in hand it was really rather beautiful.

Browns itself is in a great location overlooking the river. After ascertaining where the restaurant was we took a walk down said river and saw all the swans, geese and ducks. It sounds twee and somewhat romantic but I really don’t like geese, or swans. They honk. As you walk up the river you pass by some quite remarkable, if not small, landmarks. The first of which is the many-arched railway bridge. If you walk forwards through the arches you can carry on up the river, turn left you’ll end up at the brewery and just behind you is a life sized replica of a Hurricane plane. Turn back around and you can walk back to the restaurant through Alexandra Gardens; all that in just a morning. read more

Burley Manor – An Autumn Weekend Escape

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Burley Manor entrance

This was a gifted stay and meal.

A night away is a real treat; one where you have gone far enough that you’re away from home but not so far that you get bored of driving. The New Forest is much closer to me than I had previously realised (how I’ve not recognised this before is quite astounding) and a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life so I was really looking forward to a stay at Burley Manor.

The hotel

Based in Burley, in the New Forest, Burley Manor is a wonderful, big old house that has been transformed into a modern hotel. There have been some new bits added so there are more rooms but as they are no taller than one story and red brick like the main house you don’t even notice they’re new. Throughout the lounges, dining room and conservatory (and most of the rooms too) you have an uninterrupted view of the beautiful New Forest countryside; which when we arrived was straight out of a Countryfile calendar complete with deer and everything.

Burley Manor’s location makes it easy to get out and explore the New Forest on foot, or you’re only a short drive from towns and villages. The grounds of the hotel itself are nice to walk around; you can take an inside or outside route to and from almost anywhere in the hotel as it takes your fancy. I liked the sign that we found on one of the footpaths! They even have an outdoor swimming pool for use in the summer and a spa on site too.

The room

We were staying in one of the Garden Suites which as you can see was lovely. The room was huge with a great little entrance hall to house the vintage dark wood wardrobe, king sized bed and lounge at the end. There was also a back door to the room which went out onto a private deck so you can enjoy the view. I really liked the mix of vintage furniture, modern comforts and botanical/countryside art and paintings.

I loved the little cookie jar in the room which told you to help yourself to their home baked cookies and the tea and coffee chest, for there is no other word for it, was as well stocked as a café. All the toiletries were Templespa, which is the brand that they use in their spa, so they were a nice little treat to use. The bathroom had one of those epic waterfall showers too which was excellent.

Walking around the hotel was always interesting because there are corridors that head in directions you think you shouldn’t be going down; they’re signposted so you are definitely going the right way! It makes you feel like you’re getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the hotel. The corridor leading to the kitchen was complete with a walled display of sieves and colanders. A really nice touch. The fires were always lit, the layout carefully thought through and the furniture quirky and comfortable.

The food

After a very relaxing afternoon taking a quick wander round Burley we went over to the hotel bar for a few drinks before dinner. They had a good range of gins without there being too many and a good range of beers too. We looked through the menu and wine list before going through into the dining room for dinner. One thing that really stood out to me is how important provenance is to them; there is a list on the back of the menu telling you exactly where they source their fish, eggs, meat, vegetables, cheese and everything else. If it’s made in the New Forest and it’s delicious then that’s who they will source from.

It’s not often that I’m torn between so many things on a menu. Normally I can narrow it down to two or three dishes but I honestly didn’t know what to choose. The spicy chickpea soup sounded so comforting, the lentil galette caught my attention too but I settled for the quail and artichoke (£7). It is game season after all. Fortunately the OH ordered the lentil galette (£6) so I could have a try of both. I expected my quail to be quite traditionally prepared with a nice bit of artichoke puree; it was prepared excellently and there was artichoke puree but it was also beautifully spiced. Full of coriander, cumin and paprika. I’ve never had quail served up like this and it was so refreshing. The lentil galette was sort of like a lentil pancake, again nicely spiced, and the crumbled feta and crispy butter beans around the edge lifted it up.

Choosing my main was just as hard as my starter. I wanted the tomato and tapenade tart, the lemon sole, the lamb and the Cypriot chicken. But I had to order the venison (£16); the first of the year and it came with chard which is one of my favourite veggies. The OH had a similar problem but was sold on the patatas bravas that came with the sirloin steak (£21).

Let me paint the plate for you: a pile of wilted chard leaves and just cooked sliced chard stems, thinly sliced wild mushrooms, a few steamed potatoes, a piece of medium/rare cooked and sliced venison fillet on the top and everything was drizzled with jus. I loved this; it was exceptional. It was so seasonal that it was almost screaming AUTUMN at me and you couldn’t have packed more flavour into any of it even if you wanted to. The OH had a generous portion of potatoes and bravas sauce, which was nicely spicy. The steak was delicious; cooked and rested really well.

The focus on the wine list is on French wines but we actually ordered a Chilean Pinot Noir (£25) to accompany our meal. There was a slight confusion and we ended up with a New Zealand Pinot Noir but it was a good, light red to have with our starter and main.

When it comes to a dessert menu it’s never difficult for me to choose. I basically just scan the menu looking for the words ‘Treacle Sponge Pudding’ and if they appear this is excellent news. If they don’t appear then I have to put in a bit of effort and actually read the menu to find something I’d like. Not here. I had the same problem with puddings; I wanted every single one. Minted chocolate fondant? Yes. Slow baked apple with shortbread and sweet almond cream? Yes. Banana ravioli with fruit minestrone? Yes please! I had to narrow it down by what I would most regret not trying so I settled for the peanut butter parfait with caramelised popcorn, pineapple and sesame (£7). It was possibly one of my favourite desserts ever. The parfait was so light and not too sweet, the caramelised popcorn had that fantastic lightly burnt sugar flavour, the pineapple was sharp to cut through everything and the sesame tuille was brilliant. The OH had three cheeses (£7): Dorset blue, Tunworth and Lyburn goat’s cheese with plenty of membrillo, grapes and crackers.

The breakfast

Dinner finished with a lot of smiles on our part and we headed back to our room for a good night’s sleep. Based on dinner I was pretty excited about breakfast and I wasn’t disappointed. The table they laid up full of bread, croissants, cured meats, cheese, muesli and cereals really reminded me of all the Swedish breakfasts we enjoyed in Gothenburg recently. Now I know that my plate looks like a bit of a weird combo but I really fancied trying some of the bresaola and salami and I know that the Lyburn goat’s cheese is excellent so they sort of fell on my plate. And I can never say no to a chocolate croissant.

The provenance of the ingredients used carried on to breakfast. I had locally smoked trout eggs royale and it was everything I wanted it to be. The trout was amazing (I’d love to know EXACTLY who that came from so I can go and buy all of it), local eggs with runny yolks, crisp muffins and fantastic homemade Hollandaise. Just typing this now makes me want some more. The OH’s Burley breakfast was complete with homemade baked beans and the interesting cousin of traditional black pudding; white pudding. He told me it was all very good although there was no hope of me grabbing a bit of any of it!

We left early-ish on the Sunday morning and headed to Lyndhurst for a wander round; the independent shops are always worth a visit. The thing that struck me most about Burley Manor was just how New Forest focussed they are; somewhere to go where you know you can get fantastic food cooked with the best local ingredients. I loved the Mediterranean twists they had on the menus and I must also mention that you can get a Chateaubriand or a porcetta for Sunday lunch. If and when I am passing their way again I will definitely be making a restaurant reservation!

Dinner, bed and breakfast was paid for by Burley Manor. All opinions expressed and words are my own.


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