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2 L'Enclume
Cavendish Street, Cartmel, Cumbria,
LA11 6PZ; 01539 536362 ££££ [2]
The essence of nature on a plate
Food, locality, nature and architecture gel
harmoniously in this strikingly transformed,
hewn-out stone smithy - now a uniquely
a ecting restaurant-with-rooms touting
two Michelin stars. Chef/proprietor Simon
Rogan's passion for hard-wired 'terroir' is
never in doubt - witness his organic farm,
foraging trips and unswerving commitment
to Lakeland produce. Multi-course tasting
menus are devised on the day, so sit back
and marvel at the pure, undiluted avours.
From wild venison tartare seasoned with
smoked salt and embellished with beads of
candied fennel to a high-de nition combo
of crimson raspberries on crumbled lemon
verbena cake with blazing green cicely
granita, it's a sense-tingling tour de force -
or, quite simply, "perfection".
3 Le Manoir aux
Quat'Saisons
Church Road, Great Milton, Oxfordshire,
OX44 7PD; 01844 278881 ££££ [1]
Pure escapism and fabulous cooking
Raymond Blanc's ne-tuned take on countryhouse
luxe is suitably seductive from the
moment Le Manoir hoves into view - here is
a silkily orchestrated vision of pure escapism
buoyed by near-faultless French-inspired
cooking. Much depends on the two-acre
organic gardens, so it's no surprise the food
is all about seasonality. A terrine of baby
beetroot, burrata and horseradish sorbet
shows the kitchen's simple side, while luxury
arrives in the form of plancha-seared Scottish
lobster or superb Cornish brill with oyster,
scallop, cucumber and wasabi. Of course,
you will pay handsomely for the escape of a
lifetime, but Le Manoir is the "ultimate dining
experience" for out-of-town indulgence.
4 The Fat Duck
1 High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ;
01628 580333 ££££ [4]
Wizardry from a gastronomic magician
If anyone still needs reminding how Heston
Blumenthal became famous, a trip to this
"ultimate treat restaurant" should do the
trick. Although lieutenant Jonny Lake is now
charged with che ng duties, Blumenthal's
imagination is still at the heart, ensuring the
14-dish tasting menu is worth every penny of
its £195 price tag - and its three-Michelin-star
status. Dining at the Duck is a roller-coaster
ride, from the rst mouthful of aerated
beetroot to a mind-blowing ri on dessert
wine and grapes called botrytis cinerea.
5 The Hand & Flowers
126 West Street, Marlow, Bucks,
SL7 2BP; 01628 482277 ££ [5]
Big-hearted food from a rising star
Tom Kerridge is a chef with a passion
for British produce and a refreshingly
unpretentious way of doing things. He's
also become a big face on TV and has two
Michelin stars to his name. Although The
Hand ¢ Flowers looks and feels like a pub, the
menu suggests an ambitious metropolitan
restaurant (with prices to match) - think
malt-glazed cheek and garlic sausage and
textbook blueberry sou¥ é. Stay in one of the
bedrooms, housed in two nearby cottages.
"A BIT OF A
MARATHON...
BUT INCREDIBLE"
READER HILARY JACK ON L'ENCLUME
"WHO KNEW A
SCOTCH EGG
COULD TASTE
SO DELICIOUS?"
ERICA MORLAND ON
THE HAND & FLOWERS
About me: A
Cornish maid living
in Brighton. I eat
and tell on my
blog and I have a
particular penchant
for naughty
desserts.
Favourite restaurant: Plateau,
Brighton. A loosely-themed French
restaurant, where sharing platters
are the focus. Enjoy delicious
boards of pork belly, black pudding,
pheasant, smoked polenta and chilli
jam. Wash down with one of their
cocktails or delicious organic wines.
Blogger favourite
KIMBERLEY CHANDLER,
About me:
Cornish maid living
in Brighton. I eat
and tell on my
blog and I have a
particular penchant
for naughty
desserts.
1 Fleurie Godalming, Surrey 2 The Goods Shed Canterbury, Kent
3 Nobles Restaurant Battle, East Sussex 4 Orwells Shiplake, Oxfordshire
5 The West House Biddenden, Kent
5 More Reader Favourites...
THE SOUTH EAST from Square Meal's 2014 reader survey
Le Manoir aux
Quat'Saisons
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