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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,

sundaycinnamon.co.uk

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