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that will resonate with fans of L'Enclume:
smoked Maran egg yolk with yellow turnip,
tru e and mushroom broth; Valley venison
with roasted parsnips, cavolo nero and
elderberry; baked quince with bay leaf, ginger
biscuit and brown-butter ice cream. The
whole place oozes class with its welcoming
vibe, tuned-in service and sense of style.
6 Midsummer House
Midsummer Common, Cambridge,
CB4 1HA; 01223 369299 £££ [13]
A masterclass of creative cooking
Long-serving chef/patron Daniel Cli ord
continues to deliver "fabulous food and
wonderful theatre" worthy of his twoMichelin-starred
status. Direct avours and
freshness are the hallmarks of, say, beetroot
baked on open coals with quinoa, goats'
cheese and mizuna or slow-roast venison
with Swiss chard, sloes and blue cheese.
Desserts such as the signature pistachio
sou é are "something to behold". "Top class,
Daniel", chimed one fan; we agree.
7 The Waterside Inn
Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AT;
01628 620 691 £££ [11]
Silky charms down by the riverside
This paragon of French cuisine de es the
years with its "culinary journey in time".
"Complex interactions" and glossy saucing
pay homage to cuisine exceptionnel - from
an escalope of foie gras with ginger bread
and mulled wine sauce ("an utter wow") to
a medallion of lobster with white port sauce
and ginger vegetable julienne. Desserts such
as a "picturesque teardrop" of milk chocolate
lled with exotic fruit provide a tting nale.
Prices may be eye-watering, but the pleasure
of eating here is "immeasurable".
8 André Garrett at
Cliveden
Cliveden House, Taplow, Maidenhead,
Berkshire, SL6 0JF; 01628 668561 £££ [14]
Impressive food in a country pile
"The best hospitality of any place I have ever
been to", trumpeted one reader after visiting
André Garrett's sumptuous dining room. His
impressive, contemporary French cuisine
brings seasonal rewards aplenty, from a
salad of Devon crab with avocado, espelette
pepper, chickweed and lemon purée or the
rich slow-roast Anjou squab with wild garlic,
peas, black pudding purée and liver toast to a
classic sou é Belle Hélène with marzipan ice
cream and warm chocolate sauce. In short "a
welcome addition to this famous house".
9 Artichoke
9 Market Square, Old Amersham,
Buckinghamshire, HP7 0DF; 01494 726611
££ [6]
Smart cooking in cheery surroundings
It's a tribute to Laurie Gear's "superlative
cooking" that one reader is happy to drive
70 miles for lunch at this increasingly
con dent local star. Artichoke seems to get
everything right, with "friendly skilled sta "
and a well-oiled open kitchen adding to
the entertainment. The food is seasonal to
a fault, and many dishes have impressed
- but we're sold on the smoked cod with
radishes, beetroot and horseradish cream,
and the poached veal loin with green beans,
wild garlic, pickled girolles and a tru e
cream cheese wafer. For afters, don't miss
the "terri c" Brillat-Savarin cheesecake
with pickled pear and Poire William sorbet.
Brilliant-value tasting menus too.
10 Restaurant
Nathan Outlaw
6 New Road, Port Isaac, Cornwall, PL29 3SB;
01208 880 896 £££ [9]
Seafood star in a new home
Two-Michelin-starred Nathan Outlaw has
moved his agship to new premises in
Port Isaac, but nothing else has changed.
His sparkling food still revolves around
sustainable sh from the Cornish day boats
and punters can sample the catch in an
eight-course tasting menu (or more modest
set lunch). Consider bijou dishes such as
cured monk sh with ginger and gooseberries,
or turbot with Hispi cabbage and seaweed
hollandaise, plus regional cheeses and topdrawer
desserts - "beautifully direct visual
displays" backed by perfectly matched wines
and sociable service.
11 Manchester House
Tower 12, 18-22 Bridge Street,
Spinning elds, Manchester, M3 3BZ;
0161 835 2557 ££ NEW ENTRY
Big, bold venture from a TV chef
A "must-visit", Manchester House looks
"absolutely amazing", with its "wonderfully
vibrant" industrial-lite dining room. Aiden
Byrne's cooking is "stunningly imaginative",
with many of his signature dishes on display
- note the prawn cocktail under a dome of
1 Casamia Bristol 2 The Elephant Devon
3 Hix Oyster Fish House Dorset 4 The Loft Devon
5 The Seahorse Devon
5 More Reader Favourites...
THE SOUTH WEST from Square Meal's 2015 reader survey
The Waterside Inn
"IT DOESN'T HAVE TO
BE MOLECULAR TO
BE BRILLIANT"
PAUL ATKINS ON THE
WATERSIDE INN