No reservations, second Marlow installment from Tom Kerridge's Hand and Flowers team serving simple yet powerfully pleasing dishes
This was a spontaneous Bank Holiday drop-in. Readers will be able to tell that I have been here on several occasions and for a more substantial review, please click on the 4 Mar 2018 review. One thing I learned on this visit is that if you are planning on a drop in on a Bank Holiday, give yourself plenty of time as it is very popular and with no bookings allowed/taken you will need to wait in the tiny backroom area. However, it was worth the wait as the cauliflower soup with delicate croutons was among the best soups I have had; the liver parfait was as good as ever; the fritter was never going to fail (please read other reviews) and the scotch egg with moilee sauce (fish curry) was highly enjoyable. Head Chef Tom de Keyser was leading the charge at the pass and it was good to enjoy again as a spontaneous move. All favourites chosen made for a consistently good meal.
Food Grade: 80%
This was a more substantial visit on this occasion to fully road test the menu with some favourites that my dining partner had not had as this was his first time visiting. For those reading this review prior to others, the venue was established in 2014 by Tom Kerridge who owns the 2 Michelin starred Hand and Flowers in the same village of Marlow. Tom Kerridge’s head chef was about to go solo and so instead of parting ways fully, The Coach was birthed by keeping Tom de Keyser in the Kerridge family group. There is no reservation process so it is simply turn up and first in, first served and I have never seen the interior beneath 40% busy, a testament to how popular it is. This was another good visit and great to do. Warning if you have an electric car: make sure you recharge fully before heading to Marlow as the charge points are negligible near-impossible to gain a spot for.
Mushroom ‘Claude Bossi’ was in homage to the 2 Michelin starred Bibendum and their dish of risotto made out of celeriac and this is the same idea but using King oyster and button mushrooms which are pressurised and puréed and then chives, mozzarella and Parmesan are also thrown in – a very filling dish that was pleasurable. The fish fritter was on point as usual, using Whiting as the fish which survived the deep fried process well.
Chicken kiev was ever so slightly rubbery in terms of the meat but the batter was very light and crispy. The best element on the plate, however, was probably the cauliflower cheese as the celeriac puree was a touch too salty based on the garlic and salt within the kiev. Bitlong was a dish I have not had before and had reasonable chilli flavour, with textures that took getting used to (not in a good way), but with puffed rice and jack cheese espuma as saviours to the dish.
A burger of brisket was a first and whilst it was a reasonable burger in flavour of the meat, it was frankly ludicrous to be served as it was as there is no way it can be eaten. Visually it is stunning but I don’t see the point if it can’t be eaten in its layers. The only solution is for it to be halved horizontally and then with a knife and fork from both parts. A little odd, but just about ok as a dish. Last of the savouries was a whole quail which was stuffed with blue cheese and was a grand old way to enjoy the bird which was handled well.
An almond, orange and chocolate tart finished the meal off and was a very generous gift from my dining partner covering what turned out to be £72 per head. Another very satisfying visit, albeit with a couple of areas that could be calmed down and was a shame not to do any of their superb soup on this visit.
Food Grade: 74%
Another quality drop in to The Coach for snacks and nibbles. As my dining partner had not been before it was time to do trusted favourites such as the chicken liver parfait, almost exactly as prepared at 2 Michelin starred The Hand and Flowers and the almost faultless fish fritter. The slow-cooked rotisserie pomme boulangère was a new addition and was good to do. This was a very quick snack drop in, but that is exactly what is so great about this Michelin starred pub in that this is not taboo in any way – far from it, it is actively encouraged. Don’t forget, you cannot book in advance, so give yourself time on busy periods or days.
Food Grade: 80%
My first time to Tom Kerridge’s second instalment to Marlow and I have to say how much I enjoyed this one. The fact that you cannot reserve (giving it a drop in feel) with numerous spaces at the bar for counter-dining, the soft lighting and music with open kitchen within a beautiful pub is immediately endearing. I have also rarely had so much excitement about a menu as so many will either not make sense to many people or be hard to decrypt which is fine when wanting something with grandeur but actually this was wonderfully refreshing to see dishes that simply sounded so good that you really wanted to try them and that is the actual point is it not n’est-ce pas?
Normally I despise celery but this was done in a creamy and herbed way with truffle and perfect crunchiness of the croutons that it was in fact one of the nicest soups I have ever had and actually registered as one of the dishes of the year, it was that good. The burger was utterly gorgeous in real depth of beefiness and rare to have the meat as the actual hero which, in this case it most certainly was. My sliver of fish made with batter with customary Hand and Flowers ‘tricks up their sleeves’ was very good and although I would have preferred my tartare sauce to not be so chunky (best I have ever had was the warmed tartare sauce served at Nathan Outlaw’s at the Capital Hotel), the chunky chips were served with sauce béarnaise which more than made up for this. The latter is actually an option I have enjoyed for many years but the first place I have actually seen put on its menu – I wonder which place will be the bravest to do that with sauce choron as a possible version of the ultimate combo with chips(?).
Desserts here really were good as well and although personally I would have liked my honeycomb slightly less dark, it was lovely option – banana custard and who on earth is not going to like that(?!). This really was a wonderful meal which I absolutely loved, amongst approachable staff and was very good talking to the head chef afterwards. It was good to learn how Tom Kerridge has essentially dealt with the demand for food with the Hand and Flowers stamp behind it but also allowed his long-standing staff to lead on this venture as they are essentially at the helm of The Coach. Simply cannot recommend this venue enough to try.
Food Grade: 80%
My hobby-turned-passion began to evolve during my assignments to London where I was fortunate enough to be able to explore all the Michelin starred restaurants in my spare time and as a result, I gradually built up a catalogue of all these venues.
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