I should say that in fairness that the Hand and Flowers does still offer a set menu of three courses for £37.50 (2 courses for 2 courses) and is only slightly higher in 2021 by a couple of pounds, but this is a no-choice menu so will not cater for all tastes or allergies. The a la carte however, is now a different story altogther.  Starters now range (in 2021) from £26.50 to a hefty £46.50 and mains have now escalated to up to £87.  I will come back to this in my below.

As I was dining with a guest who had not been before, I suspected I would recommend some old favourites from the menu, hoping that they would still be on the menu. In fact, the menu is now seemingly nothing but the old favourites at their higher mark up.  The whitebait snacks, duck liver parfait, smoked haddock omelette and fish Scotch egg starters are still very much there as are the mains of the lamb bun, Beef and chips, fish and chips and Great British Menu duck main and chocolate ‘cube’ all very much dominate the options still.  Not a hugely bad thing as these are very enjoyable dishes, but it does rather point to a question of any evolving innovation.  I gather this was the case on the menu before COVID kicked in as well so I can’t attribute this to the pandemic.

At the time of our visit we arrived to see a large Tee Pee in the car park grounds of the restaurant with tables inside.  This was obviously to accommodate extra tables and be outside with the government restrictions of table spacing requirements affecting numbers.  We had a quick look inside and I have to say, the expressions on the diners that we saw seemed to sum up the almost sauna-like feel with no air conditioning or decent fans in the supremely hot tent interior and I’m not sure I would have been equally happy if I had driven all the way down from London to have lunch in this setting.  I can only pray that the diners were either informed of this before they came or were offered something in lieu of not being in the main building (now with a refurbished bar area and rooms that are (mostly) another hefty £350 per night).

On to the meal, the large, fulsome whitebait snack is still a crispy pleasure with its Marie rose sauce and the soda bread was fine.  What was a disappointment was being served menus still dripping in slimy ‘goop’, which we could only hope was sanitiser.  This it was, but you would have thought that an expensive restaurant like this would not be this sloppy.  We also had to wait 25 minutes to be asked for our order which was a bit of a blow as it was also made clear that we only had the table for 2 hours as the Hand and Flowers is very much a double sitting venue for both lunch and dinner. Not the slickest service and hospitality in the land.

Starters enjoyed were the fabulously smooth duck liver parfait with orange chutney on brioche and a courgette & pea tart with Lamb Chorizo Fritter and Chantilly de Cheyre which was satisfying and a pleasant addition to see on the menu.  The battered brill aka fish and chips came with triple cooked chips as usual and a pea and mint puree which were a treat.  There is no doubt that the batter made with sparkling water and few other tricks up their sleeve and deep-fried in beef dripping is a master show of fish and chips with good quality brill, but the £44 is now too much for the privilege I am sad to say. As good as the brill is, it simply will not merit this cost more what can be gained from those new to the establishment and dish.  As of 2021, this course is now an insane £61 which I cannot see as justifiable for the return.

I opted for the beef as I have had this before and as in 2012, it is served with onion rings, triple-cooked chips, sauce bordelaise and bearnaise (I miss the little jar the latter used to be served in thought).  The sirloin comes from Dovecote Park and we were informed at the table that only two cows in every 2000 are selected for the Hand and Flowers. Whether this is the case or not, you have to examine the quality of the meat rather than the ‘rarity’ and I have to confirm that the cut I had was a complete let down with a surprising and complete lack of flavour. It was salvaged by the splendid bordelaise and a delightful bearnaise, but these are supporting elements.  It is sad when the support acts are actually the stars of the show and I was amazed that this dish was £67.  What is even more of a genuine shock is that this dish is now (in 2021) a whopping £87 which is frankly unjustifiable.

As time was running out, we decided to give desserts a miss and settled up.  My ‘pub’ lunch of one starter and one main with service charge and no drink came to £121.  For the overall experience, extended waiting times, sadly hit and miss service, quality of the food and accumulated pleasure from the dishes, this is now one of the most overpriced menus in the UK I have come across I am sad to report.  My guest’s bill with wine was approaching double this for his lunch.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still some very nice things here as they have been, but it simply seems to me that the dishes have now been turned into a cash cow for those that have yet to experience them and frankly now do not merit the price.  Thank God I have done the range of dishes before when The Hand and Flowers was striving in its earlier days at the prices they were, as the dishes ultimately have not changed since 2012, less the cranked up numbers on the bill.

Food Grade: 73%

The chicken liver parfait rivals that of Heston Blumenthal’s mandarin meat fruit which is hard to do and the fish and chips were simply the best standard you can get with succulent sweetness of the meat surrounded by an unbelievably light and crispy batter.  The Great British Menu duck dish with butter gravy was just wonderful (a must if you go) and the mustard mash with the pork was a true delight.  In short, there was nothing that we tried that was not liked by everyone.

Tom Kerridge’s food here is worthy of its 2 stars without question based purely on the sure-fire victories in the mouth they produce and it is wonderful to be able to have a pint with your meal if you so wish as opposed to wine only, such is the nature of the gastropub.  Although, that word should be used with caution as it is not really a gastro pub – it is a restaurant in a pub shell with no room for anyone to us the bar in the conventional pub way, although one can dine at the very small bar as an emergency option.  The bar itself has had to be turned in to counter dining to make up for the extremely high demand.  Getting a table here is now so difficult, my recommendation would be to take a day off work on a Mon or Tues and go for lunch or dinner any way possible a few months in advance.

A superb place for food, just such a shame the secret is out as it is such an effort to book, find a date, wait the distance and then travel there with my only reservation being that when that day comes, you had better not be late as they do double booking sessions so your table is only good for 2 hours which does not seem long enough.  Diners should not expect a refined service as many on the front of house are quite young, however, this adds to a cosy, family and unpretentious place it is and the ones I have spoken seemed passionate about the food.

The Wild Rabbit is the brainchild of Lady Bamford who created Daylesford Organic Farm, a mile north of this hotel and restaurant and which has casual, organic shop/eateries in London.  There is a seriously nice feel to this venue with a front terrace for lunch, a casual bar/pub entrance area with an open log fire that provides a snack menu, rooms for those that would like to stay for an average of £250 per night, a beautiful garden terrace area at the back which shares a log fire (behind glass) with the open kitchen restaurant.

Whilst we are in COVID times, the menus have been turned in to QR codes that guests scan with phones and which take you to their online menus.  This is good as you know that what is on the website is what is being served in reality so you can actually do this before getting there and obviously reduces the need to use paper menus.  Hand gel is available at each table and staff were alive to the need for minimising time at the table, yet seemed happy to see customers again.

With the background and format sorted, on to the meal, which began with canapes of a tapenade at the bottom of a little flower pot with wild radish and broad beans and tapioca crisp. The cold tapenade had a refreshing taste to dip fresh elements of the garden in, presented in a very pretty way.  The tapioca crisp was extremely light and these were a pleasant way to begin, served with homemade French rolls and brown bread.

I had the Daylesford cheddar cheese and onion tartlet which was served with feuille de brick, candied walnuts and chives.  This was nothing short of a triumph. The pastry case was thin and absolutely well folded all-around with a mix of melted and almost aerated cheese which was beautifully light, with the sweet from the candied walnuts being a perfect balance.  The only observation I had was that the size of the starter was fairly conservative and almost tasting menu size – if the same size is used for both then there is a case for this starter being slightly larger.  If it is and the tasting menu tartlet is smaller, then I am probably guilty of being hoggish….or just over the top pleased to being back in a restaurant and wanting more(!).

The other starter was Vale of Evesham crab with tomato gazpacho.  The Cornish crab here was extremely fresh and moist with superb basil and pickled cucumber that really added punch and refreshing hit of acidity to the clean and lovely tomato gazpacho that is was smothered in.  This was another very good dish and everything thus far being a very good opening impression.

Cornish turbot came from a 4.2kg turbot and was served with garden pea, grelot onion, lettuce and a delectable smoked bacon sauce (creamed sauce with small pieces of bacon within).  The sauce was perfect for the turbot which was a pleasure all round, with the turbot perhaps a touch on the tough side compared with most I have enjoyed.  The other main was a Wootton Estate lamb.  This included best end rack and shoulder, served with miso-glazed aubergine, Market Garden courgette, Sheep’s curd and tomato.  When attention is paid to the detail it is really nice to experience and the glazed aubergine and explosive sweetness of the lone tomato in this dish were beautiful to go with the quality piece of lamb.  With three sauce-like components on the plate, the lamb was not shy of wet decoration; the fat from the lamb was a lasting good experience.

The desserts had were a caramel parfait and who can ever resist a decent soufflé? I was expecting the latter to be better but actually the caramel parfait revealed a superb take on banana and peanut butter desserts.  The caramel parfait was nicely judged in strength and smooth texture and covered in a beautiful blend of banana and peanut butter ice cream.  The caramelised filo pastry was complimented by a very nice blend of sweet from the caramel sauce and banana and umami from soft peanut.  A very light crunch of the pastry made this a superb dessert.

The Market Garden strawberry soufflé was airy and cooked as well as a soufflé can be, right to the centre.  Tonka bean custard was poured over unashamedly (and rightly so!) and I have to say the vanilla ice cream was fantastic in vanilla essence and super smooth and dare I say, almost outshone the actual soufflé.  However, this was a good way to end the meal leaving the two of us very happy.   Coffee served was extract of organic espresso.

A quick note on the venue as a stay over: I’ve been looking forward to enjoying the terrace garden here to enjoy wine ever since I first visited on my mission around the country and there is no denying that this is one of the loveliest hideaways in the heart of the Cotswold and country that you can come across.  Our room was the smallest of all (The Mouse) which just had room around the huge king-sized bed to manoeuvre and is reasonable at £165 for this room compared with the larger rooms averaging £250.  Information for guests arriving and checking in was more pedestrian than I was expecting for the price tag and could have been more swept up I thought.  The service in the bar area in the afternoon was definitely shaky compared with the evening service, but one can understand there is an air of tension as everyone familiarises with the new format to hospitality.

Breakfast was included in the stay and I would honestly say that this is another trump card of the visit as head chef Nathan Eades is there, personally making sure the breakfast is on top form with beautiful, organic farm produce.  Breakfast is only available to those staying over and this is a significant bonus of the stay.

So in general, definitely full marks to the Bamford design, Cotswolds stone and the kitchen for this proper visit and I would say it is worth more than its current accolade.  I recommend this restaurant to anyone, and to stay as a thing to have on the background to-do list, assuming you can actually find a date to getting a room – good luck on this as we caught a very rare opening and would definitely recommend planning and taking advantage of the windows of opportunity at the moment with not as many people checking in as usual.

The food here was very nicely done.  Home made breads were pleasing to begin with and as salads are (for me) more difficult to make interesting, I wanted to see what this was like.  The result was an imaginative presentation with powdered onion decoration and a lovely amount of goat’s curd to add moisture and something lively into the proceedings on the palate making a lovely flavour.  The quail was another beautiful looking dish with some very delicate slices of Marteau sausage and glorious smoked shallot puree.  I wasn’t expecting to have such an acidic walk away flavour with the gel, creative as it was and personally I would have loved more of the puree and maybe another quail egg in breadcrumbs as I ran out of these relatively quickly to have with the amount of quail it was supporting, but it was an enjoyable dish.  A beautifully smooth lemon curd with madeleine as petit four finished off the meal very nicely in the bar area opposite the open fireplace.

The sides were simple and well done, as was the béarnaise that the kitchen kindly gave on request.  There were a couple of minor dips in service that stood out to the critical eye (forgotten replacement bread that was offered and a lengthy wait for the bill) but generally, the key thing was that the staff clearly wished to try & make the experience a good one for the diner in the restaurant.

This was a lovely evening visit and would be utterly perfect for a dinner date or special little treat.  What I particularly loved was seeing people come into the bar just to grab a pint and the scrabble board mixed with those that preferred to have their rustic meal in the bar area instead of the restaurant which I think is one of the gems of our nation and the way in which this can be done in a sumptuous, yet cosy pub.  Based on the food I had it seems quite apt to see this one with a Michelin star, I will back here in a heartbeat for bar snacks and drinks with others whenever I can as a firm marker in the map.

A quick word on the place itself.  Husband and wife David and Helen Everitt-Matthias have owned Le Champignon Sauvage (‘The Wild Mushroom’) since 1987.  Within those near-33 years of ownership, Chef-owner David Everitt-Matthias has been cooking on every single day that the restaurant has been open; if he is ill then the restaurant has simply closed and I find this remarkable to begin with and up there with some of the dedication levels of Japan.  I routinely chat with as many head chefs as I can post meals to get as much perspective as possible and interestingly for me, David E-M is the one chef I get nothing but consistent praise and reverence from other Michelin starred chefs.

Menu wise there is a good selection here.  On the a la carte, it is two courses for £60 or three courses for £70 or, there is a more moderate set menu lunch which is £40 for three courses or £33 for 2 courses, which, when all said and done, the latter will practically be 4 courses anyway when all greetings and interludes are factored in.  The other notable thing for this restaurant is that this is one of the few high end food locations that I know that offer this set menu in the evening as well (Wed-Fri) and this represents superb value.

On to the meal then, canapes arrived and were a blue cheese and walnut cookie, which was an instant victory and a squid ink gougeres with taramasalata.  The cookie was a powerhouse of cheese flavour in a beautifully crumbly cookie which was so simple and so effective that it set an immediate good tone.  A squid ink gougere was a playful twist on the choux pastry classic and with taramasalata that had a salt content level that was just right.

The amuse bouche was a smoked bone marrow custard, with shimeji mushroom jelly and wasabi mayonnaise which was frankly gorgeous.   The savoury custard was set perfectly with bone marrow flavour that was not too heavy and was pitch-perfect in fatty feel, offset with sweeter jelly from the mushroom and gentle heat from the wasabi.  I assure you this was eaten rather quickly.  Homemade breads then came in the form of granary, white poppy seed, white baguette and bacon brioche, with the latter obviously being reached for first.  Butter was from Netherend farm, Gloucestershire.

Miso-cured black cod was the first starter tried and this was brilliant, straight off the bat.  The cod itself succulent and cooked perfectly, the miso being a deliciously chosen flavour to accompany the fish and the addition of malt was grand, all held well with unobtrusive baby parsnips and silky smooth parsnip puree.  Very enjoyable indeed.  Breast of Norfolk quail was another starter with stuffed leg, onion cream and alliums that all came together well, enhanced with hints of garlic and a glossy reduction from the quail.  Not much to not like for this quail dish.

Next came an interlude of a small piece of braised lamb served with artichoke puree.  This small piece of lamb had a gigantic impact as was one of the most tender and A-grade pieces of lamb I have had and the artichoke puree was silky and perfectly made.  This is basically the essence of Le Champignon – simple things served and to peak levels as this was.

The mains chosen were venison and sea bream.  The venison was  served with beetroot, fig and with a lovely, smokey lapsang souchong reduction.  All vegetables and flavours chosen here were a spot-on match for the meat, albeit with the one minor dent of this particular piece of venison being a fraction tougher than the heights of venison experiences recently.  The other main was a perfect piece of sea bream with gloss-like mushroom puree, wonderful morels and brown butter sauce.  This was delicious in every way and a knock out course.

A supplement of cheeses were enjoyed with a mix of Roquefort, Comte and triple cream variations from France and Britain.  I liked the way the cheese selection was varied across the strengths of styles of cheese but was not a mobile, minivan of choices at the same time which can be too much I find.  This was a sheer case of quality over quantity with some very nice cuts of cheese chosen.  The pre-dessert was an unusual dandelion root ice cream, coffee granita and a milk foam.  Whilst this didn’t set myself on fire in terms of flavour it was a fun savoury-sweet cross over in its originality.

The first of the desserts is a dish that I have had before – mango slices on Thai spiced cream, served with Thai green curry ice cream and with white chocolate ‘rocks’ underneath.  The real gem here is the Thai spiced cream which is beautifully soft, creamy and fragrant, offset with thinly layered mango on top.  This is the one dish that I have had before and could see on the menu (all other dishes being different) and if anything this was actually an improvement with the ice cream being even more smooth on this occasion.  The second dessert tried was Bramley apple parfait with pressed caramelised apple and green apple sorbet.  If it was possible, this dessert was even better than my Thai spiced cream dessert with simple and intense apple flavour running through the sorbet and the wonderful and pretty parfait, appearing like a rose.

An array of petit fours were enjoyed including an orange financier with prune, a chocolate and hazelnut brownie, salted lemon and white chocolate fudge, caramelised white chocolate fudge, chocolate fudge, a smooth and fun snickers truffle, a rum baba pistachio cake with toffee cream and passion fruit jellies.  Quite a spread of treats to go with coffee sourced from Cotswold Blending.

When one puts all this together and considers the £85 price tag for all of this food at this level of quality, it is almost a mockery from other experiences that have offered the lukewarm food experience at gargantuan prices.  So from a value for money viewpoint this is an extremely good option to begin.  Reflecting on the overall food standpoint as the key issue, this visit has confirmed the restaurant’s demotion as a truly bizarre decision and it actually makes no sense to me at all what has changed in the minds of Michelin to this extent.

Experience seldom moves backwards and now that I have tried here again recently, I can confirm with confidence that the food here is simple excellence now, just as it always has been.  If I had to take friends or clients somewhere in SW England that was the most reliable and best food option I can think of, it is here.

Ode to joy – that’s the first thing that comes to my mind when I remind myself of this meal.  So beginning with the canapés that began this parade, these were delightful – the parmesan mousse and chorizo powder being soft, light and with just the right kick (i.e. not too much), the fried ham hock was never going to fail and with the blob of horseradish cream on top was even nicer.  The brioche biscuit to go with the goat’s cheese and lovage dip was again toned beautifully (normally I can’t do anything that is related to celery but this was a very subtle and smooth version and was lovely to use as a dip).

So after the opening canapés the engine was already on and revving very much at the lights.  What I wasn’t expecting was an even nicer form of amuse bouche which was the cabbage blancmange with bacon foam (made with milk and double cream) and black pudding powder.  For a pig lover, this was a stratospherically nice and light amuse bouche and I was close to sensory overload – the sort that makes you unable to control how quickly you eat when it is that enjoyable.

The bread selection was a talking point itself and the brioche was light, superbly fragranced (with an infusion of shallot and bacon) and a wonderful bread to have.  Similarly, the tomato and olive focaccia was also lovely with its perfect moistness and strength at the same time.  These were truly good and the only regret being that I couldn’t try more as I would have risked being too full.

On to the starters and I am happy to go on record in saying that this was the nicest lobster I have ever had.  It was the most succulent, well balanced and sumptuous lobster one could have and was not over complicated – just the glaze of butter actually made me really appreciate the meat for what it was (for once) which was warmed and cooked to perfection and its supporting apple flakes and light vegetables gave it the texture it needed without being obtrusive.  I didn’t feel the need to include the supporting powder with my mouthfuls of lobster, but the remainder was as close to perfect for lobster as I have ever had.

My steak tartare was beautifully done and the supporting corned beef was frankly one of the nicest things I have ever tasted and this was one of the moments where I was virtually overcome with emotion.  Perhaps it was the fact that it was a childhood favourite that Dad used to try and make, or maybe it was because I hadn’t had it in such a long time or possibly nostalgia from only really having via numerous ration packs in slightly rougher surroundings, or quite possibly all and the fact that it was done to heights that have never been experienced – I honestly don’t see how it could have been bettered in flavour by anyone in the world in anyway and it brought the highest levels of gastronomic happiness that I very rarely have.

I should of course mention the fabulous wine options – the half a bottle of Burgandy was soft and fresh for both courses and superb value at £15. This complemented the starters and the intermediary scallops very well, the latter being beautifully done – again, with fresh and balanced peas and purées but carefully given to not interfere too much with the main event which, was cooked perfectly.  Utterly gorgeous and delicate.  The second half a bottle of wine was a one of the more reasonable options as well and for £14 for the half bottle of lovely Côte du Rhône it was again sensational value for money.

On to what the red went with and these were the main courses that were outstanding.  The lamb with lamb sweetbreads, pistachio and supporting sauces certainly in the top two best lamb dishes I have also ever had.  I can’t think how this dish could have been bettered and everything about it came together beautifully with the supporting jus giving an exquisite punch to the already perfectly succulent and juicy lamb.  The duck was also incredible and again, the perfection of the crisp skin whilst not being too fatty, the tenderness of the duck and the sweet sauce reduction to accompany the meat were all out of this world.

The mascarpone pannacotta pre-dessert was fluffy and light and as we were reaching max capacity it was lovely that the restaurant gave one to share so we weren’t overloaded.  It was also extremely kind of them to cater for sizing down the desserts in order to accommodate more flavours, which continued the roller coaster ride when I thought it was going to slow down.  The duck egg custard was beautifully rich and creamy and the supporting rhubarb sorbet cut through and gave the perfect balance without being too ‘stingy’ as sorbets so often can be.  This was actually toned down which I loved and on the other plate the Thai green sorbet with mango tart was another ‘stop everything’ moment – so fresh, crisp, original and powerful as a new flavour for dessert but without attacking the mouth at the same time, this was another talking point in its own right.

The meal was finished with lovely and delicate chocolates with luxurious fillings and a very pleasant chance chat with the Exec chef David who was enjoying his post-service coffee.  A sheer pleasure to meet the man behind the creations and I can’t think of a nicer way to have finished off a very hospitably British affair it was, with wonderful, modern French dishes.  There are many food bloggers out there, but it is simply experiences like this that drive my desire to do this and to sing about where compartments of the heart are opened so others can also experience – and here, components of my heart have been opened with a crowbar.

As I sit by the hydrotherapy pool at Lucknam Park on a Monday leave day, I have enjoyed every second of writing this as I can legitimately unleash all happy and positive compliments of what I had, as the dishes were simply that good and is a pleasure to be able to do so.  This was a life-time memory of a meal and few places in the world have made my dining experience this much of a pleasure.

The restaurant itself is a homely affair and I was immediately made to feel welcome.  The bar area is more a holding area of two sofas rather than full bar but comfortable nonetheless; as I did not need this on this occasion I went straight to the very nicely decorated table.  The home-made unsalted butter in the shape of a perfectly sculpted pie simply sat there on the table, seducing me with its wares… The blue cheese cream biscuit had just the right potency for cheese which was pleasing but the rye bread, pickled pear cubes with horseradish cream was an instantaneous hit.  I would describe this latter canapé itself as explosive and from that moment on I knew I was in the hands of an complete expert.

The bacon and broccoli mousse with bacon powder was fluffy and light but with enough richness as well – this was a superb amuse bouche.  The haddock with parmesan foam was beautifully fresh and light, and again, not too heavy on the haddock essence which can very often be the case.  Neither was this too salty or overpowering but just right and the flakes of flesh simply fell off the main body of the meat when the fork pressed in – beautifully succulent.

The outstanding moment of the meal however was the main.  The duck had been marinaded in salt and garlic for 24 hours and this caused the meat to have almost the same shredded consistency to that of a Peking duck (in the Chinese style).  Duck can sometimes be a slab of rubbery protein if not done well, but this had chunks of wonderfully succulent duck pieces, with the remainder flaking off with ease, all covered in a blissfully crisp and (not too) fatty skin.  The chutney jus, spiced carrot and liver parfait were simply a marriage all together and I amazed at how good this dish on the set menu was.

The coffee tart was perfectly ‘eggy’ with a subtle coffee flavouring with very nice coffee jelly and white chocolate sorbet with coffee sugar crip.  Who doesn’t like jelly and ice cream(?!) and this was a wonderful take on that unloseable formula.  The dessert was light and smooth at the same time and the breadth of the petits fours was impressive meaning that one could almost go for the two course option and opt for the petits fours as a mock-dessert quite comfortably if full, such is the wonderful value of this venue.

I left Le Champignon with one of the biggest smiles I have had in a long time om completion of a meal and with a conviction to return as soon as possible.  I will be coming back with vengeance for the a’la carte on the next visit and I am very glad to have finally seen for myself what a wonderful place this is.  David Everitt-Matthias, the head chef and his wife Helen have run this venue together for 27 years and the passion and pride in their products was obvious.  The food from David was sublime and the hospitality of Helen on the front of house were both a gem to finally experience and I look forward to returning at the soonest opportunity.  Vive La Wild Mushroom!

The very first thing offered at the table was leek and potato soup with leek & chive oil served in a little teacup as is their signature style and this was extremely good.  Totally in keeping with the season, it was also exactly what the doctor ordered from coming in from the cold (served reassuringly hot as well).  

Starters included chicken liver parfait, salmon and a pork and venison terrine.  The liver parfait was immaculate. Not only was it gorgeously smooth, but the liver flavour also packed its punch and the fig and apple chutney was a very well balanced additive with virtually faultless hand made toasted brioche to accompany.  

The smoked Loch Duart salmon with cucumber, horseradish, seaweed crisp and Avruga caviar was a classic combination this was treated well with a pleasant seaweed crisp to add texture to the dish.  Pork, venison, black pudding and pistachio terrine with mushroom duxelle, spiced prune and pickled onion salad was a very good dish.  The combination of the black pudding and other elements was very agreeable and the presentation was simple and elegant.

Risotto of wild mushrooms with fricassee of wild mushrooms, mascarpone, aged parmesan and black truffle was one of the four mains. This had a good stock and pleasingly warm and creamy feel thanks to the mascarpone.  A pleasing addition to the Autumn menu.  Cornish crab ravioli which is a starter was had as a main and was served as two, large raviolo with lemongrass, crab bisque and fennel fondue.  My dining companion (a prolific consumer of fish and pasta) sadly did not enjoy this version, as well as others, owing to the filling being a little too packed and the crab being relatively indistinct.  It’s a fine line on how thick the pasta should ultimately be in relation to contents however, there are simply more delicate versions of raviolo experienced and although a harsh comparison, this observation comes from how it can be more delicate at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay for example.

Jambonette (stuffed poultry leg) of Cotswold white chicken with Autumn truffle puree, hasselback potato and poultry jus was hearty and nicely done.  The chicken was succulent with a wonderful boost of the truffle puree and the chicken skin shards in some of the thinly cut hasselback potato was a masterstroke.  All ‘washed down’ with a reassuringly fullsome jus.  Torte of braised lamb shoulder, potato and confit onion with lamb cannon (rolled saddle from the loin) was served with curd and cavolo nero, roasted onion bagna cauda (traditional garlic and anchovy dip).  This was another good main and the lamb being well cooked with complimentary add ons including the curd.

All in all, the bill came to £190 for 4 with half a bottle of chablis at £25 which worked out as £47.5 per head for an average of three courses, splash of wine (no desserts), teas, coffees and petit fours which is very good value for money.  I also like the fact that there is a bar menu at The Nut Tree Inn and coming in from the cold to having a pint and Michelin starred snacks is probably one of the most wonderful options this country has and I am pleased to enjoy from time to time.  If you haven’t done this in a while, I would obviously recommend doing so.

The meal began with popcorn with cep powder.  These were salty and very good.  Homemade breads made that afternoon included focaccia with Rosemary, baguettes which had a decent crunch and sourdough that had a good crust.  An amuse-bouche of white onion soup was served with chive oil and was a very appealing greeting to get warmed up and comfortable.

I elected for two starters and a side as the things I most wanted to try.  The Salmon starter was quite dense with dill that was quite salty and was offset by the horseradish cream.  I felt this could have done with more of the latter, but it was very good to have the caviar and represented good value for money as a starter with this kind of indulgent ingredient.

The haddock starter was served as a gratin with layered potato slices, a soft poached Haddenham hen’s egg and with a chorizo and tomato compote.  This was a bit of a mission to eat from the ramekin it was served in but had a very pleasant, smokey quality and the chorizo worked like a charm.  Whilst quite straight forward, the parts all worked really well together I thought on this.

I opted for a side of thick-cut chips which were customarily fluffy on the inside being triple cooked and well crunchy on the outside. Béarnaise was a generous side and very tangy result from fresh shallot, white wine vinegar and provided a very lovely add on.

As that was all actually quite filling, it made no sense going for a dessert so coffee and green tea with very nicely done ganache truffles at the end provided the petit fours.  The whole bill for dinner and being completely full came to £31 including a pint of beer.  This is extraordinary value and rivals that of The Crown in Burchett’s Green at £28 for a 5-course supper I had at that Michelin starred pub last year.

There is no wonder why I think the world of pubs that do very good food and they are a national treasure to keep. Long may this one keep it up.

This proved to be a winning choice as the tasting menu proved to be magnificent value for money with 9 courses for approximately £10 more than how much the a la carte would have been.  The stand out dishes of the menu for me were the turbot with superb garlic and cream sauce and the melt in the mouth pork belly with celeriac puree, apple sauce and pork reduction.  These moments confirmed being very happy to have gone for the tasting option.

Another lovely moment was the wonderfully and subtly pickled shallots to go with the Pea Royale and goat’s curd, which formed a lovely combination altogether, and this was needed to cut through quite a dense, chilled pea blend.  There were no real low moments of the meal save to say that it was all at a consistently mid-pleasing note.  I think I will always find, however, passion fruit in sorbet or soufflé form an assault on the jaw bone and teeth.

The only other aspect I would have preferred is if the portion sizes were slightly smaller on the tasting menu – it was utterly fabulous value for money as a result but as most of the courses were sized as a mid-large starter, I was almost fearing the next course rather than bouncing with excitement.  I would recommend making sure you go hungry.

This is a lovely pub no question and the owners and staff were genuinely enjoying looking after their guests which were easy to spot and made for a good atmosphere.  The hospitality was very homely for all those present, who ranged from long-standing locals to blazer wearing folk clearly wanting a more notable dinner.  A very nice find and marker for the future as well.