The food here was good which I was pleased to see.  The supporting soy and hoi sin sauces were actually very good as was the shredded beef dish – good quality and succulant as well as being light on the crispyness without the gelatenous and squidgy exterior that so many poor Chinese restaurants produce (some even in China Town).   However, as pleasant as this food was, it was a real turn off to have this simple shredded beef priced at £19.  Only a year ago, I now see from their website that it is now £26 (as at Feb 15) and that has an ouch factor which is rare.  It was therefore confirmed – the prices you are paying here are not for the quality of the food but purely for where you are having it and I would therefore say, do it just to experience once for something nice, but then on principle alone avoid paying this amount thereafter.  One can, for this price actually gain two dishes at 1 Michelin starred level at Hakkasan for example to put in to perspective.

A nice meal here, with a superb view, but far too expensive for the only ‘good’ quality to make me have any burning desire to return immediately.

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.

The set menu today started with the signature blue cheese naan and shot of pumpkin-spiced soup which was a great start as always.  My choices for today started with chilli pork ribs which had a delightfully crispy masala crackling (deep-fried coating) and chilli sauce.  This was very good and the heaviness of the sauce was compensated by the sharp of pickled julienne vegetables.

Tawa chicken was the main selected.  This was boneless chicken served with a house curry which was served essentially as a spicy curry over the girdle cooked chicken and was carefully presented.  All main courses came with a collection of sides for everyone representing further excellent value.  These included tadka khadai vegetables, new potatoes with charred coriander, basmati rice that was light, fluffy and lengthy as well (a usual tale-tale sign of higher quality), roast sunchoke and boondi raita, naan breads and a sensational dal.  This black dairy dal had been prepared for 48 hours and this produced an ultra-creamy and luxuriously smooth dal – I have not had a finer dal to date.

There were numerous desserts to choose from but I could not resist going for the superb makhan malai which is essentially a large, aerated mousse made with saffron which is delicately judged on all levels and the brittle pieces of rose petal jaggery (a form candy) and almonds giving a superb textural crunch and sweetness to the saffron.  This is an excellent dessert and is also a signature dish which is great to see on the lunch menu.  The coconut cheese cake with very good chocolate sauce and the treacle tart were also very good to taste.

This was a quality meal and considering that it is essentially 4 courses (with amuse bouche) for £27, this is the staple example of why I enjoy/prefer going to establishments such as these in a heartbeat compared to restaurants of poor quality that charge virtually the same.  If you enjoy Indian food and want quality, I cannot stress how much this restaurant is for you.

I have been to Indian Accent twice and each time, the amuse bouche of coconut and pumpkin mini soup at the start has been utterly superb and with a surprisingly good blue cheese naan bite as well.  It is unusual for me to think so much of an amuse bouche, but this really did succeed.  The vegetable naan with supporting pau dip was pleasing whereas the smoked bacon and butter chicken kulfas were utterly beautiful.  Each kulfa has their superb filling and the sheer kick of flavour from the excellent bacon filling in particular is frankly marvellous.

The dahl was reassuringly smooth and creamy and the shredded and spiced lamb with mini pancakes is another quality dish.  As the lamb is spiced so well, I didn’t think it actually needed the overly powerful supporting chutneys, however the lamb was gorgeously tender with the fun of packing and wrapping your own pancake to taste.  Chicken kofta with its vegetable fritters and and sour yoghurt sauce was nicely done but the other main star of the show was soy keema dish with quail’s egg. The indulgent egg gives the already wonderful keema dish another level of decadence and to eat it, you would not have any idea that a soy dish could taste this good – it is a reason to come to Indian Accent on its own.

The lentil cereal was light and crispy as another play on the conventional use of lentils and its side of cauliflower transformed in to wafer-thin crisps producing a pleasing but on the dryer side of a dish.  Already approaching full, the thought of a dessert was not at the uppermost on the mind, however we were assured that the Makhan Malai would not be heavy.  Thankfully this turned out to be 100% correct as was essentially a very airy mousse made from saffron and milk with just a few almonds for texture and rose petals for presentation.  Saffron can be quite pungent, but this was done to a remarkably good balance and skilful level in a dessert not seen very often and which was another success of the meal.

All in, the bill came to just under £50 per head for additional snacks, three courses, tea, beers and service which, for this standard of cooking was entirely fair and I was more than ok with this price as a result.  In my view it actually out-classes the 5 Michelin starred Indian restaurants in the UK (all of which happen to be in London).  Although these are good, I would sooner return to Indian Accent in a heartbeat before hand.

Naan breads were wonderfully fluffy but not too thick and served with a very good gooseberry chutney which was a pleasant change from mango.  Pink prawns, coconut, sesame and Roscoff onion were meaty and sweet. The lamb I have had before and is extremely good with real depth of lamb flavour, gently balanced with black cumin, sprouts, onion and yoghurt.  I’m actually struggling to think where in London I have actually had better lamb chops.

Morels with berries, wild mushroom, white turmeric and crisps was very good as I recall it so I was pleased that my dining companions who had not been there enjoyed this.  The panfried sea bass, curry leaf and coconut was a very delicate dish as is the fish, and both were treated exactly as they should be, the curry being a gentle accompaniment to the lovely sea bass cooked to perfection (much more difficult than most realise).   

Chicken tikka masala with fenugreek, tomato and Kashmiri chilli was a masterstroke.  I was curious to see how Kutir would handle this and the result was a bowl of sweetness and depth of tomato curry with succulent chicken contained within and at this point, I only wished I had a bowl of that and nothing else to fill me up as is usually the case when dining on Indian cuisine (very filling).  The Kutir kaali dal had good depth and was a luxurious dip for the naan.  Sadly none of my dessert photos made it successfully, but the two tried were well spiced and light at the same time.

Another very good experience here, which I would definitely put on your list of to do’s if you are in any way fond of curry, for this upgrade experience.  If this establishment received a Michelin star, I would say this is entirely appropriate.

The menu at Kutir is mainly North Indian cuisine but also showcases signature dishes from around the country.  Menu prices are not vast considering the location, but it is easy to get caught up with several attractive options from under £10 which will obviously add up.  For this visit, we tried the stone bass squid, scallops aubergine, truffle mushroom khichadi and I could not resist one on my favourite curries of all time, the duck korma.

Nibbles of breads, crackers and popadoms were the obvious nibbles, but crucially, were done well (not too oily at all) and served with very good chutneys especially the mango and pineapple spiced chutney.   The tandoori cooked stone bass came with squid ink and crisps and was marinated in yoghurt, cream cheese and spices making it nice and moist.  It included two little squid rings which, separately were very nice as well.  The scallops were hand-dived and served with aubergine frittas and puree which was pleasing, but the actual sweetness of the scallops was one of the gems of the whole meal.

Quail naan (naan bread with diced quail inside) with scrambled egg and truffle on the top was never going to fail as a combination, but it was a little tricky to eat with hands and actually qualified as a dish in itself when I was mainly after a naan to help mop up the korma.  This was duly provided in the form of a plain paratha, kulcha and naan and were all fine in texture (great to have the different kinds of breads on one side plate).

The lamb was another highlight in that it almost didn’t need its supporting cumin (but was delicately handled all the same) as the quality of this lamb was super providing excellent flavour.  Truffle khichadi (a form of kedgeree using lentils with rice) was rich and satisfying.  The duck korma was very good to have albeit with a korma sauce that I was expecting just a little more kick or excitement from.  Certainly not a negative though.

Dessert comprised of chilli chocolate banana mousse.  This was heavy but pleasant, along with ginger biscuit & dehydrated banana with creme brûlée using a hard & soya chocolate to accompany along with banana fritas on toffee.  This was a superb dessert and would rival a mass of desserts in any Michelin starred restaurant you care to mention and was a lovely finish to show that this ex-Jamavar head chef is still very much operating at a consistently high level and I look forward to returning when I can.  

A selection of crudités in ice started the proceedings to munch on and were, as usual, vibrant and pleasant to dip in the olive oil, balsamic and creme fraiche. Other snacks included Gillardeau oysters with matcha tea jelly & yuzu, smoked salmon, potato cream & horseradish tarteletts (my favourite among the snacks) and mini tacos with buffalo mozzarella & tomato. Nicely done and a pleasant way to start.

Roasted octopus, pecorino romano cheese & infusion of green pea was a first starter with the peas doing a lot of the talking in being such good quality (actually more of a talking point than the octopus). An absolute favourite of mine here is the Fagottelli alla carbonara – delicate pasta parcels with pecorino, parmesan, egg yolk and (shhh!) a tiny dash of cream. Although some protest at cream in a carbonara, I do not care, this makes it sheer savoury liquid heaven (as its purpose) and with the dried crispy bacon shavings on top, frankly it is worth coming here just for this dish (now on the tasting menu only). It’s also important that I mention that this is one of the stand out dishes of the 3 Michelin starred La Pergola and as far as I can tell, there are only minuscule differences between how this Fogattelli compares in the two restaurants – that’s not bad!

Roast leg of milk-fed lamb, coastal vegetables, yoghurt & spices was very nicely done, the lamb having good flavour and perfectly cooked. The combination with the spiced yoghurt, already well balanced, with pleasing veg and finely presented Hasselback, or potato fan. Risotto with Robiola cheese, spiced pork salumi & courgette flowers was nicely moist, had a good stock and with well-chosen textures to add a welcome crunch. The cheese board covered most of Europe and came with pleasant chutney additives and additional rye bread.

Usually this would be it in terms of the write-up, but the raspberry gel petit fours are so good here that they are worth their own mention. It’s very rare you find these at the right softness and taste – I find they are either the right flavour but with the texture of a squash ball, or squidgy enough but with levels of sweetness that feel like they could dissolve your teeth in a matter of minutes. These however, are the absolute best of both worlds, so soft and lightly sweet, with just enough fine, caster sugar, it is actually a talking point. The salted caramel truffles and raspberry macarons are also notably good here as petit fours.

All in, this was approximately £100 per person which, with some very upgraded wine by the glass, is not that bad at all for the quality and setting. If you are a member of the Luxury Restaurant Guide, you also get a free glass of champagne at your meal if you order from the a la carte menu and this is a superb offering as well. For all the above reasons, I think this is a truly great spot in London, serving some carefully chosen and well-executed Mediterranean and Italian food that I have yet to find being trumped anywhere in the UK for this cuisine. In conclusion, frankly I have no idea what the Michelin Guide GB & Ireland are holding out for here. 2020….?

Snacks were had in the bar which consisted of oysters with tarragon and tomato gels, mini tacos with beetroot and avocado cream and crostinis served with butter and anchovy, lemon cream and caviar.  These were certainly a very strong first impression just to nibble on.  I have had snacks and canapes in Michelin starred restaurants that these would put entirely to shame.

Sea bass carpaccio was served with cannellini beans, vegetable crudités and white truffle of Alba and lime.  All the supporting parts went well with the fish which was not too marinated as a carpaccio which was good to see (some can be doused too much, making them more as they should be as a ceviche).  Dressed crab, grilled cabbage, carrot and lemon dressing was another beautifully fresh starter.  The carrot sauce was sweet and worked very well with the crab which was also 100% shell free which seems to be a rarity these days and a considerable bonus for this visit(!).  Scallops came from Scotland and came with potato crisps and pickled Tropea onions (red, long and sweeter onions from Tropea, Southen-tip of Italy).

Veal tartare was served with parmesan cream truffle, rosemary bruschetta and sandwiched in between two thinly sliced pieces of sourdough that were shallow fried.  Yes, this was as sumptuous as it sounds and the veal tartare itself perhaps gaining a significant hand from its accompaniments, but boy were they a welcome hand!  You could probably hoover this dish in a matter of seconds if there were no restrictions.

However, the absolute crown of the meal went to the Risotto.  By the time this came, we were actually getting a little full, and I vividly remember thinking that it was going to be too much when I saw it.  These thoughts utterly disappeared and were replaced with the thought there might not be enough of it as it was genuinely that marvellous.  Aside from the superb veal stock that had clearly gone into it, the delightful textures from the stock and the light crunch of the artichoke crisps were complimented by one of the greatest truffle balancing acts I have ever had.  In terms of a risotto the only that could compare from memory was that served in La Calandre, a 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Padua, 20 minutes south of Venice where their liquorice and saffron risotto is well known in the food explorer’s world.  I actually think as a risotto, this was perhaps even better and left me smiling for the rest of the day.

The finale to the meal was trying what could clearly be the only thing to try for an Italian meal and with only a tiny amount of space left, which was the tiramisu.  The modern take on this was nicely done in serving it affogato (traditionally espresso poured over vanilla ice cream) and this was an espresso and chocolate sauce over the tiramisu which was as light as a cloud and a genuine pleasure.

This meal was not the cheapest (see receipt for why) and in terms of either having a sensational glass of the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia at £75 each, or something average, the answer in our heads was, “Well, it’s Christmas!”.   Overall this made for a pretty hefty £250 each, but in the surroundings, service and offerings that were had, I am far more happy paying this for these sorts of pleasures than an average meal at even a third of this price which, can very often be the case.

A brilliant first visit, revealing a confirmed little gem.