Lunch at The Waterside Inn

Once a year Liz and I treat ourselves to a very high quality (i.e. Michelin-starred) lunch out. Usually this is just after my birthday and my part is funded by the cheque my dad always gives me. But of course my dad passed away earlier this year and so I have been squirreling money away for this very special treat since then.

The Waterside Inn in Bray is very posh indeed. It is in a posh village (also home to Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck), it is in a posh part of the country (just to the west of Windsor) and it sits on a posh part of the River Thames. Last year the restaurant celebrated 25 years of holding 3 Michelin stars. Previously Liz and I had only eaten at a 2 star establishment, Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, so we were expecting great things. And by and large we got them.

You drive down a narrow village lane and The Waterside Inn is at the end (as is a slipway leading into the river). You are waylaid by the restaurant's valet who parks your car for you. This is a first for me and certainly for my beaten-up old Honda. A friend had reminded me that he would need tipping on car collection but as he had only in fact reversed it into a space 5 metres away I felt that was a bit OTT. I was left wondering if he thought I might have gone down the slipway . . .

On entering the building I was greeted by a fairly frosty French receptionist who informed me that they would not be open for 4 minutes and would I like to wait over there (pointing at a couple of generously sized sofas). Liz was making her own way so this was fine by me. At that moment Alain Roux the head chef (and son of the great Michel) walked through in his chef's whites so I knew we were in good hands.

Liz arrived and we were ushered through the restaurant and out of the large glass doors onto the riverside terrace for our aperitifs. As it was such a lovely day we really reaped the benefit of the splendid views.

If you are feeling very flush you can book their boat (for £65 per half hour!) and take your drinks and canapés off for a little river trip. Sadly another party beat us to it. maybe next time (when I've won the lottery)!

Ah yes. The canapés. Absolutely gorgeous. I particularly enjoyed the carrot, ginger and vodka shot, and the little round one which was foie gras with something. You will have to forgive the fact that I had nothing to write on and forgot to get a copy of the menu on my way out so details of some of what we ate are a bit sketchy!

The restaurant itself is a bit tardis like, much larger inside than it looks. The clever use of mirrored panels all around the room also means you get to see everything that is going on, great for nosey people like me! We chose the 3 course Menu Gastronomique (basically the set lunch) at £68 for three courses. The other diners all appeared to be doing the same but this was hardly a surprise. We also noticed that all customers were drinking wine by the glass. Having seen the prices on the Wine List this was no surprise either. We both chose the smoked eel/celeriac/crispy egg as a starter. It was a very good combination indeed although the egg was a bit bland. Liz doesn't do eggs but I didn't feel inclined to help her out. The alternative was a creamy corn and prawn soup. The lady on the next table had that. It was decorated with popcorn. I am underwhelmed by great restaurants serving popcorn! Le Manoir used it last time I dined there.

It is now that I should mention the absolutely fantastic service. There were so many waiters running around that they reminded me of the penguins in Mary Poppins. But the service was faultless, friendly and they were all very French. They were charming to talk to as well. It was a bit like being pampered by a lot of lovely young men. Really top drawer. (And the waitresses were very sweet too).

I cannot remember all of the ingredients in our mains. Suffice to say that Liz had Red mullet and squid on a kind of potato wafer and I had roast rump of beef on spinach in a really rich jus serve with timbales of pearl barley which tasted nicer than they sound. It was topped with a lovely splodge of bone marrow, one of my very favourite things. Both mains were exemplary.

By now we were filling very replete but truly the best was yet to come. I think my dessert was probably the best dessert I have ever tasted anywhere. It's right up there certainly.

So we have a pistachio mousse with strawberries served on shortbread, strawberry sorbet and the best pannacotta ever which was enriched by having a trifley bottom. Just looking at the photo again makes me drool. Liz went for a passion fruit/mango sorbet/chocolate dessert concoction and pronounced it very rich but delicious.

 We were then escorted back outside to the river by yet another gorgeous boy where we enjoyed coffee (decaff of course) and wonderful little sweet treats. We must have sat there watching the world go by for a good hour. Really lovely.

 It was, as they say, A Grand Day Out. VAT and Service are all included and the bill, which boasted a large G&T and 2 glasses of wine, was £149. For a special occasion I don't think it can be beaten. Except by Le Manoir maybe.

We think next year's outing will be to Le Gavroche, if we can get a table.

Lunch at Paris House

It is half term so, naturally enough, I am due a food treat. My schoolfriend chum Liz and I decided to visit Paris House in the grounds of the Woburn Abbey for a leisurely lunch. Liz had dined there several times before as she has a friend who was a cousin of one of the previous owners. Liz really rated it and, as it's just gained a Michelin star under the Alan Merchison team, now seemed like a good time to try it.

It is approached through a deer park and looks slightly incongrous in its surroundings. The building itself was constructed in Paris in 1878 and then dismantled and brought to Woburn at the end of the 19th century. We loved the chickens in the adjacent pen (and Eglu) and the distant deer which were mostly white. Liz thought they must be albinos. I keep meaning to look them up.

I started with my first G&T for 3 weeks. All the more yummy for being mixed with Fevertree tonic which is absolutedly the best. It was accompanied by excellent olives and coated cashews. We then moved into the dining room for an amuse bouche of (Jerusalem) Artichoke Velouté with Hazelnut Foam. I don't do foam. It looked like spit and this one didn't taste of anything. The soup was gorgeous however and you could definitely taste hazelnuts in that. At the bottom was an unexpected prune which finished the dish off nicely, although seeing that written down it doesn't sound nice at all.

We had opted for the Lunch Tasting menu and the next dish was a Chicken Liver Parfait, Madeira Jelly and Crispy Brioche. It was runnier than I'd expected and garnished prettily with thin beetroot ribbons. Very smooth, very moreish. This was followed by a Smoked Haddock Risotto with Crispy Egg (and more blooming foam). Liz had reservations about this as she doesn't do eggs (so I had to oblige) and she felt that it wasn't risotto rice and therefore lacked something. I had no complaints but wondered what kind of eggs they were - smaller than your average chicken, bigger than quail. We both agreed though that it was very tasty.

Mains were a delight. Liz's Poached Pigeon Breast, Pea Parfait, Confit and Sherry Jus is pictured. I was allowed a taste of the pigeon. Totally melt-in-the-mouth. I am eyeing up the pigeons in my garden. It really was a sensational dish.



I went for the other option of Pan-Fried Skate, Dill Gnocchi, Brown Shrimp and Cockle Butter which was also wonderful. Perhaps the gnocchi were on the hefty side but the dish was no worse for that.

We decided then, to hell with the cost, to share a plate of cheese. Totally amazing and possibly the best cheese board I have seen outside Le Manoir. Liz waxed lyrical about the various goat cheeses. I loved the Epoisses and a wonderful cider-washed Welsh hard cheese whose name escapes me.

The chef's pre-desserts were miniature ice cream cones containing lemon parfait (I think) and coconut ice cream. Fortunately for me Liz can only take a little dairy before her allergy to whey kicks in so she insisted I had hers too. Again it was really good, the balance between the lemon and the coconut just perfect.

My dessert was a Marshmallow, Vanilla and Chocolate Sauce confection decorated with gold leaf. So pretty, so fabulous. I think Liz fared less well with the Rum Baba and Caramelised Pineapple but she certainly wasn't complaining. (I had to eat her Pina Colada ice cream too and that was very, very good).

We shared a bottle of (red) Rioja. The price for lunch including service and a supplement for the cheese was £146. Not cheap but I think it was special enough to warrant it.

The ambience is excellent, the building and decor nicely quirky. We left replete and vowing to return.

Highly recommended for a special lunch but you'll have to book well in advance.

Dinner at Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons

On Monday November 22nd Chris and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary. This is no mean feat given that my parents thought we'd be lucky to make it through the first year.

I started suggesting a meal at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir at least 6 months ago. My children finally caved in, booked it up and gave us £200 towards it and the promise of a driver for the night!

I hope you can see from the pictures how special it all is. My main course of Brill in a wasabi sauce (and much more) was just beautiful, as was the Cornish lobster I had to start. Of the three chocolate puddings I'd be pushed to say which was the best but I think the one on the left filled with pistachio soufflé just about wins.

You get the full works at Le Manoir. A lovely lounge for before and after your meal. Drinks and amazing canapés beforehand, coffee and petits fours to finish. You pay for the experience of course (The bill was £281 before service)!

We ate from the A la Carte menu - the cheapest option. I didn't see anyone going for either of the set 5 or 9 course tasting menus. We shared a bottle of Temperanillo and a glass of dessert wine.

It was all fabulous but it makes the three course luncheon seem like an amazing deal at £62.50 per person, plus you get to see the fabulous gardens.

The next morning one of my fellow swimmers was telling me that she went to Le Manoir just before Christmas a few years ago. Apparently thay had drinks and canapés and then all processed down to the local church to a Carol Service. Then back to Le Manoir for a big meal. She stayed the night too and said she thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can well imagine.

And for those of you worried about the fussy eater, he ate all that was put before him - a duck liver concoction, Roast Piglet, and the Wrong Pudding. He'd ordered a pear tarte tatin and was given something totally different which featured passion fruit (he wouldn't normally eat passion fruit)! I think he'd forgotten what he ordered, ate it and then was told by the waiter that they had made a mistake and he wouldn't have to pay for it but he could still have his pear dish. He declined on the grounds of being completely stuffed!


He was up most of the night complaining of indigestion . . .


I'm sorry that this is so late and not very detailed. My dad is back in hospital, his wife is practically snowed in at home and I am back and forwards to Norfolk.