Category Archive: Fine dining

White linen, silver service, but not in Mr Michelin's book

Review: Where The Light Gets In, Stockport

This is a restaurant that seems to polarise reviewers. I’m going to cut to the chase: my experience of Where The Light Gets In was in the “meh” category. Yes, it’s achingly hip. The chairs are plain wood, no cushion, Scandi minimalist. Beards are prominent. In all this I agree with other reviewers. But then …

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Review: Hambleton Hall, Oakham

Fine dining has evolved a lot. And so it’s lovely sometimes to rock up at a country house hotel in the middle of nowhere, be settled by the fire and brought champagne, then taken through to a high-ceilinged dining room, seated at a white linen clad table, and served superb food and good wine by …

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Review: Whatley Manor, Easton Grey

The infusion of Japanese and east Asian ingredients and techniques into modern British high-end dining is in full swing, and the work of chef Niall Keating at Whatley Manor is a pretty spiffy example. Lime and parmesan crackers were a great start: two ingredients I don’t think I’ve ever seen listed together, but the perfumed …

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Review: The Raby Hunt, Darlington

TL;DR: We enjoyed something like fifteen courses of splendid fine dining at the Raby Hunt. There were no dishes we didn’t love, and some we loved a lot! It looks like the old drovers’ inn has had a thorough makeover recently, with a sharp modern display kitchen and edgy touches like the silver skull that …

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Review: Pascere, Brighton

There’s something about Christmas that brings out the worst in dining out. The phrase “Christmas menu” usually has me turning a swift 180 on my heel and heading elsewhere. And oh my, the work Christmas party! This year’s was a classic. Floppity “roast” veg. Slices of turkey so thin and processed that I swear – …

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