Category Archive: Rest of UK

Outside of London

Review: Lympstone Manor, Devon

Lympstone Manor is in a lovely spot on the Exe estuary and has swiftly earned a Michelin star since chef Michael Caines opened a few years ago. It’s a classic country house hotel, elegantly furnished rooms full of light and lovely things, excellent service throughout. The restaurant offers a classic and a seafood tasting menu …

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Review: Grace & Savour, Hampton-in-Arden

My previous review of Smoke gives a bit of detail about Hampton Manor, the location for Grace & Savour. Yes, we stayed here for two nights and had two knock-out fine dining meals in a row including a wine pairing here. Yes, the next day on the way home we did feel just a teensy …

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Review: Smoke, Hampton-in-Arden

It being January and miserable, we took ourselves off to a country house hotel in darkest Warwickshire to do nothing but indulge. Recommended. And specifically I recommend Hampton Manor as a great place to unwind. It’s a big ol’ Victorian pile that has been given a warm country vibe with a mixture of big statements …

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Review: Thomas, Cardiff

I’m writing this review a bit late, really. It’s a good couple of weeks since we ate at Thomas – Tom Simmon’s Cardiff restaurant – and I didn’t take notes at the time. But! It was too good a meal not to record, so here are just a few thoughts and recollections… It’s got a …

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Review: Gwen, Machynllyth

Gareth Ward strikes me as a really good guy. He’s opened this new 8-cover restaurant in the middle of Machynlleth high street, named Gwen for his mum, and put chef Corrin Harrison in charge, and then backed him to the extent of letting him create and evolve the whole menu without any input at all …

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