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Eat My Words: We reviewed Woodborough Hall’s autumn tasting menu




As autumn comes around, the need for cosy and heart-warming food increases and so a new tasting menu has been launched at a timeless country house.

As the team’s second autumn arrives, guests were invited for the new menu tasting, and we were invited to go along and give it a try.

The seven-course menu was designed to fit each guest’s diet requirements, from meat and fish, to vegan or vegetarian.

Cameron Harris eating the filet mignon dish.
Cameron Harris eating the filet mignon dish.

We entered Woodborough Hall and were immediately greeted by the staff who took us to the bar for a welcome drink of our choice, that’s what I call a Friday night.

We sat in one of the two waiting rooms and couldn’t help but play some cheeky chess and unfortunately I lost. It was OK though because the best part was yet to come — the food.

We were guided to the upstairs dining lounge, where we were shown to our table, perfectly set with candles and a calming and elegant low-light environment.

The head chef greeted the guests in the room and straight after, the starters arrived at the table.

Despite having the vegetarian menu, I chose to try the fish options as well and so we started with the voluté accompanied by scallops and chives.

Volute, scallops and chives.
Volute, scallops and chives.

On the side, I had a glass of California Gold Country Chardonnay, as recommended by the chef.

I am not going to lie, when I saw the waitresses walk past with the starter I was a bit scared of trying it. It looked like a funny gelatin, but you can never judge a book by its cover and that was true this time.

When it arrived at our table it was nothing like gelatin, it was more like a fish soup and it was very good and different from what I was expecting, a very pleasant surprise, and the crunch on top was the perfect combination.

Considering the weather, that was the perfect appetiser, rich in flavour and it felt like a warm hug.

Tomato, basil, garlic and olive.
Tomato, basil, garlic and olive.

Next on the list was the tomato, basil, garlic, and olive dish. which was designed for all dietary requirements and it was very refreshing.

When the third dish arrived, the vegetarian one being ravioli, goat curd, hazelnut and sweet cherry, that’s when things got serious and my taste buds started jumping for joy.

Ravioli, goat curd, hazelnut and sweet cherry.
Ravioli, goat curd, hazelnut and sweet cherry.

The dish was the perfect mixture of sweet and savoury. It was one of the most interesting taste combinations I have ever had and even now, days after trying it, I can’t forget it.

From the textures and colours to the flavours, they were all so different but agreed with each other so perfectly, I believe the picture will speak for itself.

The meat version of the dish was ravioli, duck, and sweet cherry, a slight difference, and Cam described the duck as being cooked to perfection with an incredible taste.

Ravioli, duck and sweet cheery.
Ravioli, duck and sweet cheery.

Moving on from such a happy dish, we had a palate cleanser of apple and lemongrass, which reminded me of a sorbet.

Palate cleanser of apple and lemongrass.
Palate cleanser of apple and lemongrass.
Artichoke, fennel, orange and grapefruit.
Artichoke, fennel, orange and grapefruit.

Next, we had artichokes, fennel, orange and grapefruit and the meat/fish version had exactly the same but with the addition of halibut, which in my opinion made a big difference.

Never having tried artichokes before, maybe it was the fact that it is something that I wasn’t used to the texture of, but the artichokes were very leafy which I didn’t appreciate as much. The flavour was interesting, but it is not something I would have again.

Halibut, artichoke, fennel, orange and grapefruit.
Halibut, artichoke, fennel, orange and grapefruit.

However, when the halibut is added to the dish it flips it upside down and I would definitely welcome the dish again - it wasn’t as focused on the artichokes but on the flavour and quality of the fish.

What came next next was simply fantastic and a meal that I would eat, eat and repeat.

Potato, aspargus, volute, dill, lemon and pea.
Potato, aspargus, volute, dill, lemon and pea.

The vegetarian dish was potato, asparagus, voluté, dill, lemon and pea. The top of the potato was crunchy, but the inside melted in my mouth the second I had a bite. It may appear simple due to being a potato, but all the ingredients and the rich creamy sauce it was laid on, were planned to the last detail.

At first sight, it reminded me of a pie or a Spanish tortilla, but just like every other dish, many things may look like it, but its unique taste secured it a place on my top autumn dishes list.

As a recommended drink I had Escapada Vinho Lisboa, a Portuguese wine that went down smoothly alongside the food.

The meat dish was a filet mignon, shallots and hand-picked mushrooms and despite not eating meat or having tried it, it did look delicious.

Filet Mignon, shallots and mushrooms.
Filet Mignon, shallots and mushrooms.

And quoting Cameron, who still talks about the dish today: “It was more than a meal, it was an experience.” He also said it was one of the best meals he ever had tasted and how impressed he was.

After so many courses, it was tea time and we were served herbal tea with honey. I just wish I had asked them where I can get some for myself because it was so good that I could picture going back to the room where we played chess by the fireplace and drink tea the whole night.

Herbal and honey tea.
Herbal and honey tea.

For dessert, we had a chocolate coma of deliciousness. It was matcha cake, crunchy chocolate crumbles, and summer berries and even though I do not have a sweet tooth, that was - well wow.

Chocolate and summer berries dessert.
Chocolate and summer berries dessert.

I believe they named it something earthy and it makes perfect sense because it reminded me of a plant pot. It was the perfect end to the meal - or so we thought. As Cam said: “Just when I thought I hit the jackpot, there is more.”

Smoked cheese, crackers and marmalade.
Smoked cheese, crackers and marmalade.

The staff and chefs had planned a surprise dish, which included some smoked cheese, crackers and marmalade. In case you didn’t know, I am a cheese lover so this was the way to secure a place in my heart (although the venue had been there from the third dish!)

I don’t think too many words are needed to say that any meal that ends with cheese, crackers and marmalade reminds me of home. For me that is an automatic ‘thank you’ for such an amazing meal.

From its beautiful grounds and history, kind and attentive staff, to the delicious food that is served and made with such care and detail, Woodborough Hall impressed me. These dishes are now available on the autumn menu and if you have a chance to go and try it, I couldn’t recommend it more.

Eat My Words
Eat My Words

Out of five:

Food: The food was incredible and I will recommend it over and over again, carefully picked quality ingredients that added to the dish without too much effort. *****

Drink: We only had beers, water and different wines. The Hall had a great selection of options available. *****

Decor: Woodborough Hall is beautiful and the dining area was simple yet elegant, matching the vibes and decor of the property. *****

Staff: The staff was very caring and attentive, always checking if we needed anything else and how the food was. *****

Price: The price of the seven-course tasting menu was £75 for guests, however, it was complimentary for us as we were invited. I believe that anything from £50 to £80 is a fair price for the work the chefs put in and the quality of the food, not to forget it includes the drinks, which also add to the price of the meal. ***



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