Top UK eateries

Ah yes pretty food outlets.

Depends who is buying.

I know three good curry houses in both Croydon and Bradford and that there arent any in Horsham.

I've eaten at 

The Manoir, Great Milton  

1 lunch & 1 dinner  

Excellent & hard to beat for quality in all respects

Lumiere,Cheltenham

Top class lunch,  the service was slow but they did apologise even though I was not at all concerned,  so I assume what we had was not normal. 

I would add Tom Kerridge's "Hand & Flowers" at Marlow to the list

He claims it to be pub food,  err no Tom !!! its just damn good food that you would need to go a long way to find better.  

Problem with them all is it takes months to make a reservation,  the "Hand & Flowers" is now taking midweek lunch reservations in February 

IF you are in the Chilterns area & want a top real pub without any Michelin stars or Egon Ronay rosettes that does not serve either pretentious nouveau cuisine or pub-grease-grub  .........

The George & Dragon at West Wycombe  - visited (again) today & am still salivating over the onion soup & their double cooked pork belly to die for.  

Hi Mista

I have been to some:

Le Manoir - good classic French cooking (if sometimes a tad "frilly" for my tastes), superb service, lovely setting. Perfect for a romantic break...

Gidleigh Park - even better setting, exquisitely presented food with strong flavours and an emphasis on local produce.

The Ledbury - I'm probably alone but I think it overrated. Nothing wrong with it, just doesn't live up to the hype or the pricing. Service is nothing special either.

Petrus - stunning interior, big flavours, innovative presentation. Sometimes a bit overcomplicated though. Puddings are very good. Erratic service. The best of all Ramsey's restaurants, but that might because he's never there

Le Gavroche - now we are talking class. This is the oldest upscale restaurant in the UK (45 years). The set lunch is just about the best bargain in London. Impeccable service. The classic dishes are classics because... well, they are extraordinarily good: lobster salad with grapefruit;  Caneton Gavroche (whole poached duck in a light consommé served with three sauces); Swiss cheese souffle with double cream; and Omelette Rothschild. Superb wines. If I were to go for just one restaurant in the UK, it would be Gavvers, because it just delivers every time. The room is a bit gloomy though - needs redecorating or redesigning. 

IMO the only restaurant in Blighty that can beat it is the Waterside Inn at Bray, another Roux establishment, but it's eye-wateringly expensive.

Be warned though, my tastes veer towards French Classical cuisine, which may not be anyone else's taste! Leave your diet and debt worries at home!

Apropos of nothing, my favourite nosherie anywhere is Lasserre in Paris, another ancient temple of haute cuisine whose pastry chef Claire Heitzler is generally reckoned to be the best in the world.

No's 1, 2 and 10 and I agree with Kevin's take on these three above. Le Gavroche is the one I've been to the most and first went there in the '80s. Gidleigh Park is in my home county, beautiful setting on the moor. Le Manoir is birthday treatsville for SWMBO. 

We spent a very agreeable weekend at Le Manoir a few years ago. I found it remarkably unpretentious and quite cosy, with lovely grounds and delicious food. The accomodation was very expensive but as a special treat it was worthwhile.

Mssr Blanc was courteous enough to spend some time chatting ot us during a break between courses; there's always that slightly awkward matter with autographs but in the end I was quite comfortable to sign a napkin for him and I think he went off happy.

I am sure the food is excellent at all of the above places. However, no Indian or Chinese amongst the top 10? It's a bit snobbish, no? These are two of the best and most creative cuisines in the world.

Anyways, for great Chinese food there are plenty in London and across the UK. However, for a truly remarkable dining experience Hakkasan on Hanway Place in London will be hard to beat. The food is excellent and this coupled with the overall concept and design makes for a very impressive dining experience.

What would a nice meal for two typically cost in one of these places?

IIRC dinner at Le Manoir was £90 per head plus wine. That was for a seven-course meal.

£90 for seven courses is one of Ramonds specials Tony

You can count on at least £90/ph for 2 courses off the A La Carte.

Starter $40+  Main £50+  Wine etc extra

Back again in 3 weeks

I would endorse Mike-B's assessment of the Hand in Flowers.  Absolutely gorgeous meal.  No poncing about just excellent food, good portions pleasant surroundings etc.  Gordon Ramsey's The Narrows is also excellent for value for money, taste, scenery etc.  As for Chinese food I think you would probably have to travel to China to better Wong Keys in London.......

SteveT

Went with SHMBO to the Hand & Flowers earlier this year.Have to say nothing wrong with with the food,but how the owner can call this RESTAURANT a pub is beyond me.

A pub to me is where you go with the lads to down a few pints and maybe eat a bit of good honest grub like fish n chips,steak & ale pie etc.

The only pubby thing i found at this place was the name.

Mista H

Kevin

I did not realise you were a Jet Setting man of the world. I thought you was more the pie & mash shop on the Barking Rd on a Saturday afternoon !!!

Mista H

Not so much these days Mista.

Most of the pie and mash shops on the Barking Rd are a bit mediocre. The best one near the Boleyn, Duncans on Green St, closed a couple of years ago and is now a betting shop.

Are yes Mista H, right on

As a Marlow born' bred I spent a lot of my misspent yoof & even younger in the Hand & Flowers,  

Me & the lads walked there - particularly summer evening & the garden - & stagged back quite a lot.  

It was considered an out of the town pub due to the 1/2 mile walk from the town pubs

- The Ship (arr,  now that used to be a real pub but sadly a shadow of its former self)

- The Horns (long gone)

- The Carpenters (now a paddy theme pub)

- The Two Brewers (a great example still running of an old time pub - now closed for fire damage repairs

I am pleased to say that Tom has not changed the H&F exterior from how it was, but if he wants to call it a pub,  OK with me. Shame you need to book months ahead to get a pint.  

Paul Ainsworth at Number 7 in Padstow is well worth a visit.  It is not very big but has a wonderful and mouth watering menu.  They will talk you through the menu and explain why they have chosen which accompaniments etc.

SteveT

Mike

Dont know what part of Oxfordshire you live in,but about twice a year i take the other half to visit her sister in Witney. Always go to the Royal Oak in Ramsden. Well worth a visit if your not to far away.

Mista h

I know the Royal Oak mista h but I'm on the other side of Oxford & for some reason or other Witney does not get on my radar - must be the sitting MP 

When we go around the Cotswolds we tend to follow one or other of the rivers or out to Stow & Stroud.  Wherever you go you are spoilt for choice for wayside eateries & fine local beers with the added bonus on a clear sunny day of superb scenery with the old honey coloured stone houses (pubs). 

When I go to an British town these days it seems the whole of the "High Street" (a quaint British Term) has simply become alternating betting shops, mobile phone stores and video games traders.

There's a Number 7 in Torquay which is a fish restaurant but I don't think it's a sister restaurant to the one in Padstow. It's very good and attracts the Marina set and I've often seen celebrities in there.

TBH though it saddens me that some of the best fish restaurants I've been to in this country aren't a patch on many 'average' Spanish and Portuguese fish restaurants I've frequented. They seem to have a more sympathetic reverent approach to cooking fish which tends to be of the highest quality. Recently in a restaurant in Torreguardiaro in Spain I had the most delicious superbly fresh John Dory fillet cooked to perfection, and you don't get the hyper inflated wine prices you have in British restaurants so the meal can be washed down with a quality wine.

La Gavroche is my favourite - Michel Roux is a big United fan 

Bet he does a nice prawn sandwich.

Has anyone any experience of any of Rick Stein's establishments? I've heard widely differing views. We are very keen seafood eaters. (Cue old joke....)