Gidleigh Park

For a holiday treat last week we had lunch at the 2*Michelin restaurant at Gidleigh Park hotel on Dartmoor. Tucked well away down small country lanes it's quiet an impressive location. Being a hot day we had an aperitif on the veranda.

We've eaten at a few 1* but never a 2 so was interested in seeing the difference. Taking the seven course taster menu we started with a mise en bouche then eel (above photo), cheese with a quails egg, carrot (textures of carrot), hake, ox heart (very tiny cubes of meat) followed by lamb loin, pre dessert of strawberries and dessert of 'snickers' (above photo) which tasted just like a snickers ice cream. Each dish was presented beautifully, very small portions but then it was a taster menu!

We cheekily asked for an extra slice of bread to mop up our sauces as they were very tasty. Now the food was very nice but we decided the extra star probably goes on the service and surroundings offered - hand made pottery plates, two waiters serving ....

With the dress code of no jeans and collars for men what did surprise us was a lady dinner in scruffy jeans (not the only scruffy thing about her) sat eating with her mobile pinging with texts every two minutes, now it is the modern world but this was really annoying and would be really frowned upon here in France I'm sure. Also the second waiter who held the trays of food being served by the first waiter on quiet a few occasions was one of the sous chefs in their dirty aprons with a dirtier tea towel stuffed in the ties. This I'm sure would of demoted one of their stars had an inspector been in (maybe it was the lady in jeans?)

So we did have a good meal but I think we would probably think twice about a 2* again as I think you get just as good food at a 1* but maybe not with all the bells on, which suits us fine - and farmer J's pocket and we had to buy a bottle of water, something not in our genes, however the table next to us were asked if they wanted tap water by the only English waitress, our French waiter obviously wanted to get every penny out of us - we did however decline the coffee as didn't think we could fit the petite fours in on top of that extra slice of bread. Would it of looked bad if I had crammed them in my bag? but then would of got charged for the stolen napkin.

Before we went in a nose at the potage (French for veg patch, sounds posh though) was in order, caught taking photos by the gardener we chatted and admired his work. I can only dream of neat rows and prettiness in my over run weed infested plot but then I guess that is all he does. Lastly I am not fooled into thinking all the veg and fruit they use comes from that plot either they buy some in or don't have many dinners, bet there's not a Tescos round the corner though. Beautiful grounds with a stream running through and very nice loos, didn't get a chance to see any bedrooms, bit pricey though.