The grand Winchester Royal Hotel in the historic town of Winchester boasts a gem of a restaurant: The Garden Restaurant. As we overlooked the beautiful gardens whilst perusing the menu, we couldn’t help but feel a little bit spoilt – especially as the dishes, put together by the head chef himself, all sounded so enticing.
Needless to say, our meal did not let us down. My starter of local lavender-smoked pork fillet, with a subtle hint of perfumed sweetness, was served with crisp Hampshire watercress salad and sweet apricot and sage honey – a gorgeously presented, flawless dish. Meanwhile, my partner’s smooth chicken liver parfait with a sharp grape chutney went down a treat. Next, my main of thinly sliced tender calf’s liver with beetroot Dauphinoise, honey-glazed pancetta, chargrilled shallots, buttered kale and roasted garlic jus was packed with adventurous flavours that worked wonderfully well. The whole mackerel with a rich tarragon butter flaked away from the bone beautifully. We were suitably impressed. The extensive wine list also offers something for all tastes and pockets.
Our final course, too, was a delight. The sweet Scottish cranachan with warm whiskey and honey looked and tasted fantastic, and the cheeseboard – with an array of local creamy, blue and Cheddar cheeses, as well as biscuits and homemade chutney – was just as good. We’ll be back very soon for dinner, or perhaps a decadent afternoon tea in the lounge.
