Le Manoir’s location in charming Oxfordshire, which is about one hour’s drive from London, makes it notably properly positioned for different epicurean explorations of the area. It’s positioned near the independently owned Hundred Hills wine property, the place there’s a cellar door open for visits. Its excellent English glowing wines grown on the chalk slopes of Oxford are a critic’s favorite and might solely be discovered at chosen eating places – together with Le Manoir, the place they stand out even among the many restaurant’s personal spectacular wine record.
And about 40 minutes from Le Manoir is Bray, presumably the OG village the place English countryside gastronomy first gained widespread consideration thanks to 2 of the nation’s most acclaimed eating places – Blumenthal’s The Fats Duck and The Waterside Inn by Michel and Alain Roux. Effectively-prepared travellers could also be fortunate sufficient to snag a desk at both of those institutions in the event that they determine methods to make a reservation properly prematurely of their journey.
In any other case, the charming one Michelin starred The Hinds Head gastropub, which can also be owned by Blumenthal, gives an equally satisfying meal and is lots simpler to attain a desk at. Right here, historic British recipes are given a recent twist. For instance, the basic Scotch egg is made with a runny yolk quail’s egg for a one-bite pop of flavour and texture. And don’t miss the pub’s tackle fish and chips whether it is on the menu. The regionally sourced flaky haddock was as soon as once more a reminder of the standard of native catch. Much more fascinating had been the dips, which included a “chippy dip” that in basic quirky Blumenthal fashion was blended to style just like the crispy bits discovered on the backside of a chip bag.