Luke's Dining Room

Appointing an 18-year-old head chef may sound like a canny publicity stunt but, surprisingly, Luke Thomas’s cooking is probably the best thing about Sanctum on The Green – the rock-and-roll boutique hotel that houses his eponymous dining room. Despite some signs of inexperience (underdone crispy poached egg on asparagus smothered by truffle hollandaise, scallops lost among a gel-like soup of curry-scented mussel and mango sauce), there’s no arguing with the skill invested in a dish of, say, poached chicken breast and mushroom-stuffed leg with silky polenta and a generous scattering of morels. Sides of Heston-beating triple-cooked chips and desserts such as a delicate lemon posset offset by crisp raspberry sorbet are also worth applauding. Despite try-hard smiles, the friendly front-of-house team is sorely short of knowledge, confidence and efficiency; for the same reason, staying the night can prove hit and miss.