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Whatley Manor

Address:	Easton Grey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 0RB
Tel	01666 822888
Website:	Visit Whatley Manor website
Price: £92.00	Wine: £22.00	Champagne: £45.00
Opening Hours:	Wed-Sun 7-10pm

Square Meal review of Whatley Manor:

Luxury Cotswolds hotel Whatley Manor may scarcely be into its third year in business, but it has already won scores of awards & become the favoured weekending destination of many a stressed-out City exec. Its 23 sumptuous bedrooms & phenomenal spa are two key reasons why, but so too is the top-quality food on offer. Two restaurants provide sustenance to visitors: Le Mazot (different opening times: phone for details), an informal brasserie serving comforting classics (braised belly of pork with cider & apple; beef blade braised in red wine & served with root veg & parsnip puree; lemon tart with raspberry sorbet), & the more formal dinner-only Dining Room, which boasts a Michelin star. It’s in the latter restaurant where exec chef Martin Burge reveals the full extent of his skill & flair; he was formerly head chef of two-Michelin-starred John Burton-Race at The Landmark &, based on our recent visit, we reckon two stars could well be on the cards here, too. From the exquisite amuse-bouches (including a tiny lamb samosa with cucumber & mint yoghurt, & a little glass layered with celeriac & cep mousse, truffle jelly & a cauliflower froth) through to plates laden with decadent petits-fours, via multiple courses between, every mouthful is deeply impressive. Highlights for us included a starter of langoustine cannelloni served with langoustine tails, white bean puree & a fricassee of tomato & fennel, beautifully presented as well as flavoured; & line-caught sea bass served on a bed of sugar snap peas, baby carrots & celery, partnered with a surprisingly tart but successful lime mousse wrapped in pasta & a white wine sauce. The cheeseboard, too, was a lovingly sourced thing of beauty, while a dessert, involving a wow-factor chocolate tower filled with layers of chocolate & pistachio mousse, brought gasps of delight from neighbouring tables as well as our own. All in all, Whatley offers a very memorable foodie experience bolstered by thoroughly professional service.

Wine Notes: A first-rate list. It is well balanced as the big names from Bordeaux rub shoulders with fine choices from Australia, South Africa, Austria &, for the curious, Switzerland. Prices are fair & they should be congratulated for including service within the list price.

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