During a recent stay at The Painswick in the Cotswolds, we decided to dine in their restaurant, which I’d like to describe as similar to that of your rich uncle’s country house kitchen. This restaurant boasts wood panelled walls, wooden flooring and chic lighting to complete the décor. The menu itself is a celebration of all things British, with Jamie McCallum at the helm, who certainly knows what he is doing.
When we came down for dinner we were greeted warmly and shown to our table before being presented with the menus. My partner decided to opt for a glass of Taittinger Rosé as an aperitif, and I chose a Martin Miller gin and tonic. We sipped happily on our drinks, taking in the relaxing surroundings and chatting over the menu.
For my starter, I chose the Cornish crab salad, which was served with mango and pineapple. The freshness of this dish was impeccable, the sweetness of the fruit with the delicacy of the crab worked superbly well, and I was quite impressed by how it all married together so perfectly. My partner chose the smoked Creedy Carver duck to start, which came with delicately placed beetroot and blackberries, the duck itself was wonderfully flavoursome.
“Not only was the food excellent, the presentation of the dishes was most impressive.”
For our main courses, I chose the 10oz rib eye steak which came with mixed leaves, shoe string fries and béarnaise sauce. The steak was so tasty and simply melted in the mouth, and the buttery béarnaise was simply to dine for. My partner opted for the loin of Cotswold venison served with girolles, autumn squash and cavolo nero, which was a wonderful dish and perfectly executed.
We simply could not pass on dessert, so my partner went for the decedent salted dark chocolate cremeux that came with blackberry sorbet, and I opted for the vanilla crème brûlée. The desserts where absolutely delicious and highly indulgent, with the satisfying crunch of the crème brûlée top being a definite highlight for me.
To accompany our meal, we decided on a bottle of the 2015, Santa Cristina, Tuscany, Italy, which offered a wonderful palette of cherries and ripe red berry fruit, with balsamic sensations of mint and eucalyptus.
Not only was the food excellent, the presentation of the dishes was most impressive. We were also pleased to notice the same friendly service found within the hotel, and we cannot fault our experience. We would have no hesitation in dining here again, and should you find yourself in the area then we would recommend dining here, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. You won’t be disappointed.
The Bill: £57 per head
