Part of Milsom Hotels and located in Dedham in Colchester Essex, Le Talbooth is an ever so charming restaurant, and we were thrilled to be returning once more during a recent stay at Maison Talbooth.
After being chauffeured over from the hotel, we began our evening with a pre-drink in the bar. We decided upon two glasses of their house Champagne, Tattinger, Brut Rosé, which was wonderfully pink, cold and refreshing, offering the perfect start to the evening. Shortly after we were walked through to our table, the restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating options; on this occasion we chose to dine inside to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of this characterful building, which holds a wealth of history.
To being our meal, I opted for the Mersea crab and octopus which is served with cantaloupe melon, wasabi, dill and sardine dressing. The flavours were absolutely stunning and worked perfectly together, with the textures offering a harmonious partnership. My partner chose the smoked duck and goose liver terrine which was served with conference pear, candied hazelnut, shimeji and toasted brioche. As expected, this dish was wonderfully rich and decadent with bold flavours and a wonderful sweetness from the brioche.
“We simply cannot fault our experience at Le Talbooth; the food was remarkable and the presentation was truly something to behold.”
For our main courses, we chose to share the Dedham Vale chateaubriand for two, which was masterfully carved tableside, this was dauphinoise potatoes, shallots, fine beans, Madeira jus and béarnaise sauce. We also added a side of spinach as we simply couldn’t resist. Our main course was absolutely to dine for, with every element executed to perfection. The meat was just delicious and was wonderfully accompanied by the side dishes which came together seamlessly.
Alongside our meal, we indulged in a bottle of the 2015, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Oliviers, Maison Favier, Rhone, France. This perfectly balanced wine offered a palate of raspberries and dark fruits, with fine tannins and good acidity; it was deliciously moreish.
For our desserts, I chose the Grand Marnier and pistachio soufflé, which was complete with orange and cardamom, and my partner chose the pineapple and coconut Eton Mess with pineapple parfait, coconut meringue and spiced run. The desserts were wonderful and provided the perfect end to what was a superb meal.
The staff throughout our meal were friendly and welcoming and were happy to answer any questions we had about the menu. We simply cannot fault our experience at Le Talbooth; the food was remarkable and the presentation was truly something to behold. Once again we were pleased to note the same high standards had been maintained, and it was yet another memorable dining experience which we cannot wait to repeat.
The Bill: £84 per person
