The Lake Restaurant, Hertfordshire Review

St. Michaels Manor is a lovely country house hotel set in an idyllic, green landscape on the edge of St. Albans. It’s a great place to stay and a great place to eat.

The hotel plays host to the Lake Restaurant, named so as it has lovely views of the lake in the grounds. The dining room looks like a converted orangery and is simply excellent.

To begin our meal we had pea and pancetta soup and tartare of tomato, basil and mozzarella with tomato consommé. The soup was lovely and fresh, the pea added a real green quality, while the pancetta gave it a richness that lifted the dish.

The tartare was an interesting take on the raw beef original and was very fresh and fragrant. It could have been a standard Italian sauce, with tomato, basil and mozzarella, but somehow it was much more.

Both starters were excellent and really woke our appetites.

“The Lake Restaurant is of a very high standard and the view makes the trip worthwhile.”

Our main course was parsnip risotto and sea bass with crab and dill. The parsnip risotto was served with rocket pesto and roast garlic to make a very powerful combination. It was well-balanced though and set very nicely on the palate. The sea bass with crab and dill also came with purple sprouting broccoli, Jersey Royals and a light Pinot Grigio cream.

The risotto was rich and very earthy. Cooked to perfection, the sharpness of the parsnip was well-tempered and complemented by the leaves and garlic. The sea bass was a lovely, meaty treat that fell off the bone and was well-served by the accompaniments.

We also had sides of parmesan pomme puree and sautéed spinach and garlic. Both of which managed to complement both dishes equally.

Desserts consisted of saffron poached pear and a strawberry crème brulee. The poached pear was served with vanilla panna cotta which complemented the tartness of the pear perfectly. The strawberry crème brulee came with a lovely, fresh almond shortbread that added a sweetness to the dish that highlighted the freshness of the strawberry.

Our meal at the Lake Restaurant was great. The service was prompt and well executed, the food was of a very high standard and the view makes the trip worthwhile. We would come here again.