The service here is always impeccable, and the decor is unparalleled, especially during the…read moreholidays. Given how difficult it was to get a seat, I would have liked to have been seated in the main dining room with the more impressive array of decorations, but my tiny table tucked away in a corner near the entrance wasn't all bad; decorations were still plentiful, and I didn't feel in the way of passing traffic.
With the food, you get what you pay for; which may not be as much as you might think given the "poshness" of the place. Without booze, you shouldn't end up paying more than £50pp. The menu has an array of seasonal favorites like Hertfordshire Beef with a red wine jus, roast chicken with leeks and girolle mushrooms, and seasbass with Autumn vegetables. Seasonal desserts are also available and the booze is seemingly never-ending.
You can never go wrong with the chicken here, regardless of season, and with a seasoned sommelier always on-hand, rest assured all your wine pairing needs will be met. The beef and venison dishes are also superb, with both light and hearty sides to compliment them perfectly. Dessert can be a hit or miss. I didn't like my first experience here with the Delice, but my second experience was a delicious poached pear with a superb buckwheat ice cream and buckwheat-infused biscuit. I paired mine with the recommended Bordeaux wine to wash down the sweetness, and let me tell you, it was an extra £14 well spent.
Overall, this isn't the type of place you visit every week, or even every month, but it's definitely worth planning months in advance to come during the hholiday season.
Reservations are a MUST.