Winteringham Fields

[Gary Marshall]

so i'm in my mates pub last night, as per usual, enjoying my first drink for 2 weeks (a nice pint of timothy taylors golden best, before the fosters) when he comes out of the kitchen and thrusts a winteringham fields brochure at me, 'oh came through the post did it?'

'no, we went for lunch today -had alc'

and with that he was back in the kitchen cooking my tea.

they have, like many a very glossy brochure with the obligatory pictures of beaming sproglets around the aga and probably the worst staged picture i've ever seen of a group of chefs in immaculate whites sat in the back of a land rover in a field discussing things with a farmer, but hey ho it's all good.

they had a mini copy of the menu and it reads very well, and they said it was very good, no disappointments on that front, said the desserts lacked the complexity of the mains but my mate was very happy with his sweetbread starter and woodcock main (with brains natch).

so all may not be lost, he came with me to marcus wareing and said the food was little different in style or quality to that, which may or may not be a recommendation depending on your view of mw but i think reasoable assurance that they are certainly heading and aiming towards starred territory (fwiw).

They have been inspected and not unexpectedly the issue appears to be head chef turnover from the michelin pov so with owner colin mcgurran now installed they hopefully have a fighting chance of regaining some of the former glories.

certainly i will be trying it when i can.

[Gary Marshall]

i see that winteringham fields is on ramsays latest programme tonight, C4 9.00pm

should be interesting, this was once one of the best restaurants in the country under annie and germain schwab, since they sold it, it appears to have had a tought time on the chef front and the gongs front falling from 2 star to none. as a place that oozed michelin it really suprises me, i haven't been under the present owners and am very interested to see how the place is today, i'd love it to regain its former status as it is a one off restaurant like the box tree and waterside that i'd hope don't get trampled in the rush to modernity.

[Harters]

Thought they came out quite well in the Ramsay programme. Although as Gordo suggested, a bit overly fussy. I'd happily eat there - or the Scottish place in the programme, for that matter.

[dkps_2000]

Very happy to see it on TV last night - well deserved. I've been going 1/2 times a year since Robert Thompson was there and have enjoyed every meal I've had. I'd even potentially say that the last meal I had there was the best (my memory slips as to my order though)

I was surprised the service was criticised though, I think this is one of the most enjoyable parts of a meal at Winteringham Fields - the staff are all friendly, knowledgeable and even after a gap of 9 months still remember you

On a different note I like the number of amuse bouche you receive, although I suppose I am a little greedy ;-)