Coming to this restaurant has been a work in progress of mine since I first saw it in a final trial of Masterchef the professionals. The contestants were shown how to each cook one of the chef's signature dishes, including, a particular duck dish involving a confit (effectively slow cooked in fat) leg hash, with breast meat and served with duck fat cooked chips.
This dish pretty much sums up the Hand and Flowers. It's yummy gastropub food but so good it has two Michelin stars. Neither of these were awarded for never before seen techniques, or uncomfortably challenging food, (let's be honest, some fancy food is just a little too strange to imagine being enjoyable), but rather for outstanding taste and execution of well loved classics, and it is for this reason that I think it is such a privilege to eat here.
This dish pretty much sums up the Hand and Flowers. It's yummy gastropub food but so good it has two Michelin stars. Neither of these were awarded for never before seen techniques, or uncomfortably challenging food, (let's be honest, some fancy food is just a little too strange to imagine being enjoyable), but rather for outstanding taste and execution of well loved classics, and it is for this reason that I think it is such a privilege to eat here.
I made a booking way back in May twenty fifteen, over a year in advance, (the system may now have changed to a three month block system). On the website (http://www.thehandandflowers.co.uk), the Hand and Flowers is described as "A casual and informal space but with no compromise on quality of food. A place where everybody should feel comfortable. The food style is strong and bold, with an emphasis on simplicity and service being professional but approachable."
It was originally designed as a place where Tome and his wife, Beth, would enjoy eating themselves.
It was originally designed as a place where Tome and his wife, Beth, would enjoy eating themselves.
It certainly delivers on all these fronts. The actual space is a super cosy, creeky Georgian pub, decorated with candles and field flowers. The staff are both knowledgeable and efficient without being intimidating, even if, like me, Michelin starred restaurants are hardly your daily haunts. When you first arrive, you are shown to a small table in the front to have some drinks and then you're soon ushered to your table at the back for the main event. Once you've chosen, they bring a lovely pre-game affair of fresh bread, some butter and some white bait. |
Between the four of us we ordered quite a selection, including and not limited to, a salmon and a duck liver parfait starter, a stuffed courgette flower one, roast beef, half a chicken, fish and chips, and a toffee and milk tart. Needless to say it wasn't just any old fish and chips or indeed any typical version of any of the above. The standouts for me were the chicken and beef, The tenderness of the beef was second to none, and the intensity of the glossy wine sauce was just the right level of powerful. But the chicken was the most adventurous, a nice twist on what is so usually not the case. It was slowly cooked in |
beer and brine, leaving the bird beautifully succulent, breast as much as leg, and the skin was torched leaving a subtle smoky flavour. It was served with a crunchy mushroom brittle, complete grains of what could be puffed wheat, feeling a lot like popcorn. The whole thing tied together with a bitter sauce and asparagus spear. This is what I had, and I could eat this dish every night for a week and still be in love. The roast potatoes are also worth a shout out. They are better than your mum's ones I promise.
The whole experience was made more exciting by the occasional chime of Tom Kerridge's voice shouting orders over the noise of the kitchen and the subsequent chorus of "OUI CHEF!". I am admittedly a bit of a fan girl, but being so close to the, hot, dedicated, skilled environment were was pumped out such marvellous food, I think, made the whole experience all the more exciting. The word un-prententious certainly springs to mind, truly creating an atmosphere of welcoming and down to earth-ness. Even if perhaps, french is not too often spoken with a west-country accent.
The whole experience was made more exciting by the occasional chime of Tom Kerridge's voice shouting orders over the noise of the kitchen and the subsequent chorus of "OUI CHEF!". I am admittedly a bit of a fan girl, but being so close to the, hot, dedicated, skilled environment were was pumped out such marvellous food, I think, made the whole experience all the more exciting. The word un-prententious certainly springs to mind, truly creating an atmosphere of welcoming and down to earth-ness. Even if perhaps, french is not too often spoken with a west-country accent.