I have recently had the most expensive meal I have ever eaten. I mean seriously expensive… and seriously good too.
I had of course heard about Michelin starred restaurants. I never quite understood what a car tyre and a chubby marshmallow man had to do with excellent food – but when friends suggested an outing to one such restaurant, I was very pleased to go.
The restaurant was the Paris House Restaurant in the grounds of Woburn Abbey. That should have told me a lot. And if not, one glance at the building was enough.
It was built in 1878 as part of The Paris International Exhibition. Apparently the then Duke of Bedford fell in love with it, had it dismantled and shipped to his estate where it was lovingly rebuilt to become… wait for it … accommodation for his staff.
It’s also been a private dwelling and a hospital and of course is now a fine restaurant, with a bomb shelter in the back garden (as all the very best restaurants have).
The dining experience is a tasting menu – eight or ten course – with an accompanying wine flight.
We chose the ten course and I have to say, I have never eaten food of this quality. It was amazing.
Of course, there is one in every crowd – or in our case two. The staff smoothly produced suitable substitutes for my diabetic friend. In fact, his desserts looked wonderful.
I was the other difficult one. I thought the sommelier was going to protest when I told him I didn’t drink white wine. But he put on a brave face and served me red wines, even with the fish. He did a wonderful job of selecting them. They were excellent.
Cuttlefish, Bulgar Wheat, Preserved Lemon & Tomato – tasted good with a light red wine.
We had a leisurely meal ending with not one or two but FOUR dessert courses. They know their patrons well.
So by now I guess you are wondering how much it cost. It’s no secret. The menu and prices are on their website. £99 per person for the ten course menu. Plus £50 per person for the six part wine flight. And then there is the cost of the bottled water, and the canapés. And the service charge…
Yes, it was far too much money to spend on a meal. But this wasn’t just a meal, It was an experience. The staff were brilliant. And the food exceptional. And if you were to ask me my favourite dish – the answer would be the cabbage. Cabbage???? Not just any cabbage but…
SPRING CABBAGE : Smoked Jersey Royal, Spring Cabbage & Gracilaria
If, like me, you have no idea what gracilaria is, according to Wikipedia it is a red algae. And it makes cabbage taste like nothing on earth.
Sorry there’s no photo of the cabbage. It was consumed far too fast.