Birthday Weekend – Le Manoir
Posted: Wed 9 November, 2016 Filed under: 2016/17, Do More, Domestic, Five Year Plan (now Ten), Food, Reviews(ish), Single Life, Solo Dining, Thoughts 4 Comments »As I said earlier this week, for my actual birthday I took myself to Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons for lunch, partly for birthday purposes, partly for the whole solo-dining project.
I grew up close to Le Manoir, and my parents are still close by, so I’ve never been able to justify going there (and particularly staying, which is the best way to book a table well ahead of time) but I did get lucky when it came to booking myself for lunch. They open the bookings for non-residents three months in advance, and I’d called them before lunchtime on August 5th. (That was more about lucky ‘why the hell not’ thoughts and decisions on that day, rather than anything I can claim to be planned)
So it’s fair to say I was looking forward to this one quite a bit. Happily, it lived up to the expectations.
Le Manoir is well known for its garden, where they grow a lot of their own vegetables, fruit and herbs. It’s an impressive setting, and guests are free to have a wander round the garden, either before or after their meal.
I had the November tasting menu, and it was bloody good. It included…
- Roasted Pumpkin and Butternut Squash soup, with a biscotti loaded with pumpkin puree, cashew nuts and Cashel Blue cheese
- Beetroot Terrine (which I’d been recommended to ask for, and managed to get as a complimentary extra course, because Birthday)
- Confit Salmon with Lemon Verbena, Apple Pieces and Apple Puree
- Free-range Hen’s Egg, watercress, ham and toasted hazelnuts
- Quail, beetroot gratin, bulgur wheat and “leaves”
- Comté Cheese, aged 12, 24 and 36 months
- Ravioli of exotic fruits (a mix of exotic fruits under a shell of apricot) with a coconut foam/jus
- Millionaire Shortbread to finish, a soft toffee with bitter chocolate on shortbread, and salted butter ice-cream
It was a fantastic meal, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Admittedly, it wasn’t in the top three meals I’ve had this year – but some of that is because I’ve massively spoiled myself this year with other places. In any normal year, it would definitely have been one of the best.
Mr BW was always going to take me for a weekend at La Manoir for my 50th. Then we decided to do SA for the first time instead.
With the amazing dining opportunities in SA (Michelin quality at McDonalds prices) I doubt we’ll ever get to LaM now. Shame.
It would be interesting to see a post where you rank ordered your fine dining experiences this year. Or at least tell me the other places that came about LaM?
Happy belated birthday btw.
There’s a post coming at the end of the year about favourite places – but for now (with others to come still) the ones above Manoir are
Given the chance though, I’d say to still go to the Manoir – it’s pretty bloody excellent, to be fair.
An acquaintance of mine took two good friends to Midsummer House for a meal to thank them for some help they’d provided.
With the best flight of wines and service her bill for the evening was apparently a few quid short of a grand. I’d be too scard to go there!
They went for some *very* expensive wines, then…
For the full tasting menu at Midsummer, including cheese course, couple of soft drinks, and service, it cost me £160. No wine, as driving etc. The 8-course menu itself (for vegetarian or non) is £105.
Even the 10-course premium wine selection is another £105, so that’d work out as £210 per person, service not included…