Why I love hotel restaurants – and two of my favourites
Our top columnist on the joys of a hotel restaurant, and two of his favourites
London is rightly famous for outstanding hotels that are home to amazing restaurants. The Mandarin Oriental created this movement, breaking the mould fifteen years ago when the most excellent restaurateur Mark Hastings opened Dinner by Heston and Bar Boulud in the five-star hotel. Meat fruit and pig patties will forever be in my finest food memories thanks to Blumenthal and Boulud respectively.
My ‘South Place Hotel’ in Liverpool Street which houses both Bluebird and Michelin starred Angler also thrives as a result of emulating this formula. It’s notoriously hard to find great ‘foodie hotels’ outside of London, but here are two worth the drive (or a relatively quick train ride south) to Camber and Battle, both are dog-friendly, as all the best hotels in the UK are…
CRAFTED AT POWDERMILLS
One of the finest men in hospitality, the epic Joel Williams (no relation), began his career with Conran, earned his stripes with Alain Ducasse in the Sanderson, dedicated a decade to make Home House magical before creating the Conduit Club, which he opened with Gucci clad Chef Francesco Bottura who at the time could boast he headed up the ‘Worlds Best Restaurant’ Osteria Francescana.
Joel, like Mark has long understood the power of a great restaurant and its place in a hotel or private members club and has spent the last year or two creating ‘Crafted’ with his partner Chris King, a project funded by hospitality investors Limestone Capital.
Located in the shadow of Battle Abbey, near Hastings in East Sussex, Powdermills is almost eighty acres of ancient woodland, lakes and streams. Lakeside you can enjoy saunas, hot tubs and fire pits, and the lake itself is a cold plunge for the brave. Wellness, craft, culture, sport and cuisine is the brand DNA here.
The food and beverage comes from six venues which boast nomadic dining in spaces outdoor and indoor, and all is headed up by Exec Chef Neil Armstrong who enjoys the use of vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, all of which grown on the estate. After enjoying post game celebratory champagne on the paddle courts, we headed for scotch eggs, perfect pies and fine wine.
The best of British tavern fayre is well placed in the hotels’ The Pub at Powdermills, which overlooks the walled swimming pool. The restaurant is rather special too, featuring the best seasonal British fayre, such as Jerusalem artichokes, radicchio, crab, pigeon, chard, rhubarb and more… Smoked mussels on toast stand out, as does spring lamb belly with fried egg and green sauce, with a Brighton Blue and beetroot gratin. The wine list is also pretty spectacular with an excellent by the glass offering throughout both the pub and restaurant.
Rioja Reserva, Sierra Cantabria 2017 is magnificent at £16 a glass, but for only a pound more, you can enjoy a Joseph Drouhin Givry 2022, the blessed and beautiful Burgundy!
THE GALLIVANT
I’m not the biggest fan of Rye; the pebble beach is a pain, the walk to get there torturous. Rent an Air B&B by the harbour and it might be fun if you’re not too tall, but for anyone over six foot, the beamed cottages are oppressive and likely to cause cranial bruising.
Much better therefore to head to Camber Sands only a mile away, to enjoy beautiful sandy beaches, which are perfect for hours of dog walking as you admire the modern, bright ‘grand design’ homes, which against the advice of the bibles’ parabels, have indeed been built upon the sand.
Chef Matthew Harris was Exec Chef in Bibendum and is brother of Henry, who as it happens’ heads up Farringdon’s fabulous Bouchon Racine. Around a year ago, Matthew joined The Galivant and created ‘Harry’s’ restaurant. As a result, The Gallivant now has a legitimate culinary reason to visit.
Based on Harris’ expertise, it is no surprise that the menu is French in style, again using locally sourced speciality produce. Filet d’hareng with pommes a l’huile is beautiful, and Escargots de Bourgogne is expertly executed, as is the shallot and beetroot tart tatin. The wine list is very English, listing each vineyards’ miles away from the hotel.
Forget popular Nyetimber or Chapel Down, Rathffiney Blanc de Noir is the hero sparkling here. Oxney fizz is also outstanding, but shines best as a simple still chardonnay.
Room wise, ask for the wing where 12-19 are situated and you can enjoy a roll top bath and spacious facilities. Rooms 1-10 are tiny by comparison. Best to go out for breakfast as it sadly doesn’t live up to the quality or precision of Harris’s lunch or dinner offerings. Timings are terrible, buffet elements scarce; snatching unused butter and jam from a neighbours’ table isn’t a good look for seagulls or human visitors from our fine capital city.
Go to thegallivant.co.uk and staycrafted.com