Hambleton Hall, Rutland

by Gary Mitchell

You've probably already looked at the rating and seen it's 5/5, so there's no point beating about the bush – Hambleton Hall is about as good as it gets. It has everything – a spectacular setting on the edge of Rutland Water, exquisite service and food to die for.

The only bad part is the gnawing guilt I still feel from shelling out £100 on a lunch for two, without alcohol.

A bill like that is enough to make my stomach do somersaults at the best of times, but in the depths of recession it seems far too decadent.

Maybe you're thinking I get to claim it all back on expenses, because that's what everyone seems to be doing these days.

No chance. The Mercury might be picking up half the tab – it's a hard job, etc – but I've still had to scrabble around for the other £50.

That means this review doesn't just have the usual God's honest truth, I'm writing it from the very bottom of my wallet.

In a deluded bid to keep things frugal, my girlfriend and I plumped for the set menus.

There were two on offer, priced at £46 and £37, which isn't far off what some of the main courses cost on their own.

I said we might as well try both and see if the extra £9 makes much of a difference in quality. It didn't.

Helen wasn't bothered about having the cheaper because the main course was fish, which she loves and I can't stand.

My starter of chorizo raviolo was packed with the spicy meat and submerged in a fine minestrone broth.

The pasta was perfect, even if eating the thing was a major slobber-fest and involved wrestling with a fork and spoon.

Her starter was a very well-presented wild garlic panacotta, which looked and tasted unique and won instant approval.

My main course of roast guinea fowl with pea and mint risotto was a beauty. The meat was succulent, the mint not too overpowering and the sherry vinegar sauce had just enough of a kick.

Helen said her poached fillet of gurnard was superb, with plenty of robust flavour helped along by a generous offering of well-seasoned fennel.

My prune and armagnac soufflé with plum sorbet was delicious and the kick of the brandy was perfectly balanced with the refreshing burst of plum.

I preferred the look of her chocolate tart and managed to negotiate a bite – it was perfect.

It's not just the mind-blowing food that makes Hambleton Hall special. The staff are all impeccably gracious and make you feel immediately at ease.

There weren't very many empty tables on our Saturday visit, which is always a good sign.

Of course, you get canapés at the start and they don't mind if, after your meal, you loiter for ages with a drink in the beautiful grounds.

They make you pay through the nose for the pleasure, but for a special occasion or treat, you can't really go wrong.

This is, let's not forget, a restaurant run by a Michelin-starred chef, Aaron Patterson, so the bill could have been a lot worse. Put another way, we liked it enough not to object to the included 12.5% service charge.

One last thing – after our visit I had a look at the Hambleton Hall website and I think we might have missed a trick.

It says there's a "lunch for less" menu from Monday to Saturday which costs roughly £25 a head for three courses or £20 for two.

The food doesn't sound as arresting as their pricier fare, but it seems like a smashing deal.

Unfortunately, it wasn't offered to us and we didn't know about it to ask . So, if you fancy booking but you're as credit-crunched as us, make sure you ask.

Info

Hambleton Hall, Rutland, 01572 756991

Rating: 5/5