Who's been to the Hand & Flowers, Marlow?

[FestiveFreddy]

Tom and Beth Kerridge have got two stars now and we're there for a Birthday lunch in a couple of weeks.

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations from the menu or opinions of the place?

[Bonefish Blues]

Nope, we'll be there in Feb., so waiting for your review I'm afraid!

...but judging by what I've seen of the man & his food on TV, I'll be going with high expectations.

[tontoro]

I went recently. To be truthful, i was slightly disappointed. 5 dishes were quite good, one was a real let down (lamb bun). For me the main problem was expectation - I would class it as a solid 1 star meal, but no way a 2.

Would I go back? Yes if I happened to be in the area, but I would not make a special trip for it

[Bullett]

We were regulars until they got 2 stars (that's not the reason, we now have 2 young kids) I even spent a morning in the Kitchen with Tom which was great, very interesting seeing how a top kitchen works.
To be honest I was surprised by the 2 stars. It's a very strong 1 star and I love it but 2 stars that's up with Gavroche and Le Manoir. I know the argument will be it's a Pub but it really isn't.

The Smoked Haddock Omelet is awesome. I had Pig cheeks last time which was also excellent and always get some chips!

[FestiveFreddy]

This is what I find a bit odd. I thought the surroundings were part of the Michelin assessment and nice pub though it looks from the pics I've seen, it does look like a gastropub to me, so I'm quite curious as to how the 2nd star was justified (I'm hoping the food is the reason, of course).

Went to the Royal Oak last year (1 star) and at least that feels like a restaurant when you're seated, but when it comes down to it I can name at least 5 pubs within 30 minutes of where we live which serve food on a par with the Royal Oak. That's not to say their food is average pub grub by any means.

So, anyway, I'm looking forward to the H&F and I'll certainly report back here with my thoughts on the place.

[Bullett]

I think the star system is based on venue type so a 2 star pub is not the same criteria as a 2 star restaurant. A big deal was made about it being the first 2 star pub.

I was disappointed with the Royal Oak. Not the food which was excellent but the service was a bit snotty (we took our 1yo, they were aware and we had pre-booked and checked it was ok, it was lunchtime) no seat for him, and generally a bit off. I also thought it was felt very expensive. I'd not go back.

[FestiveFreddy]

Bullett said:

I think the star system is based on venue type so a 2 star pub is not the same criteria as a 2 star restaurant. A big deal was made about it being the first 2 star pub.

I was disappointed with the Royal Oak. Not the food which was excellent but the service was a bit snotty (we took our 1yo, they were aware and we had pre-booked and checked it was ok, it was lunchtime) no seat for him, and generally a bit off. I also thought it was felt very expensive. I'd not go back.

I didn't think they distinguished between pubs and dedicated restaurants in the main guide? Anyway, I don't feel the star system is as important as maybe it was 20+ years ago. Back when UK restaurants were pretty dire on the whole, you needed a guide to find the jewels, but these days, with t'internet, forums etc. it's a lot easier to get information on good pubs and restaurants without bothering with any one particular guide.

We did have a problem with service at the Royal Oak. They had some very inexperienced waiters that day and we didn't get part of our order, although to their credit the manager held his hands up about it straight away and didn't charge us for any of our meal, which was more than I would have asked for, so on that basis I am willing to give them another go.

[FurtiveFreddy]

So, a brief report on our lunch yesterday.

Arrived at 12.30, which would usually be a bit early for me but I'm glad I went for the early booking as by the time we left, it had gone 3pm.

The staff were all very pleasant and efficient and the interior is just as you'd expect a smart pub to be - informal, cosy, welcoming.

You get a pre-starter of whitebait with marie-rose sauce and two types of bread, which was just what we needed after skipping breakfast.

There's a good selection of house wines and all are available by the glass. We had the Chardonnay and Cab Sauv. and very nice they were too.

The starters we chose were "Parfait of Duck and Foie Gras with Orange Chutney and Toasted Brioche" and "Crispy Pig’s Head with Artichokes, Crackling and Pancetta".
The parfait was very smooth and rich. It didn't look like a lot on the plate but it's all you'd ever want from a liver paté.
The 'pig's head' is shredded head meat in a bread-crumbed 'sausage'. Delicious.

Our mains were "Slow Cooked Duck Breast with Savoy Cabbage, Duck Fat Chips and Gravy" and "Fillet of Lancashire Beef with Hand and Flowers Chips and Béarnaise Sauce".
Both lovely pieces of meat cooked perfectly (partially sous vide, of course) and as everyone says, the chips are just perfection.

I found myself examining one of my duck fat chips in great detail, trying to work out how they were prepared and cooked. Then I remembered we don't have a deep fryer at home, so best I put the idea out of my mind...

For desserts we went for "Hand & Flowers Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel and Muscovado Ice Cream" and
"Pear Soufflé with Poire William Purée, Sweet Cheese and Mace".

I didn't have any of the chocolate cake, largely because it was polished off so quickly I didn't have a chance to pinch a spoonful. I was told, however, that it was like a "lovely big caramel-filled chocolate". It seemed to go down very well with the OH anyway.

My soufflé was very good indeed. Quite subtle pear flavours in the soufflé itself, complemented with a little pouring jug of pear purée and the 'sweet cheese' (which is more like a butter than a cheese) mixed with small flecks of mace. If anything in this meal was just a little too much, it was this sweet cheese. It's lovely, but I'm not sure it was needed. Or maybe I was just full!

You could look at any of these dishes in a photo or even on the plate and maybe think you've been short-changed on ingredients and quantity, but once you've had a chance to taste and figure out what's gone into them, you realise what Tom's style of cooking is all about and appreciate the care he's taken to ensure you have a great meal and enough of it.

Is it a 2-star restaurant? Well, no. It's a 2-star gastropub and I think I can see now where the Michelin inspectors are coming from. You just can't (and shouldn't) compare the H&F with, say, The Ledbury or Le Gavroche.

Having said that, the meal we had was technically beyond criticism. Every dish was exactly how it was supposed to be. There was nothing we didn't like or wouldn't have again. That perhaps explains why this place has those two stars.

[Bullett]

Good review and very much how I feel about the place.

I loved the pigs head dish as well.

[Lancs Jag Boy]

I agree with the OP. It's a great place. One Star is fair. Nice people. But two Stars? Hmm, no not really.

Although it's two years since I ate there.

[Carrot]

Went a few months ago.

Steak was amazing!

Highly recommended.

[Bonefish Blues]

We finally went on Friday as part of a group of 10, which meant a reduced menu (4 starter, 4 mains, 4 puds)

I enjoyed my pigs head croquette (proper name in earlier review!) - very tasty and rich, with lots of interesting things on the plate. My wife wasn't so keen on the balance of her foie gras parfait, which was a little overwhelmed by the super-orangey chutney it was served with.

We both had cod with a herb crust and leek as a main, and for both of us it fell just slightly short - whilst the fish was sparkling fresh and perfectly cooked, the crust wasn't, well, crusty. It was a paste smoothed over pastrami and the mouth feel wasn't great, tbh. The leek it was served with was quite crunchy, and it was simply a c12cm length of leek with a posh name. That said, because we were in a large group we were able to sample all of the sides and some were really spectacular, highlights being the chips and the kale with ham hock.

Again, because we were a large group we had a selection of desserts and shared very competent chocolate cake, pistachio sponge and creme brulee, and a selection of very good cheeses.

All in all, very good cooking, but of its type, I think the Royal Oak was a little better. One of those places where the Set Lunch is where the real value is, perhaps?

Now, thoughts about the Sir Charles Napier near Chinnor please!

[tvrforever]

We took our kids (4 & 7) for Sunday lunch there last October - ate in the 'garden' area outside (it was that fabulous hot weekend).

We've been fortunate to eat in plenty of 3, 2 & 1 star places so expectations were clear (it was 1 star still then) - and it surpassed them clearly. Great food, great service, well thought through menu overall really good - oh and superb value for money.

Only two issues :-
1) the booking ahead time of 8-10wks is a little pain (but fairly standard)
2) the pig platter was a sharing for 2 and we didn't have it and it's now not on the menu

Overall superb - fully recommended.

In a similar vein I'd also fully recommend http://www.sircharlesnapier.co.uk/ which is the original gastro pub, now with 1 star and utterly superb location & gardens.

We really do have superb food in this country!

[eastsider]

Anyone been recently? Hope standards are still high, just booked to go there in April.

[tuffer]

My wife tried to get us in for my Birthday in March......no chance. Looks like it will be back to Nathan Outlaws, no hardship there

[RichB]

FestiveFreddy said:

... I can name at least 5 pubs within 30 minutes of where we live which serve food on a par with the Royal Oak.

Out of interest I assume you are all refering to Parkie's son's pub in Paley Street? If so may I ask which are the pubs in that area you consider serve food similar to The Royal Oak?

[A.C.E]

I'm hoping to get down there in the summer, staying overnight. Tom seems like a lovely genuine guy which is a major bonus. Never been around that area either but it looks beautiful.

[FurtiveFreddy]

RichB said:

Out of interest I assume you are all refering to Parkie's son's pub in Paley Street? If so may I ask which are the pubs in that area you consider serve food similar to The Royal Oak?

Yew Tree, Highclere
New Inn, Lightwater
Pot Kiln, Yattendon
White Oak, Cookham
Hinds Head, Bray

I'd say they're all on a par with The Royal Oak, but it's always going to be subjective...

[RichB]

I've eaten in the Hinds Head several times (as it's a 15 min walk for me) and the food is indeed very good although last time I had a table of 6 for my son's 30th and I felt the portions were rather mean. Not complaining about the price but for example a cheese board for 6 should be well stocked not skimpy and likewise paying for each individual veg dish to accompany a main plate always irritates especially when it's just a titchy bowl - the place is definitley cashing in on the Heston connection. Glad you mention the White Oak (that's Wogan's daughter's place I believe) as I've been meaning to try it.

[Bonefish Blues]

I was chatting to someone in the restaurant trade about my impressions of the H&F (a bit meh, tbh) and he gave a very strong recommendation for this outfit, also in Marlow: http://www.thevanillapod.co.uk/

Not tried it yet, but in the spirit offering alternatives, if rqd.

Edit to correct 2 year old's intervention...