Reviews

Surrey Monocle

It's all part of what hoteliers call the Total Meal Experience; it's the food, the lighting - even the cutlery.

Walking into Bluebells Restaurant and Bar, the immediate impact of the décor was calm. My friend Phil and I tried to analyse it. The walls are a deep, chic olive green, carpeted areas match; two old red-brick fireplaces in the bar areas form a focal point for groupings of cream leather armchairs and tables. The volume of the music is pleasant but unobtrusive and the lighting is subdued.

But John Rampello, co-owner and manager, is far from subdued. He is so very, very proud of his 'baby'. Only 32, he's already notched up an impressive CV - the Langham Hilton, the Wentworth Club and now his own restaurant. He shows us an album of 'before' and 'after' pictures of the massive refurbishments that were made to the building; the windows that were made into French doors to open onto courtyard terrace and barbecue area, the old plasterwork he helped to remove and reveal three lovely old fireplaces.

We sample a glass of wine from the Bluebells Choice section of the wine list. It's Rampant Red from Margaret River and at £21 a bottle, it's a highly acceptable blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz. Very fruity, slightly peppery and chocolaty, said my wine buff companion. The Bluebells wine list is over 100 items long, from £13.50 to several hundred, including some Italian wines whose names made Phil sit up straighter.

As we make for our table, another stunning visual image strikes us. Groups of tables are separated by floor-to-ceiling panels of white voile - just enough create an impression of intimacy without cutting you off from other diners. They move slightly as doors open and people go by; the total effect is somehow exotic and intriguing.

One of the pretty waitresses sets down a tiny coffee cup each, filled with a perfect asparagus soup. This little bouche started our dinner off in great style.

I'm getting used to Bluebells visual feasts by now, so I'm not surprised when my starter of roasted goat's cheese and fig in a filo basket with a raisin mustard vinaigrette (£9.25) arrived, looking far too pretty to eat. It was beautifully presented, as was my companion's gravadlax of wild fish, sakura and caper berry salad with honey mustard dressing (£10.75). I conquered my urge to just gaze at it and found that goat's cheese and fig are a fantastic twosome when each is fresh and perfectly cooked. The tasty pine nuts were a textural as well as a taste treat.

Phil's half a duck cooked two ways (the breast was roasted and the leg had been cooked confit for several hours), accompanied by a small tower of aromatic dauphinoise and a plum and port glaze (£20.50), was crisp outside, and just pink inside. My wild boar steak was paler and much more tender than I had expected. The braised red cabbage was tangy, and the roasted root vegetables were all tiny, shiny and utterly delicious. Must have been the artisan cider sauce (£17.95).

We had, of course, to be held at gunpoint to sample the desserts; Philip's fresh Winter pudding £5.75 was a superb twist on what I normally think of as a very soggy fruit sandwich. No bread in this Winter pudding; the slices of peach, nectarine and plum were layered into a delicious fruity jelly. The accompanying frozen Artisan yoghurt would have been fabulous on its own, but with the fruit and jelly, it was sensational. I really didn't think I could finish my own crisp lime tart with mascarpone ice cream (£5.75) but there it was - gone.

The bill came to just over £100 for three superb courses, including all drinks. For a special dinner, in gorgeous surroundings, a very modest total for this Total Meal Experience.