The Garden House Restaurant, on the historical and award-winning Beaverbrook Estate, has just launched a brand new lunchtime menu offering a selection of signature and seasonal favourites that can be paired with your choice of a starter or dessert, or why not have both? Join The Garden House, nominated in the Best Restaurant category in the Surrey Awards 2023, for this delightful dining experience; whether it’s a celebration, a business meeting or just because…..lunchtimes just got a lot more fun in Surrey!
OUR EXPERIENCE
On arrival we were greeted by the ever-friendly staff at The Garden House and asked politely whether we wanted a pre-drink in the decadent, yet snug Robin’s Nest Bar Area or be shown to our table. We opted for a pre-drink – as one of our guests (Birthday boy & Surrey Rocks commercial director – Matt Fielder) was typically running late having got lost on the vast Beaverbrook Estate! A Beaverbrook hazard… so make sure you know where you are going exactly before you arrive. Apparently Matt had fun at the main house exploring Sir Frank’s Bar and The Japanese Grill before we absconded him back to The Garden House up the road!
TO START
When we were shown to our table we were presented with a sumptuous Garden House Set Lunch Menu with 3 delicious choices for Starter, Main & Dessert. Very hard to decide on choices as all three options were so tantalising. After our eventual food decision making, we had a brilliant Sommelier suggest wine choices with our chosen food and we opted for a crisp Italian Gavi, and it went perfectly, not breaking the bank either at a mere £88.
For Starter we went for the ‘Warming Vegetable and Pearl Barley Broth with Grilled Sourdough’ and ‘Salad of Crispy Duck & Toasted Sesame with Pomegranate, Spring Onion and Radishes’ both were divine and the portions were very generous especially the lean succulent duck breast in the salad. The homegrown vegetables and herbs, straight from the Beaverbrook/Garden House garden in the Broth, were so fresh – we could tell – especially the Thyme and Rosemary that were overriding flavours – we definitely knew they were picked fresh that day for the chef’s special soup dish. A true accolade.
FOR MAINS
The ‘Chicken Milanese with Fried Burford Brown Egg and Creamed Spinach’ that 2 of our diners went for was amazing. The chicken was so lean and the crispy breadcrumb coating was delicious, providing a perfect crunch complimenting the softness of the creamy spinach and fried egg accompaniment.
Next up was the ‘Risotto of Aged Parmesan and Rocket’. Green and bursting with flavour, the risotto rice was cooked perfectly al dente and the parmesan flakes made the dish pack a punch. This is when Vegan does not have to be boring! Well done Beaverbrook and beautifully presented with edible purple flowers and sprigs of rocket. We will definitely be back to try the ‘Devonshire Mussels & Grilled Focaccia’ and the ‘Winter Vegetable Bourgulgon with Golden Beets, Puy Lentils and Cobnuts’ the starter and main we did not get to try – this time.
FOR DESSERT
As it was Matt’s birthday we were gifted (totally by surprise may we add) a delicious Happy Birthday white chocolate chalk slate platter. The platter consisted of dark chocolate brownies, seasonal fruit and signed ‘Happy Birthday’ in white chocolate dusted in icing sugar. Delicious and very much appreciated. Matt was over the moon, as our picture suggests!
Although definitely verging on the full side, we went for the ‘Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich, and Salted Caramel Ice Cream’ on suggestion of Clara our waitress for our dessert option included in the Set Menu. It was served beautifully with a fruit garnish and although the dessert was rich, the ice-cream and fruit offset – so there was not too much sweetness to the dish. Next up was the ‘Frozen Berries with White Chocolate Sauce & Raspberry Ripple’ and what a delight it was. Once the berries were covered with the white chocolate sauce, the defrosting process ensued so at the start of the first mouthful, the berries were crisp and sharp… simply wonderful. Equally by the bite of the last gradually unfrozen berry the softness was marvellous. A taste experiment that definitely worked.
IN SUMMARY
All in all a 10/10 experience – we can’t wait to go back and taste the other wonderful delights of The Garden House – fresh and fantastic. The Garden House’s new set lunch menu with two courses for £35 per person and three courses for £40 per person, is available from 12pm to 2:45 pm, Monday to Thursday.
Visit www.beaverbrook.co.uk to make a booking.
