Our Inspector's view

Boringdon Hall is a fabulously historic Tudor mansion, once given to the Earl of Southampton by none less than Henry VIII, and which can only be described as splendid. Nowadays it’s a comfortably luxurious country house hotel, full of charm and elegance. There’s a spa, and it’s also a very popular wedding venue, as one might imagine. Àclèaf is the intimate fine dining restaurant, with tables looking out over the wonderful Great Hall. It really does offer a tangible sense of the past, with age darkened beams and a plethora of period features, and the atmosphere is nicely balanced, giving a real sense of occasion without being overly formal, while staff are well informed and genuinely engaged. And what of the food? Well, no worries here that head chef Scott Paton won’t be up to the task of providing dishes as impressive as the surroundings. The seasonally led menus showcase his stylishly inventive British cuisine, where creative yet simple combinations can be seen in dishes such as a skilful, elegant and precisely cut duck terrine with quince, or sea bass served with a seafood tortellini and a sauce subtly and fragrantly flavoured with coconut and lemongrass, before a main course of ‘turbot, garlic, parsley’ where a fantastic piece of turbot is joined by plump, well-flavoured mussels and a thin garlic purée with bags of flavour. A palate cleanser before dessert plays on Black Forest gateau, a rich chocolate ganache, sweet/sour cherry gel and a fresh-tasting vanilla ice cream, with meringue for texture. Finally, duck egg tart (a rich set custard with a razor thin caramelised top and hazelnut pastry base) is a precisely composed dish, with pear (fresh and compote) delivering all the promised flavour, accompanied by a very good hazelnut ice cream. The vegetarian and vegan options are equally enticing, and wine pairings are available.

Awards, accolades and Welcome Schemes

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence