Review
Lewtrenchard Manor

Dining at Lewtrenchard Manor is always a treat, whatever time of year you visit. It’s well worth the trip over the moors to enjoy the charm of the Manor house and the warmth you are greeted with as soon as you arrive. Just for a little while, it is possible to forget about the outside world and feast on the delights of this luxurious Devon hideaway.

Adapting to the current climate, Head Chef Tom Browning has been perfecting his dishes using produce from Lewtrenchard’s walled vegetable garden and working with the availability of ingredients and the changing seasons.

A new addition for diners is Tom’s delicious overnight prove bread with three different flavours of whipped butter. This is just for nibbling though, don’t fill your bellies with it – moreish as it is – because you’re in for a treat with the delicious, pretty plates of food from the tasting menu. The variety of flavour, texture and colour in these seven dishes is cleverly put together and shows off Tom’s skills.

If you have any bread left, use it to mop your plates clean! We enjoyed a glass of chardonnay, which paired with every dish, and a glass of red Portuguese wine – ideal for the more robust duck and venison dishes. You could also opt for the paired wine flight, which would enhance the full dining experience.

Every dish was of a high standard but if I had to pick a favourite or two, it would be the venison and the mango dessert. My husband said he particularly enjoyed the duck. What I like about this tasting menu is the way it is written, and that each dish is a delightful surprise when brought to the table. The experience is a real treat for a special occasion dinner.