Gravetye Manor Hotel

A stunning mellow-stone Elizabethan manor, Gravetye is surrounded by acres of parkland and beautiful gardens: allow enough time for a stroll. Within are several comfortable lounges furnished in-keeping with the style of the property, and an oak-panelled dining room hung with oils, with plenty of well-trained and attentive staff on hand to add to the pleasure of a visit. Canapés - perhaps arancini with pea and herbs, and anchovy sticks with hummus - get things off to a flying start, and a glimpse at the menu shows a highly motivated kitchen with serious culinary ambition, clearly met by what appears on the plate. Some dishes get lavish country-house treatments, with luxuries appearing as butter-poached lobster with caviar beurre blanc and braised baby gem, followed by poached breast and braised leg of guinea fowl with Périgord black truffles, baby leeks and sautéed gnocchi. Dishes are intelligently composed, the results always impressive: for instance, a simple starter of beetroot, artichokes and textures of apple (julienne, purée and jelly), the plate dotted with horseradish, all beautifully presented and a good balance of flavours and textures, or a main course of tender, pink loin of lamb with spicy couscous, greens from the kitchen garden and a deeply flavoured jus. Fish is timed to the second, seen in fillet of red mullet, given the Provençal treatment with tapenade, ratatouille and bouillabaisse juices. 'All of our desserts are prepared to order' warns the menu, but that's okay because a first-class pre-dessert arrives to fill the gap - perhaps peach granita with marinated blackberries - and when the main event does arrive it's well worth the wait: perhaps blood orange soufflé, or vanilla pannacotta offset by poached plums (from the garden, of course) and jasmine rice sorbet. Excellent bread rolls with superb butter and all the extras contribute to a truly memorable dining experience.