Hipping Hall Restaurant Review

When we arrived at Hipping Hall we were greeted instantly with a very friendly welcome and shown through to the comfortable lounge area where we were offered drinks I chose fresh apple juice and my friend chose freshly squeezed orange juice.

When our drinks arrived we then received our menus to select from. The set 3 course lunchtime menu offered a fantastic selection of delicious dishes for £29.95.

Whilst we perused the menus we were brought a canapé - a slice of fresh hot sausage roll which tasted delicious.

Spoilt for choice we finally decided on our meals. I chose to order the pressing of game and foie gras with prune purée to start and the roast venison haunch with fondant potato, baby beetroot and savoy cabbage for my main. My friend chose the shrimp risotto with parmesan for starter and for his main course, pan fried fillet of plaice with braised fennel and cockle chowder.

Once we had placed our meal order we were shown through to our table in the magnificent dining room, where we received a complimentary selection of home made hot bread rolls and butter.

As we sat down we marvelled at the beautiful wooden beams and open fire which was surrounded by lit candles giving the room a perfect ambience.

Once our starters arrived we were given a brief description of what each dish consisted of. My starter was made up of two tasty portions of various game birds and foie gras wrapped in Bayonne ham, accompanied by a delicious prune purée and salad leaves. My friend’s shrimp risotto included a seafood foam and colourful micro salad. Both dishes were simply divine and a perfect size portion for a starter.

Next came the main courses, mine included a beautifully succulent sliced portion of venison served on a bed of crunchy savoy cabbage accompanied by a potato fondant, warm baby beetroot, parsnip puree then drizzled with a delicious jus. The venison was so succulent it almost melted in the mouth and the combination of the venison with the parsnip puree and warm beetroot was heavenly!

My friend’s main course was a perfect sized portion of plaice which was cooked to perfection so that it just fell apart when cut into. The plaice was served on a bed of crunchy braised fennel and green beans surrounded by a delicious creamy mussel chowder and fresh pasta bows.

After the amazing starters and main courses we were given the dessert menu to select from. Although I am not a dessert fan I opted for the treacle tart with crème anglaise and homemade cinnamon ice cream whilst my friend chose the sticky toffee pudding with date purée and butterscotch sauce. There was also the option to have a selection of continental and farmhouse cheeses at a supplement of £5 or £12 if taken as an extra course.

When the desserts arrived once again we were truly impressed! The treacle tart was a generous slice of moist treacle sponge in a rich and crumbly tart base served with a delicious vanilla crème anglaise and a perfect size portion of cold and creamy cinnamon ice cream, which complemented the treacle tart perfectly. My friend’s sticky toffee pudding was a wonderfully moist and rich toffee sponge and was accompanied by a small tangy portion of ice cream! Both desserts were simply divine and though unfortunately my dessert beat me, my friend finished off every last mouthful as it was so delicious!

We finished off our meal with complimentary coffee in the comfort of the lounge area with the beautiful open fire and a selection of books and magazines to enjoy. When the coffee arrived it was accompanied by two small disks of home made shortbread and two small homemade chocolate truffles – the perfect end to a wonderful lunchtime meal.

Throughout the meal the staff were friendly, attentive and provided an excellent service, they were on the ball, very pleasant and professional.

Whilst enjoying our coffee in the lounge we had a chat with the owner who told us that Hipping Hall has been nominated as one of the top 100 restaurants in the country and they will shortly be attending an awards ceremony in London to find out the results. After the lunch that we had enjoyed it was easy to understand how they had been nominated for the award so we wish them the best of luck!!

Why not check out the menus that we chose from at
www.hippinghall.com