Arkle — Restaurant in England

Summary This place has a one Michelin star, is definitely not cheap and as such has to be compared to restaurants of the same caliber. We had the tasting menu with the wine pairings. The actual food was way below par and would only be worthy of 1 out of 5. The food lacked everything. Taste, seasoning and flair. The wine pairings were decent, hence the extra point. I have a more detailed description below to justify the score.

The experience May I start by saying that the service was good. Our gastronomic experience started with some cripsy bites before we were seated in the restaurant. The actual crisp element was not as crispy and it also lacked flavour and seasoning - what eventually was a common theme on all dishes in fact. Our artichoke based amuche buche was ok but again weak on the seasoning. The artichoke component was not very obvious on the palate too. The sea trout starter was just ok. You ended up tasting just a smoked fish in your mouth. The lemon tapioca was ok but needed more. The dish did not feel special and was not balanced. The pie was probably the best dish but was really under-seasoned. The next fish base course that combined prawn, tuna and an unpleasant dumpling did not work. It was an unbalanced dish again where the components did not seem to complement each other. The roe deer was another gastronomic misfire. Even though the meat was nice and really went well with the Primitivo wine, the dish as a whole had too much fruit in it and as a whole dis not work. The meat on its own would have been better! Unfortunately the last 3 desserts were terrible. The meat was followed by a cheese based and fig dish. This was the worst dish of the night. It was pointless (cheese between main and palate cleanser dish), tasteless and with an unpleasant consistency. The palate cleanser was nothing close to what it should be. The acidic component was nowhere to be found and again was left with a bland sensation in the mouth. The final dessert (carrot candy) looked nice but again lacked flavour. It just felt like a soft, sweet thing in your mouth. Overall felt disappointed and given its price point would definitely...

Absolutely wonderful, you know you’re in for a treat when you start wondering why the pre-starter canopies aren’t expanded into a main dish.

The food was great, as was the service (special mention to Boris the Sommelier and Katie), a few nitpicks that took away from a 5-star review BUT does not warrant you not visiting – it’s a must if you’re in the area/want to take someone out for something special!

This was a surprise for my other half and when we arrived, we were placed into the bar for the pre-mentioned canopies. Upon being asked what we’d like to drink and me declining, knowing I had booked the wine flight so we didn’t need cocktails, I was met with a visibly shocked waiter that asked if I ‘was sure’ in a way that, for the first time ever, I felt I had to justify my autonomy to say no. It was a very strange reaction if honest and I only mention it because it jarred an otherwise streamlined experience.

After opting for the wine flight, a gift for my other half as I’m not too keen on wine, I was offered the opportunity to have half glasses to which I gratefully accepted. I was, to my surprise, also told that because of this, my bill will reflect this but when the meal was concluded and I was asked to pay, this wasn’t the case and I was charged the full amount. I didn’t say anything at the time, because I don’t want to be ‘that person’ and haggle over £40ish, but at the same time again it was a slight jar of an otherwise extremely smooth experience.

-The cheese was a slight letdown. I am victim to having experienced a wide range of cheeses, so this point is entirely subjective, but...

The food was incredible here, and the staff very welcoming, really making the experience.

I must say one negative though as is my duty for allergy sufferers - I am lactose intolerant and had pre emailed this to the restaurant. When we got there, they knew this and referenced it. I was impressed that all members of staff seemed to be aware. On one course the staff member told me I could not have the lobster dish because it was cooked in butter. This was different to what the first member of staff had said as she had discussed with me if that was what I wanted. No bother, all the food was delicious. Imagine my surprise then that tucking into my tomato pasta alternative it was covered in cheese...

To be fair to the staff, they did all seem mortified and gave us a free drink each. However, if I was allergic to dairy that's a really serious mistake to make. We were out celebrating so I let it slide more than I normally would and I did end up feeling bad for the servers!

The end to end experience was fantastic, but be prepared for a long night. From the start of our booking to paying it was nearly 4 hours and we didn't have the cheese course. Not sure if that's usual but seems a...