The Hinds Head

Heston's gastropub

Scallop, artichoke, hazelnuts, smoked bacon

Heston Blumenthal surely is a household even for none foodies, his flagship restaurant, The Fat Duck, holds 3 Michelin stars and is perhaps one of the most talked about fine dining restaurants in the UK. However, at over £300 per person ahead before drink and service, I run the risk of not be able to pay my bill on time! Joke aside, Heston actually got a pub next to The Fat Duck, which offers modern British gastropub food at a much more reasonable price. With a Michelin star to its name, The Hinds Head is a good alternative to The Fat Duck to experience Heston's offering in a much more casual, relaxing setting.

Pea and ham soup, Scotch egg

Confit butternut squash, goats curd, honey

I opted for the tasting menu, the first course of pea and ham soup with scotch egg looked simple but it was fantastic. The freshness of the pea worked like magic with the runny scotch egg with the perfect texture. The main of roasted chicken was tender and well seasoned, the aroma of the leeks was powerful and offered some nice contrast to the smoked almond, which both worked well together with the meat. The best dish from the tasting menu happened to be the dessert, an apple baked custard with hazelnuts and calvados ice cream. It hasn't got any eye-catching presentation, but the taste was truly outstanding. It had a perfect balance of freshness and sweetness, along with some lovely nutty and sour tone to make this such a summer delight.

Roast chicken, leeks, spiced celeriac puree

Wassailing, apple baked custard, cider

The Hinds Head produced some rock solid British food. This was classic British done at its finest, nothing fancy, just pure good old fashioned dishes but done in an ultra-refined manner. Sometimes it is easy to rule out simple cooking, but to get simple dishes done to the perfect level is not easy at all and the team at The Hinds Head has managed to pull that off beautifully. The funny thing about dining at The Hinds Head is that it doesn't feel like dining at a pub at all, with a slick decor and all the waiters are well dressed up, it was more like dining at a posh fine dining restaurant, which in itself is not a bad thing at all.



Food 4/5

What I paid: 
£66 pp with a beer

Average cost without drinks and services:
£58


High St, Bray, UK SL6 2AB

http://hindsheadbray.com/