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The Harrow at Little Bedwyn - September 2008 - Neal Martin  

Kids. Ya’ lov‘em to bits and everything, but every once in a while you have to escape their sticky clutches just to remain sane. After a week in Bordeaux, I knew that I would return to an exhausted wife beyond the end of her tether, so I booked a weekend away for some essential R&R. Our destination was picturesque village of Little Bedwyn, around an hour’s drive west of London, to the newly refurbished “The Harrow”. Given that it is the proud owner of one Michelin star and has won the accolade of Decanter/Laurent Perrier “Restaurant Of The Year”, my expectations were high.

I am pleased to report that I was not disappointed.

This was no mean feat given that just 24-hours earlier I had enjoyed Thierry Max’s jaw-dropping cuisine at Pauillac’s “Cordeillan Bages”, which I would describe as “El Bulli without the surrealism”. The “The Harrow at Little Bedwyn” was more down-to-earth but certainly not over-shadowed and in its own way, was just as satisfying. This cosy, rural restaurant showcased what can be achieved when you assiduously source natural, free-range produce from around the country and marry it with a well-thought out wine list.

Roger and Sue Jones bought the dilapidated Inn back in 1998, Roger having previously worked for the Royal Family. Since then The Harrow has earned a reputation for its comprehensive, but not over-bearing wine list, particularly strong on Australia (for example, boasting several vintages of Moss Wood), New Zealand (Pegasus Bay Riesling 2006 listed at £24 is an absolute steal) and the wines of Lopez de Heredia, with numerous vintages of Tondonia and Bosconia stretching back to the 1920s sourced directly from their cellars. There is also a solid champagne selection, particularly focused upon Krug and Gosset. The Bordeaux and Burgundy selections are a little mean by comparison, though not without one or two bargains.

The cooking is simple compared to the intricacy and ingeniousness of Thierry Max, but there is no doubting the quality of their ingredients and subtlety of their combinations. Having absorbed a million calories in Bordeaux I opted for the healthy crab, shrimp and avocado wrap that was so fresh that you felt as if the crab had just walked in sideways through the door, whilst Mrs. M’s scallops were succulent and meaty. Of course, if there is one cuisine that this country excels at, it is game that should be perfect at the beginning of September, so I elected for the new season young grouse with bread sauce and neeps for my main. It was cooked to utter perfection and simply melted in the mouth (making it easy to dislodge the shot pellets when I came across a couple.) On the opposite side of the table, Mrs. M tucked into the most flavorsome line-caught turbot I have ever met, set off beautifully with truffle oil. 

As for vinous fare, we chose a half-bottle of Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon 2005 from Christian Moreau nicely balanced but perhaps lacking the reserve and minerality I was seeking. The two-figure list price for the Mazy-Chambertin Grand Cru 2001 from Domaine Armand Rousseau made it unmissable and this was Burgundy in all its glory from the “master”, brilliantly defined on the raspberry and violet-scented nose, breathtaking balance on the palate with the tension of a Hitchcock thriller. This is drinking perfectly now although it should age for another 8-10 years. To accompany our chilled, chocolate terrine we opted for a 1927 Alvear Solera Pedro Ximenez, perhaps a little too oxidative on the nose, but oozing raspberry coulis, dark chocolate and walnut flavours on the palate.

If only all rural restaurants aspired to the quality as The Harrow does. It makes an ideal destination should you seek a change from the London restaurant scene or indeed, the children. Located in the depths of the English countryside, I advise booking a room at ﾓThe White Houseﾔ bed & breakfast, just a minute’s walk from the restaurant, who served up a delicious English fry-up on the Aga the following morning.