Don't get uppity about being in Upper Slaughter. Leisurely loll over fields down to the Lower side.
Take a squiz at their exquisite surroundings as shingle crunches beneath your feet as you stroll up the drive, (I didn't feel unwelcome in hiking boots having hoofed it from the Upper side, however not to cramp their dining style we sat outside).
It was a gorgeous day and we sat under wide white parasols. Lower Slaughter Manor is by no means more downstairs than up and it's up and coming triple AA rosette awarded chef Jamie Rafferty and his creations are as sumptuous as the settings are sightly.
On the fine day we dined for a spot of lunch and gentle gentry sport outside, picture perfect lawns had croquet ready and set up to play whilst we were waited on. Service was exemplary and I felt like Belle in the 'Be Our Guest' scene of Beauty and The Beast as staff magically appeared, choreographed and in formation in crisp white linen aprons, they came in methodical swathes attending to our every need.
I could rather get used to it here.
Sadly, only here for the day we settled for lunch.
After our hike I ordered what I thought to be a fulsome hearty fish chowder and the sommeliers suggestion of berry crisp blush to accompany it.
What was served in fact was not a chunky chowder but a beautiful structural stile of gently seared intensely flavoursome fish; golden turbot and rosette of smoked salmon.
Before I could say 'ooh this looks fishy, not what I ordered' another waiter deftly flanked my side and from a jug of fine porcelain, poured a bubbly broth of buttery foam over the fish.
It pooled beautifully around the bowl and hey presto was the prettiest plate of food I'd ever seen. Feeling a fool for momentarily mistaking the meal, I soon saw that this was in fact a handsome chowder to chow on. read more