Paris House

To some, it might embody the preposterous hubris of England’s 19th-century aristocracy, but Paris House is undoubtedly spectacular – which adds due sense of occasion to Phil Fanning’s consummate cookery. The Tudor-style building was spotted at the Paris Exhibition of 1878 by the 9th Duke of Bedford, who had it completely dismantled and rebuilt on his Woburn Estate. And here it stands, surrounded by parkland, with the occasional herd of deer wandering by. Inside, the dining room is light and modern with turquoise chairs, walnut-topped tables and lead-lined windows looking on to the grounds. Indeed, summer brings the chance to combine a meal with a tour of the estate in a horse-drawn carriage. A six-course tasting menu is the sole option, apart from a must-book four-course lunch. Even the latter gives ample opportunity to sample the technical skill of the kitchen via a procession of beautifully presented dishes starting with three exquisite canapés including standout blue-cheese beignets. After a selection of warm, crusty breads, our mid-February visit continued with a perfectly constructed salmon and crab rillette, topped with slices of crisp marinated cucumber and encased in an apple jelly: a harbinger of sunny days, accentuated by its garnish of purple violas. But the kitchen can deliver fierce flavours too, as in a serving of confit carrot in a chilli-hot Thai broth zinging with lemongrass, coconut and lime. There’s a choice for main course: we passed on the pork belly with black pudding and sauerkraut and were treated to an exemplary bouillabaisse of precisely cooked red mullet, octopus, halibut and salmon in an intense fish broth. Perhaps the most strikingly presented dish, however, was the finale – a glass of juicy blood-orange segments with a creamy passion-fruit compôte over a base of gin-tinged marmalade, all topped by a biscuit crumb and stalks of white chocolate sporting gold-leaf ‘buds’. The effect resembled weird plants groping for survival in an alien landscape. Fanning has headed the kitchen since 2010, fashioning a well-run, reliable operation while avoiding pomposity. His smartly attired staff are polite enthusiasts, masters of their craft with an intimate knowledge of the menu. The wine list attracts plaudits too; readers recommend deferring to the sommelier’s ‘expertly paired flights’. As for the overall experience, ‘sensational’ and ‘impeccable’ are just two comments we’ve received from readers. It’s hard to disagree.

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence