The Golden Ball

‘The best Henley restaurant by a country mile!’ is just one of the many reports we’ve received about this comely pub since its reopening in November 2022. Located a mile or so outside the town in a bucolic setting, the Golden Ball is a blend of old and new: the odd beam and various nook-like dining spaces balanced by modern colours and furniture, plus a classic blues soundtrack and a little garden out back. The food is ambitious and elaborate, reflecting Henley-raised Ben Watson’s time as sous-chef at Core by Clare Smyth, as well as his wife Priya’s Punjabi heritage. Praise is lavished on the 'excellent value’ set lunch, where ham hock terrine with red cabbage purée could be followed by pheasant breast with braised leg bourguignon, then cheese from the Nettlebed Creamery. But the concise, regularly changing carte also keeps locals returning for more. We were shoehorned into a tiny alcove, but things looked up with the arrival of freshly baked, perfectly weighted white bread, served gratis with a choice of butters (whipped and spiced). First courses raise the bar even higher, witness a generous and flavoursome serving of tender pulled oxtail topped with creamy bone-marrow emulsion and served with a pot of thick dhal makhani. More bread made a good foil for this rich assembly. No complaints, either, about a meaty slab of John Dory, well-balanced with lightly cooked kale, mash and Jerusalem artichoke purée – enhanced with roasted girolle and a highly savoury mushroom and toasted yeast velouté. Dessert, however, was a misstep, with mundane fruit letting down an otherwise expertly wrought dish of roasted and caramelised warm apple, puff pastry and lemon thyme ice cream – why do chefs from top kitchens rarely look beyond Granny Smith? Service, from Priya herself, was assured and welcoming, and care has also been lavished on the brief wine list – right down to our glass of juicy Vinho Verde.

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence