A recent visit to Glazebrook House Hotel in Devon left me marvelling at the weird and wonderful décor and feeling fully relaxed after a comforting night’s stay in the luxurious location.
During my stay there I was lucky enough to dine at the resident restaurant, which has recently seen local Michelin star holder and MasterChef The Professionals winner, Anton Piotrowski take the reins. When I visited he had not yet fully initiated into his role as executive head chef but his innovative style of cooking was already showing through. Unusual but effective combinations of foods and an array of textures on every dish are something that he delivers often and well as previously experienced at his Michelin star eatery, The Treby Arms.
After a visit to the bar for a pre-dinner glass of bubbly, my guest and I made our way to our table in the wonderfully decorated restaurant. Large solid wooden tables sit on reclaimed wood flooring and dozens of silver platters grace one wall while blue and white china plates sit on another. The décor can be described as eclectic, contemporary and fashionable, but most importantly, the room is comfortable and helps you on your way to a relaxing and enjoyable evening.
We both opted for the full seven course tasting menu with accompanying wine flight and waited with great excitement as to what delights were to be served. We didn’t have to wait long for course one, which was a white onion tart with blue cheese and honeycomb served with sea vegetables. The deconstructed tart was delicious and the onion had the perfect texture. The subtle blue cheese was coated with a burnt leek crumb and the crispy honeycomb was an unusual but great addition to the savoury dish. The whole plate offered some great tastes and textures and was light and sweet and the German Pinot Noir rose was a great compliment to the food.
Our second course of wild mushroom, pickled red cabbage, charcoal soil and truffle was soon to follow and looked, smelled and tasted fantastic. The rich and heavy flavours offered some tantalising aromas as well and the glass of South African Chenin Blanc gave us some great oaky flavours to tie in with the strong, meaty tastes in the food. The fine and crumbly soil was a good addition and to an otherwise meaty and chunky dish. We both really enjoyed this course as well as the wine that was chosen (Jordan Estate, ‘Inspector Peringuey) as we felt that it not only matched, but elevated the flavours of the food as well.
Course three was next up and I really enjoyed this mini fish curry. The dish consisted of Thai green curry mussels with lemongrass, lime and a coconut foam and was served in a little jar on a black slate with squid ink bread to dip. The foam rested on top of the curry and was wonderfully light and airy, it was like a puff of cloud in my mouth and also held some great flavour. The curry was delightfully tasty, the mussels were good quality and the bread was firm and very welcome to soak up the curry. My dining partner, Nick, wasn’t overly keen on the consistency but I thoroughly enjoyed this course as well as the Argentinian Kaiken (Torrontes), which was served with it.
For our fourth course we enjoyed a serving of brill with a smoked halibut bonbon and mooli (radish), which was offered up with a glass of Pinot Noir (De Loach, USA). The light and tender brill sat on a bed of creamed potato and the smokey flavours from the crispy bonbon were heavenly. The dish was light, tasty and gentle and was right up there as my favourite of the night (so far!). The light wine was a good all-rounder and is one of my preferred wines at the moment. It fitted well here, perfectly complimenting the smokey flavours.
Course five arrived looking appetising, colourful and smelling delectable. We were served a Cajun lamb rump with tzatziki and confit belly. The wine choice was a Chilean red, which was deliciously dense and dark, ideal for the red meat and spicy flavours. There was also a wonton lamb samosa, carrot purée and potato purée on the plate and some deliciously subtle gravy. The tender lamb was served rare and the gentle Cajun spices were a perfect combination with the meat. The tzatziki was refreshing and the crispy samosa was gently spiced and a great all-rounder. The tender texture of the confit belly was a lovely element of the dish and, overall, the textures, flavours and look of the food on the plate was delightful.
The bit I like about tasting menus? Two desserts! Course six and the first dessert of the evening was “Bells of St. Clements,” a citrusy dish with crispy and soft textures. On the plate sat a macaron with a creamy citrus filling alongside a thin wafer cone with an orange foamy like inner. This sweet course was a cold, crisp and clean dish and acted as an ideal palate cleanser after the lamb dish. The accompanying dessert wine (Domaine Cazes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, France) suited the flavours nicely as with every other course.
Our final offering was a dark chocolate tonka bean parfait with granola and a rose water foam: a rich dish with fantastic flavours, an array of textures and a selection of smells to keep my appetite going for one final plate of food. First of all the plate looked great – a black slate arrived with the portion of parfait, the shiny white foam and a dab of ice cream sat on a bed of hazelnut granola atop a smothering of dark chocolate glaze. The crunchy granola offset the smooth elements and added some heat to the plate along with the surprising popping candy, which was sprinkled amongst it. The parfait was smooth, dense and very tasty and the rose water foam was light and airy. The foam was a little perfumey for my liking although I appreciate the innovation.
Overall the food, service and ambience at Glazebrook House is fun, friendly and innovative and a joy to experience. Each dish and wine pairing has been very well thought out and the results are an experience, which comes recommended from me.
In a nutshell
The food showcases the great skills and innovation of Anton’s unique style of cooking. This paired with the luxury and quirkiness of the hotel is a match made in heaven.
Read all about my stay at the Glazebrook by clicking here.
Address: Glazebrook, South Brent, Devon TQ10 9JE / 01364 73322
Natasha’s stay at the Glazebrook was very kindly organised by Visit Devon, which is the official Devon tourist site with things to do, where to go and places to stay.
