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Hotel, Restaurant, Pub, difficile de catégoriser cet établissement de charme. La nourriture est bonne en comparaison de ce que j'ai vécu au Royaume Uni jusqu'à ce jour. La carte est très anglaise avec tout ce qu'il y a de plus traditionnel. Je m'y suis rendu un dimanche pour manger le rôti, c'était délicieux. Le service est vraiment efficace et souriant, je relève ce dernier point car ce n'est pas toujours le cas dans ce pays. Si la soirée est un peu trop arrosée, des chambres sont souvent disponibles. Utile!...

Très joli pub anglais de campagne, l'intérieur est superbe. Le staff est sympa mais un peu lent (la norme en GB). Bonnes bières. Excellentes BBQ Spare Ribs....

La terrasse est bruyante pour cause de proximité avec un route principale. La nourriture, Ribs mis à part, est correcte, mais sans plus....

I don’t know how to describe how AWESOME the Fat Duck is- the presentation is outstanding and theatrical, the taste was fabulous. Although I knew that I was in for a treat- nothing prepared me for what came. This was by far the craziest, eclectic, eccentric and tastiest food I have ever tasted. Heston Blumenthal is a genius. We had the tasting menu with fourteen courses at £130 (FD no longer offers an a la Carte menu)- the sommelier's matching wines cost an extra £90 per head minimum (or £185 and upwards). We actually decided to order a bottle or red and white instead. The restaurant is in the village of Bray, near Maidenhead and is very pleasant. There are 46 covers in total and the kitchen is tiny. We went for a drink in the Hind’s Head (gastropub also owned by Mr Blumenthal) next door beforehand- which is lovely and cosy. We were the second last table to arrive (place was full) and were put at the table next to the door- I did ask to change as soon as another table became available, but in the end we stayed put as the dinner lingered on and we got comfortable. Professional waiting staff gave good explanations for each and every dish. To start, the palate cleanser was egg white with lime and green tea dropped in to liquid nitrogen (at the table) and then eaten whole and semi frozen, followed by pommery grain-mustard ice cream with red cabbage gazpacho (yum). The next course was hands down my favourite- the jelly of quail and cream of crayfish served with a Chicken Liver Parfait, Oak Moss and Truffle Toast- I am still blown away by the flavours. I won’t just list the menu- so three other dishes really stood out for me: the Mock-turtle soup, Sound of the Sea, and the Not-so-full English breakfast. The Mock Turtle Soup is one of the dishes that epitomises the theatrical and magic of the menu. You are told that you are invited to the Mad Hatter Tea Party and are given a cup with what looks like a golden pocket watch in it- and when water is poured in, the watch dissolves to become a sort of stock with Madeira, soy sauce and gold which is then poured over a miniature terrine of calf’s tongue and colonnata lardo. Amazing. The Sound of the Sea dish includes seafood on a bed of foam, edible seaweed and sand. It is served alongside a conch shell with an iPod in it, you can listen to the sound of breaking waves and seagull sounds. It definitely gets the senses going. The waiters don’t provide any explanation until you finish this dish. The breakfast dish included parsnip cornflakes (in a mini cereal box) in parsnip milk followed by nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream which is again cooked by your table. Truly an amazing gastronomic experience, food at another level!...

Extraordinary menu, misunderstood by some for all its innovation to be an exercise in gimmickry, rather than an exploration of taste, memory and umami. Incredibly appropriate wine pairings. Sweets to take home! My friend ate them. Bah. NB formerly only bookable by a telephone line which became jammed at 10am Mon-Fri as people tried to book, you can now book for weekday lunch via the new website. Tables for four are easier to get than tables for two it seems, so partner up!...

Cuisine moléculaire, un test des papilles gustatives...

This is another of my favourite restaurants in the world. It is set in the small village of Bray just 500m. from The Waterside Inn. The room and the ambience are very cozy and intimate. The service is excellent and the Maître d', Dimitris, is really fantastic (and a very good friend too). There is only 1 Tasting Menu at 180 £ and it is a unique and creative experience. Heston Blumenthal is one of the greatest Chefs in the world and the Menu he has created is really amazing. You will spend 4 hours of amusement and fun and you will try some of the best creative plates... I highly recommend it to everyone! It's an experience that a person should try once in his life. I didn't see this restaurant was in the Bistro Chic category... it should definitely be in the Gourmet category. I've changed my rating, because in this category it deserves certainly 20 points!...

You will leave here with a lighter wallet. Heston Blumenthal was not there the evening we went (apparently he normally is) :(...

My overall impression of the Waterside Inn was wonderful. The food here is excellent, and I think that the waiting staff are probably the most friendly, attentive and efficient that I have ever come across. Apparently the restaurant was refurbished this year- but the décor is so traditional it looks like nothing has changed over the past 15 years. The setting is superb- on the river- so ask for a table near the window if you can. We started with a selection of canapés- the pumpkin ravioli was divine. We had the 3 course lunch menu. I liked the fact that I was brought a menu without prices! But I can tell you that the lunch menu was £54 per head, and this included a glass of wine- outstanding value. The food was exceptional- the scallops served in Chestnut and Champagne were delicious. I had duck with foie gras for mains- which was equally exceptional. The desert was good, but not amazing- maybe it was my choice, apple served on biscuit with calvados ice-cream (which was very good). While we were having a meal, a suckling pig came out and was cut for one of the tables closeby- it looked amazing. Alain Roux came and spoke to a lot of the tables, when he heard that it was my birthday he produced a small (delicious) slice of cake with a candle which was really appreciated. I would definitely come back to try the Menu Exceptional....

This restaurant, together with Dal Pescatore in Italy, is my favourite restaurant in the world. It is a classic french restaurant with french cuisine. The place is beautiful, set in the small village of Bray on the Thames River. The view is amazing and it is really quiet and relaxing. I prefer to go there for lunch because of the view (in the evening you can't see the river) and it is always fully booked for lunch, especially during the weekends. The service is excellent and the manager of the restaurant and hotel, Diego Masciaga, is simply fantastic, the best maître d' in the world. They have also a few beautiful rooms and suites where you can stay for 1 night and I highly recommend to do it. You will get a lovely room with view on the river Thames and a delicious breakfast in the morning. Great restaurant, excellent french food, romantic ambience and perfect service!...

Nothing to say...

C'est toujours un plaisir d'aller manger au l'Ortolan. Il faut essayer le menu degusation avec les vins. Le prochaines fois nous essayerons le menu surprise. Le service est toujours impecable et pour un restaurant une etoile Michelin, le rapport qualité prix est remarcable...

J'ai mangé ici plusieurs fois avec mes parents pour des fêtes familiales. Chaque fois, j'ai énormément de plaisir. C'est un gastro-pub sans prétension, mais tenu entièrement par des français. La cuisine s'en ressent. Il y a pléthore de plats typiquement anglais, mais cuisinés parfaitement. Si les restaurants en Angleterre étaient tous de ce niveau, l'Angleterre n'aurait jamais acquis sa mauvaise réputation pour la nourriture. Pour celui que veut découvrir la bonne cuisine anglaise (comme le rôtie de porc, coupé d'une manière que l'on ne trouve pas sur le Continent et servi avec le compôte de pommes), je peux le recommander chaleureusement. Les prix sont tout à fait raisonnables, et la carte des vins, restreinte mais correcte. J'adore les desserts ici. La cuisine anglaise regorge de superbes desserts et ici vous aurez l'occasion de goûter quelques-uns. Ça change de îles flottantes, crème caramet et tarte au citron....

Le menu est affiché au tableau noir, mais chaque jour il y une dizaine de "specials" du jour que le patron vous récite. Tout est alléchant, alors il faut avoir une bonne mémoire. "C'était quoi, déjà, après le filet de cabillaud?"...

Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck owns this pub with spectacular original features across the road too, with Clive Dixon in the kitchen. The approach to food is essentially to recreate classic, earthy, pub dishes using excellent ingredients and some of the latest cooking techniques. It shouldn't really be seen as 'The Fat Duck Across the Road' therefore, but as a restaurant in its own right. The oxtail and kidney pudding and chicken and tarragon pie are regular features and both are mouthwateringly good. Follow up with banana eton mess. Rump steak with marrowbone sauce and triple cooked chips is also a feature, and was formerly on The Fat Duck menu in earlier days. Bring your appetite - you'll need it! Wines by the glass too so pretty helpful. Effectively, sometimes I want to round up tourists in drab pubs off Trafalgar Square and bus them here so they can see what British food can be like when we put our minds to it....

Staff could be a little more polished in their service. But it is a pub after all....

Je dois avouer que j’adore les petites auberges dans la campagne anglaise... Quand je dis auberge, cela se rapproche plutôt de la notion de Inn ou de « Pub chic », avec des poutres en bois, des sols de pierre, cette ambiance un peu feutrée, ou l’on vient entre autre boire une bière, la vraie...enfin celle que les anglais adorent, généralement la bitter, peu mousseuse et à température de la cave. Le Chequers Inn ne déroge pas à cette image paisible des relais de campagnes et est un lieu où il fait bon se ressourcer. Un bâtiment du 17ème dans la région des Chilterns au nord de Londres et non loin de la tamise, qui en même temps propose du logement, un pub et une table. Peut-être même l’endroit idéal pour ceux qui viendraient aux jeux olympiques car nous sommes ä trente minutes de train de la « city ». Mais revenons à ce sympathique endroit. Après voir éclusé quelques gorgeons au bar, vous serez tenté de soit dîner au pub lui-même, soit au restaurant qui propose une cuisine plus soignée lorgnant vers le « gastropub » et le sud. Ce restaurant contraste dans sa décoration plus moderne et actuelle, avec les autres salles de l’établissement qui sont nettement plus classiques. Des miroirs un peu baroques, des lumières tamisées pour une salle assez chic où les tables sont élégamment dressées. Après avoir été installé, le maître d’hôtel vous amènera la carte et menu du jour qui comportera un certain nombre de plats fors alléchants. Pour vous mettre en appétit, un amuse-bouche (dit tel quel avec l’accent anglais..), un consommé de champignon à l’huile de truffes blanches tout à fait agréable. En entrée une terrine de canard, chorizo avec une sauce à la mangue, piment, et coriandre. Une terrine tout à fait originale entourée d’une fine tranche de saucisson, mise en valeur par trois petites juliennes de fruit bien assaisonnée et dans laquelle même du gingembre avait été introduit. Une entrée belle, goûteuse, intelligente. Après un petit entremet, un sorbet mangue un peu décalé par rapport au restant du repas (pas de grand sens à ajouter cette glace), j’avais choisis une fine tartelette de sardines grillées, jambon Serrano, caviar d’aubergine et pesto de roquette. Une jolie ardoise sur laquelle était montée cette fine pâte, surmontée des sardines sans arrêtes, des petits légumes concassés, le jambon froissé sur le dessus. Autour des petites cuillères d’aubergines, de tapenade et quelques traces de pesto, de roquette et de graines germées. Joliment dressé, tout à fait provençal, très bon et sans surprise. Comme dessert un parfait glacé a la rhubarbe, gelée de framboise, ruche de miel écrasé. A nouveau sur une ardoise, une belle association de saveurs. La glace onctueuse avec un bon goût de rhubarbe se mariant parfaitement avec cette gelée parfumée légèrement à l’eau de rose et le croquant mielleux et caramélisé du miel. Un sympathique menu où l’on sent clairement une volonté de se surpasser, dans un endroit tout à fait charmant un peu perdu dans la campagne anglaise....