Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2011 | Page 122

food

Island Life - April/May 2011

Cauliflower soup with hazelnut oil

Chicken liver parfait

Scallops with pasta

Halibut

Food with finesse at the Farringford garden
Anticipation builds as you crunch along

being one or two scripted thoughts of

have been silly. David chose to start

the narrow gravel path to the side of

the great poet. Any starkness of décor

with a wild mushroom risotto, adorned

Tennyson’s majestic home, through

is softened by the shimmer of shielded

with a sun-like parmesan crisp and

the dewy grass and past the sturdy

candles on the crisply clothed tables,

white truffle oil, and it achieved the

trees. Warm herby wafts combine with

and the glow from the wooden floor

perfect balance of texture – neither

the fresh spring smells as you reach

adds to the outdoor cosiness indoors.

too wet nor in any way dry – and

the wooden new build, the Garden
Restaurant.
After a false start or two the

Just as warm was our greeting from

flavour, the nutty-textured rice and

Philippe, the restaurant manager, who

rich mushroom enhanced by gruyere.

suggested we nibble (a particularly

My crab and lemongrass cake was

Farringford’s Garden Restaurant has

enticing word when pronounced with

surprisingly light in texture, the herb

finally come into its own. When this

his lovely French accent) on mini bread

effortlessly cutting the richness of

wooden structure first opened it had

rolls while we made the near-impossible

the crab. It was elegantly served with

a definite lunchtime feel, and despite

choice from the menu. The bread had

coriander chutney and baby salad

worthy efforts with art shows and

been made just moments before by the

leaves.

special food events there was always

Farringford’s head chef, Pratap Reddy,

that sense that you were, well, camping

and they arrived on a long platter

evening’s special, lemon sole caught

out.

accompanied by three dipping oils

just hours before, the menu-writer’s

which in themselves were a triumph of

prose – and possibly the fact that

the beach hut feel has gone. A huge

texture and flavour. Pesto oil almost

winter was not necessarily behind us

woodburning stove takes centre stage,

squeaked with the freshness of the

– led us both to go for a meaty main

its glowing flames an instant comfort

basil; and the sun-dried tomato oil,

course. My Isle of Wight Dunsbury

on a cloudless spring evening, its

Philippe explained, was made from their

lamb on a substantial bed of roasted

Gaudiesque organic curves housing

own tomatoes.

garlic mash was set off by carrots and

Not any more. Step inside and

its loggy fuel underneath. The walls,

Tempting as it was to pig out on the

Although sorely tempted by that

parsnip, their flavours slow-roasted for

previously tongue and grooved are now

nibbles, given the achingly difficulty of

maximum impact. This isn’t a dish for

creamily plastered, their only decoration

choosing from the menu, that would

anyone who likes their lamb fashionably

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