Brasserie and Bar at Malmaison - Reading

The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre. Malmaison Reading follows the well-established Malmaison trend in establishing their hotels in buildings of interesting styles and location, and the erstwhile Great Western Rail Hotel has been transformed into a stunning boutique hotel offering a luxurious refuge.

The bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing. There are five stylish rail themed suites, while artwork inspired by the Great Western Railway can be seen on the walls. At the brasserie, the mood definitely veers towards comfort and elegance where the exposed walls and ceilings lend a rustic appeal and the beautiful glass wine cellar adds immensely to the style quotient.

Amidst elegant surroundings, with spotless gleaming glassware and shining cutlery, an essentially brasserie menu is offered, where lovers of seafood will be delighted to note that their particular needs are well heeded, starting with a delightful mussel and clam chowder.

That very brasserie dish, eggs Florentine has staged a comeback recently and can be taken here as a starter or main course. Other starters include a game terrine with homemade piccalilli and toasted sourdough and carpaccio of beef fillet with rocket and artichoke salad and parmesan shavings.

An inspired choice amongst the main courses is the braised Herdwick lamb shank with pea puree and spiced chickpeas while the ballontine of rabbit with herb gnocchi and fricassée of wild mushroom and confit shallot is an enticing option. Which leads us neatly to the, wait for it, Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries.

Over the years the number of outriders surrounding a good honest steak on the plate have grown to unacceptable dimensions. At Malmaison the thought and care is centred on the dry-aged on the bone Scottish rump and that's it - except for the chips. If you want all the rest go for the side dishes, but steak and chips on its own takes some beating. Vegetarians are well looked after - the courgette and gruyere soufflé with bitter leaves, wet Italian polenta with wild mushroom and poached egg and the sweet corn risotto with basil pesto sound appealing.

Heading the puddings is the House crème brûlée, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find Breton biscuit with nougat mousse or apple crumble with pouring cream. Their homemade ice creams and sorbets are dreamy while their renowned cheese trolley has a selection of British and French farmhouse cheeses served with an assortment of breads, biscuits and a choice of fig, apricot or date loaf.

Their wine list is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them. Thank you, Johnny!

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Reading. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations Online on their Website.