New Mill, The

Situated midway between Reading and Camberley, and occupying a unique location on the banks of the River Blackwater, in the heart of the Thames Valley and just 10 minutes from both the M4 and M3 Motorways, this grade II listed watermill offers an exciting menu that makes comfortable eating in gracious surroundings more than just a special occasion. With its idyllic setting and country house atmosphere this restaurant is also a superb venue for any event requiring quality and style.

The New Mill was purchased in 2006 by Sean Valentine and John Duffield, whose passion in life is seriously good food at prices that are affordable.

There are four locations for eating, the Grill Room, the Riverside Restaurant, which is a la carte, the River Room and the Bar Terrace. Your only problem is one of choice. Under the overall guidance of consultant chef Steven Saunders, Fellow Master Chef of Great Britain, the evening a la carte carries a well balanced menu, one of those that leaves you totally at a loss to make rational decisions, with starters of  prawn and salmon ceviche with parmesan straw, lime juice, chilli and coriander, or wild honey glazed Capricorn goats cheese with mini niçoise salad. Then one of the party discovers they would rather have the warm spinach and bacon salad with pink Gressingham duck and redcurrant dressing.

Main courses also pose difficult choices with pan fried loin of yellow fin tuna with oriental glass noodles and teriyaki and fennel tempura or chargrilled chump of Oxfordshire lamb, spiced couscous gremolta juices and roasted shallots from which to choose. But wait . . . what about the roasted tomato and onion tartlet with baby summer vegetables and vierge dressing? Oh, well, discussing the menu at least gives a wider opportunity for enjoying some of the outstanding aperitif wines with which the New Mill is blessed.

A fixed price lunch menu must be some of the best value for money going in the area. A typical three course meal at £17.95 could comprise prawn and salmon fishcakes with Japanese sushi ginger salad and a sweet chilli dip, followed by open lasagne of wild mushroom ragout, baby leeks and truffle oil, or crispy fried fillet of red mullet with saffron risotto and basil pesto. Organic chocolate and mango compote make a graceful ending to a real quality meal.

The New Mill Wine Collection is to hand to ensure that customers can match quality of food and wine. Wine evenings are regularly held, when customer opinion is canvassed, so there is really no excuse for not finding what you want on the list.

The New Mill is a great place for gatherings, or 'functions' as we inelegantly describe them nowadays, a real favourite for weddings, and the capacity to absorb 500 person marquees. Their brochure describes it all in what reads like a mission statement, "adrenalin, competition, and most of all, fun, provide a rich energised mix prior to indulging in the culinary delights of The New Mill's restaurant and marquee menus".

This is a place where nothing stands still for very long and I commend it to you as a place that most people will enjoy enormously. Their Website will tell you much, much more. You could be only a click away from changing your lifestyle.

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