Post Restaurant, Brasserie, Bar & Deli, The

The first thing that really surprised me about this excellent new restaurant was the enormous size of post office it must have been, but then I suppose Banstead is not now exactly a village and the requirements of eating away from home are probably far more demanding than ever the delivery of mail was. Anyway, it makes a super brasserie, restaurant and deli under the drive of owner Tony Tobin 'yes, the same chef of TV fame' and seems to be doing enormously well, with the deli tending to capture not only those who are enticed within, but also the passers-by.

The brasserie deals with everyday requirements from breakfast onwards, with many familiar dishes on the menu, all good safe and popular. This has all the hallmark of a neighbourhood restaurant except its size, which is quite big. That favourite meal of the day, breakfast, whether taken late or early, including all those little temptations like hot waffles with maple syrup, designed of course to keep you away from the Big One, tersely described as The English

The dining room restaurant operates with three fine dining tasting menus, starting with Temptation, through Desire to 'wait for it' Seduction. A seven course menu offers a soup of the day, moves on through a vegetarian confit to lobster ravioli before heading for the roasted halibut with braised oxtail. A fillet of lamb with black olive mash precedes a delice D'argental, finishing with white, milk and dark chocolate mousse, followed of course by coffee and chocolates.

Both brasserie and dining room have their own wine lists. The Little List in the dining room is quite stunning in its complexity, the Brasserie is sound everyday drinking, mostly by the glass or bottle, generally hovering round the £20 mark.

Sooner or later the deli will ensnare you, full of the foods that you will probably not see in even the best supermarkets. Vanilla pumpkin seeds, a wonderful range of breads, unusual and exotic cheeses, and fresh ground coffee with that aroma that used to be a feature of the long established grocer just round the corner.

Surrey is pretty demanding when it comes to clientele, but there is no doubt that Post is delivering the goods, even if they are not in envelopes. Learn more with a quick click on their Website.