Restaurant at The Five Arrows Hotel

In 1887 Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild was in the throes of building his magnificent Renaissance chateau on top of the nearby hill and what is now The Five Arrows was run up to provide accommodation for the upper echelons of those involved in its construction. Given that purpose it seems unlikely that Baron's successors would have had a problem with the house becoming a pub with restaurant and rooms.

Rapidly gaining a reputation for excellence, with several awards and a highly enthusiastic public following, it seems as though the Five Arrows is destined for great things. The crayfish tail salad with dill is legendary and in season game from the Estate makes a welcome appearance on the menu.

Another legendary and recurring item on the menu is the honeycomb ice cream, known only to one chef at a time apparently. I prefer not to think what happens to chefs when they move on. The Rothschild influence is apparent in the wine list, including, I was glad to see, some of the fruits of their Chilean vineyards.

Reviewed by Michael Tebbutt