Le Champignon Sauvage
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
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'A superb post-pandemic reintroduction to tip-top fine dining,’ declared one reader after a welcome return to this civilised Cheltenham aristocrat. Others agree that Le Champignon Sauvage is a sheer delight – ‘our recent visit gave us as much pleasure as ever, with new dishes, flavours and surprising combinations.’ Even after three decades, chef-patron David Everitt-Matthias still puts in the hours, fashioning scrupulous creations in the modern French manner, gleaning obsessively from Britain’s seasonal larder and adding real personality to each new idea. From the very beginning, his culinary skills are there for all to taste and see: a spoonful of Parmesan mousse coated in powdered chorizo and ‘space dust’; a memorable coin-sized tartlet involving a tartare of pouting (a member of the cod family) with smoked mayo and pickled pear; a little pot of delectable creamed leeks topped with salt cod, chives, Pink Lady apple and samphire ash. Fish and game are often given revelatory treatment, as in roasted gurnard with carrot, lovage, peanut ‘gomasio’ seasoning and sesame dressing or a striking assembly of partridge colourfully embellished with beetroot, pickled blueberries and spelt. As the thoughts turn towards sweetness, further pleasures await – perhaps a white chocolate and raspberry parfait (‘sensational in taste and design’) or a salted caramel cheesecake with almond cream and popcorn ice cream. Ancillaries and extras are faultless – from the ‘truly special’ breads and the ‘stunning tray’ of Anglo-French cheeses (all à point) to the 10 different petits fours. The backdrop for all of this is a sophisticated dining room hung with bright modern artworks; well-spaced, white-clothed tables add to the serene mood, likewise the absence of intrusive mobile phones. Service, headed by Helen Everitt-Matthias, is ‘immaculate – as always’. It's advised to ‘look deep into the wine list’: France holds pole position, but there is much to enjoy, whether you’re a traditionalist or fancy going off-piste. Prices start at £26.
