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Native

Worcestershire, Stoke Bliss - Modern British - Restaurant with rooms - £££

Inventive farm-to-table dining in stunning surroundings

Overall Rating: Very Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Very Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Very Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Very Good

Chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes and business partner Imogen Davis couldn’t resist this stunning barn conversion and its mature kitchen garden on the Netherwood Estate as the location for their latest iteration of Native (previously at Brown's in Mayfair). And neither should you. Formerly Pensons, this site is perfectly placed for farm-to-table dining. In season, 85% of the vegetable produce is grown on site or foraged, while meat and fish is sourced as locally as possible, bought whole and butchered on site. The architect-designed dining room, housed in a historic timber, brick and stone barn, has an open kitchen at the far end. The decor, including framed cases of artefacts excavated from the garden, highlights the beauty of natural materials: note the huge, sculptural wicker shades covering the long hanging lights or the polished bare-wood tables and floor. Seasonal tasting menus range from five to ten courses which, on a late autumn visit, included delights such as d...

Chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes and business partner Imogen Davis couldn’t resist this stunning barn conversion and its mature kitchen garden on the Netherwood Estate as the location for their latest iteration of Native (previously at Brown's in Mayfair). And neither should you.

Formerly Pensons, this site is perfectly placed for farm-to-table dining. In season, 85% of the vegetable produce is grown on site or foraged, while meat and fish is sourced as locally as possible, bought whole and butchered on site. The architect-designed dining room, housed in a historic timber, brick and stone barn, has an open kitchen at the far end. The decor, including framed cases of artefacts excavated from the garden, highlights the beauty of natural materials: note the huge, sculptural wicker shades covering the long hanging lights or the polished bare-wood tables and floor.

Seasonal tasting menus range from five to ten courses which, on a late autumn visit, included delights such as damson char siu pork with pickled cucumber served taco style in a nasturtium leaf, There was also a rendition of chalk stream trout presented in two stages. First, chopped raw in a wonderfully smoky lapsang souchong dashi (poured at the table), with trout mousse on a sourdough croûte that was rolled in linseeds, deep-fried and topped with a tangle of seaweed to create a ‘prawn toast’ effect. Secondly, the confit belly, topped with nuggets of crayfish and surrounded by a moat of wonderfully creamy, aerated crayfish bisque.

The high point of our visit, however, was roast venison haunch with puréed parsnip and a fabulously meaty tempura maitake mushroom, partnered by a tiny ‘deer stalker pie’ of minced venison, mushrooms, bone marrow and carlin peas in a supremely crispy, Lincolnshire Poacher cheese pastry case whose deliciousness defied belief.

Those with a really sweet tooth might be tempted by ‘the marrowmel’, an optional signature dessert comprising caramelised white chocolate with bone marrow served in the bone. For something less showy and more balanced, try the bread pudding with hay-baked pumpkin custard cut through with a supremely tangy molasses made from windfall apples. Welcoming, enthusiastic service adds to the enjoyment, while the carefully curated list of organic, low-intervention and biodynamic wines (mainly from France) also includes some excellent English selections.

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VENUE DETAILS

Pensons Farm, Netherwood Estate
Stoke Bliss
Worcestershire
WR15 8RTGB

01885 410333

Make a reservation

OTHER INFORMATION

Accommodation, Private dining room, Wheelchair access, Parking, Family friendly, Dog friendly, Credit card required

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