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The Mash Inn

Buckinghamshire, Radnage - Modern British - Restaurant - £££

Overall Rating: Good

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

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

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

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

The aroma of woodsmoke forms part of the backdrop to Nick Mash’s remotely located restaurant with rooms in the Chilterns – along with the ravishing scenery. Summer visitors get a grandstand view of the bucolic splendour from the garden, where pre-prandial drinks are served: perhaps a fennel-infused gin, made in-house. A new covered terrace (heaters and blankets provided where needed) also makes the most of the site. But inside the diminutive 18th-century former pub, it is the open kitchen and its centrepiece – a wood-fired grill – that holds the attention. The departure of former head chef Jon Parry in spring 2022 has caused no major change of direction, so foraging, pickling, infusing and, above all, grilling remain the watchwords of the no-choice tasting menus – note an opener of ‘summer peas’, fiercely grilled in their pods and suffused with smoky flavour (ask for a finger bowl and dig in). At inspection, these arrived with top-notch jam&oac...

The aroma of woodsmoke forms part of the backdrop to Nick Mash’s remotely located restaurant with rooms in the Chilterns – along with the ravishing scenery. Summer visitors get a grandstand view of the bucolic splendour from the garden, where pre-prandial drinks are served: perhaps a fennel-infused gin, made in-house. A new covered terrace (heaters and blankets provided where needed) also makes the most of the site. But inside the diminutive 18th-century former pub, it is the open kitchen and its centrepiece – a wood-fired grill – that holds the attention. The departure of former head chef Jon Parry in spring 2022 has caused no major change of direction, so foraging, pickling, infusing and, above all, grilling remain the watchwords of the no-choice tasting menus – note an opener of ‘summer peas’, fiercely grilled in their pods and suffused with smoky flavour (ask for a finger bowl and dig in). At inspection, these arrived with top-notch jamón croquetas and a salad of ‘garden crudités’, many of them (beetroot, radishes) grown in the inn’s garden and served with a dollop of labneh yoghurt. Local Bix cheese oozed from the next dish: chewy little sourdough doughnuts topped with generous shavings of summer truffle. Still more summery was a superb tomato consommé, imaginatively and successfully paired with piquant kimchi. Elsewhere, the coherence and simplicity of grilled mackerel teamed with cubed beetroot, succulent ‘salty fingers’ (a cousin of samphire) and whipped goat's curd was more successful than a dish involving tender slices of mangalitza pork and tangy puréed Bramley apple, which was ill-matched with pickled shallot and two mushrooms glazed in soy and mirin. Modest portions and an absence of bread meant that sweets could be fully appreciated: a mouth-wateringly tangy Amalfi lemon tart with the texture of crème brûlée and, finally, an intensely flavoured chocolate truffle dusted with cocoa and topped with salt crystals. Although the drinks list includes local bottled beer, various cocktails and spirits, the wine list is divertingly brief for such an establishment: just 15 choices (including sparklers) starting at a hefty £48 a bottle. Service, though, is exceptional with alert, polite staff happy to inform about every aspect of the menu. Note, payment for food is taken when booking.

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VENUE DETAILS

Horseshoe Road, Bennett End
Radnage
Buckinghamshire
HP14 4EBGB

01494 482440

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OTHER INFORMATION

Accommodation, Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Parking, Electric car charging, Deposit required

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