Ok there was some grieving since Daniel Galmiche left but we knew the Vineyard wouldn’t let us down. For those that think that the Vineyard is all posh and smartness it is very family welcoming. While I was there I saw a huge range of ages and types of people who had one thing in common, they love an amazing venue and great food.  The staff are very welcoming and friendly and the surroundings are glorious.
Robbie, who has a great pedigree from Michael Caines to Whatley Manor was kind enough to allow me to interview him for Kennet Radio has already made his mark on the menu. I always think it is wise if you are going to have a new chef to allow them to do their thing or it is a bit pointless. He is very enthusiastic about the fact that The Vineyard is a local venue which appeals to local people as well as those that come from quite a distance (and who wouldn’t). I havent yet had the Sunday Lunch but that is apparently a huge appeal, to be fair i have heard this myself from friends. Hey Vineyard, want me to blog a Sunday Lunch?
I decided to eat (and pay) and the only thing that made me a bit sad was that I was only drinking water so didnt get a nibble before hand and you KNOW how much I like the nibbly bits especially canapés but am thinking water doesn’t cut it! Fair does, and the staff were so nice even though I was on tap water.
Lets be honest here, Daniels shoes are big ones to fill but Robbie is doing a grand job. The Vineyard is such a wonderful venue, seriously how can you go wrong with the beautiful decor, the art, the atmosphere and this doesnt even include the beautiful bedrooms and spa. Robbie was so kind to give me some of his time for Kennet Radio and it was fascinating to hear him talking about his plans for the future.
So I couldn’t wait, sue me. loads of bread including lemon, pancetta, sweetcorn etc. As an aside I loved the butter
Butternut squash soup, chilli jam and herb gnocchi. I also detected some chopped hazelnuts in there but hey what do I know, I just eat. Good consistency of the veloute, always a winner with me, the chilli jam gave a tiny kick with a hint of sweetness and the soft gnocchi and crunch of nuts were excellent
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Ok good was the delicious chopped salmon tartar, little crunchy cubes of cucumber although the amazing wasabi granita possibly could have had more wasabi for me plus it melted so fast i wanted a spoon to get the bits i couldn’t with a fork.
haha more bread, this time the pancetta, ooh that works
ok, this is braised lamb neck, onion confit, redcurrant and mushrooms. If the server hadn’t warned me the lamb was pink (is there any other way) I would have been better. It is my fault in that I should have realised that braised wasn’t going to be pink, i am a dumbnut. I loved the onions, they gave a crunch that it needed and the mushrooms were superb. Liked the redcurrants though maybe didn’t need so many but overall very pretty.
People need to remember that The Vineyard is not just about POSH, it is also very welcoming, they have a much less formal bar menu which is just as delicious but you can also feel utterly relaxed in the main restaurant, i loved that there were such a range of ages and people in the restaurant when I visited, go and have fun. Looking forward to a Sunday lunch when possible and keep going Robbie x