insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 21 - November 2016 | Page 88
GETAWAYS
A Festive Feast at Ashdown Park
Hotel and Country Club
BY SAMANTHA READY
As the nights draw in and the cool autumn air turns that little bit colder, it can only mean one
thing, Christmas is coming! And of course with Christmas, comes eating! Not just heaving
fridges and cupboards of festive fayre, but a host of Christmas-inspired nights out - family
reunions, catch ups with good friends, and of course the infamous work Christmas do.
It’s always a little stressful to choose just
where to host your festive gathering, however;
finding somewhere that offers the right balance
between setting, atmosphere and of course
quality food can be tricky. There is nothing
worse than a churned-out dinner of lacklustre
potatoes, a soggy sprout and a miniscule slice
of meat covered in some runny gravy that all
too often passes as Christmas menu fodder.
My guest and I were intrigued as we went for
a sneak sampling of the new festive menu at
Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club - and...
drumroll...we have found a contender!
Set within 186 acres of rolling Ashdown Forest,
the hotel is a truly magnificent building that
dates back to the 19th century; steeped in
history, it is as welcoming as it is impressive.
No two rooms are the same due to the
unique shape of the building and its former
incarnations (not least as a convent) - and the
result is a relaxing and comfortable place to
stay that feels a little bit different. It is also home
to the award-winning Anderida Restaurant.
As well as offering à la carte and table d'hôte
menus to guests and visitors, the team are also
the masters behind Ashdown Park’s festive
package, which features a range of classic,
but classy Christmas celebratory temptations
including luncheons, party nights and Christmas
holiday menus. These are offered not just in
the Anderida Restaurant, with its high beamed
ceilings, pretty bay windows and cosy fireplaces,
but also in the converted chapel - a breathtaking
space of stained glass and beamed ceilings;
the perfect space for a unique party.
My guest and I were dining in the Anderida at
a beautifully positioned window table (be sure
to request one if dining before sunset as the
views are incredible!) and were soon presented
with our delicious amuse bouche of chicken
veloute; a rich, thick warm broth dressed
with walnut crumb and truffle oil, and a great
precursor to the menu ahead.
For starters we sampled the salmon, a classic
festive menu favourite, but this time served
as a tartare of smoked salmon with a punchy
horseradish mousse and - the winning aspect
for me - sharp thin strips of pickled cucumber,
the flavours of which were further enhanced by
a refreshing, crisp glass of sauvignon blanc.
Palates cleansed by a refreshing orange sorbet,
there was of course only one choice for our
main - turkey! What appeared was a beautifully
presented dish of huge, juicy slices of roasted
local turkey perched on a bed of savoy cabbage
with smoked bacon lardons, a delicate apricot
and sage stuffing, the largest chipolata I’ve
ever seen, seasonal veg, and of course roast
potatoes. It was utterly delightful - praise indeed
from my guest who proclaimed before dinner
not to like turkey, and from myself who I like to
think of as a bit of a roast dinner connoisseur.
With just enough room spared, it was time for
dessert, and for our first break from tradition
as we were presented with a vanilla and ginger
parfait. The perfectly formed parfait - more
vanilla than ginger - with its sweet caramel disc,
was set upon a pecan crust, dressed with huge
pecans and caramel-glazed bananas, although
for me the apple espuma was the triumph.
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The whole menu was well-conceived,
beautifully presented, tasty and fulfilling, and
was delivered with a natural ease of service.
What more could one wish for?
Of course, the gentle stroll back to our master
suite reminded us of the fact that not only had
we just eaten some fantastic food, but that the
whole setting here is incredible too. Our generous
suite with panelled ceiling offered a lounge area,
four-poster bed, stunning stained-glass windows,
and extra wow factor found in the bathroom in
the form of a whirlpool bath and double vanity
unit, all framed and lit by a large window.
Definitely eat, and stay if you can, but either
way factor in time during your visit to take in
the grounds. Wth its lake, golf course and
rolling countryside, you won’t be disappointed.
Festive luncheon from £18.50; dinner from
£42.50.
Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club
Ashdown Park
Wych Cross
Nr Forest Row
East Sussex
RN18 5JR
01342 824988
www.ashdownpark.com
[email protected]
@ashdownpark
/ashdownpark