I'm not sure how it's ended up like this, but it seems that I visit
Lumiere in Cheltenham once every 2 years. The first visit saw me and The Chap have a straight up 3 course meal, the second saw me surprise him with the Tasting Menu there (
which you can read about here), and most recently a group of 6 of us went for dinner having the whole shebang - Tasting Menu (£80) with matching wine flight (£50). Having won the Cotswold Life Food & Drink Award for Restaurant of The Year 2015, against
Purslane and
Prithvi, it was guaranteed to be just as good as I remembered.
After a few glasses of English fizz at - you guessed it -
The Grape Escape (see my previous post), we headed over and jointly decided to take the plunge without even attempting to look at the menu. Atmosphere can often make or break a place, and Cheltenham's fine dining scene can sometimes be a bit odd in this respect, but thankfully the restaurant was full and everyone was clearly enjoying themselves... We were also charmed with the pungent but pleasing aroma of truffle, which, as we soon found out, was thanks to the bread rolls (pretty much everyone opted for the truffle one out of the selection).
Some beautifully presented appetizers arrived at the table, though I cannot for the life of me remember what they all were. The inky puffed rice cracker with taramasalata was the stand out for me; there's just something about eating black foods, maybe it's the inner goth in me or something, but your brain kind of kicks in to tell you not to eat it, yet you ignore it and enjoy the eating experience even more. I imagine that that's what eating at The Fat Duck or Noma would be like, but obviously on a bigger scale.
Sweetcorn Veloute, pancetta and parmesan straw was our amuse bouche, with a chilled glass of Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2007. Sweet, salty and smoky, the cheese straw added the crunchy element that is sometimes needed with velvety veloutes. And Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs will always have a place in my heart after we had a bottle of the '98, post-engagement, at 131 The Promenade. The '07 isn't quite as breathtaking - it needs a bit of time - but it's still a stunning English Sparkling Wine.
Laverstoke Park Mozzarella Sorbet, smoked watermelon, chorizo, apple and pickled green strawberries was next. Mozzarella has such a delicate flavour, making it prime savoury sorbet material. Light and summery, it paired wonderfully with the crisp Massaya Classic Rose 2013 from Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.
I remembered this next dish from our last visit, and second time round it was just as good;
Diver Caught Oban Scallops, pork belly, carrot, orange, star anise, cumin. It's a combination of flavours that just can't go wrong, and the complex, mineral Fuchs Pinot Gris 2012 from Alsace cut through it with finesse.
The award for the most attractive course of the night has to go to the
Wild Eyemouth Sea Trout, smoked eel, cucumber, keta, borage. A similar award should obviously be given to the bubble wrap plate; I really wanted to take it home! The trout was cooked beautifully, the smoked eel added some depth to the light dish, and the bursts of intensely fishy flavours from the salmon caviare made it a joy to eat. We were treated to another English wine; Shoreline 2014 from Lyme Bay, Devon. Obviously, from its coastal origins, it desperately wants to be drunk with fish and seafood, and this did it justice.
The
Tequila Slammer was a real highlight when we came to Lumiere last, and I'm glad it's still a feature of the menu. Food and booze spliced together with some kitchen wizardry is my idea of heaven, and thankfully, it's nothing like doing shots of that unbranded tequila (probably turps) in sticky-floored clubs as a teen.That said, I'd quite happily do shots of this tequila sorbet; not sure how well that'd go down with the other diners though.
Butts Farm Limousin Veal, carvelo, grelots, borlotti beans, celeriac, morels was our main course, and by far the best of the night; the juicy hunk of veal was so good that I felt like I could eat it all over again instantly after (I'm greedy, I know). Deep, meaty flavours ran through the glossy sauce, whilst all the other components felt quite light, and the fruity, spiced Muddy Water Pinot Noir 2010 from Waipara, New Zealand, tied it all together.
Our first dessert was
Strawberries, Champagne and Elderberry. Champagne and strawberries; how very British! And that tart elderberry meringue shard...
So good.
Valrhona Chocolate, English cherry, beetroot, coffee; another stand out. Cherries, chocolate and coffee are probably my desert island dessert dream, and here they arrived in various tastes and textures. The earthiness from the beetroot added another layer of flavour, ensuring that this is definitely a dessert for grown-ups. Served with a glass of red Banyuls 2013 from the Rhone Valley; sweet, full of black fruits, with notes of cocoa, it was an obvious choice for the dish.
Lastly,
'Pearl Melba' Souffle, raspberry, sweet cicely and vanilla. I keep persisting, but I really just can't get my head around soufflés. All the elements of a good dessert are there, but for some reason I just don't like them. Light and fluffy, yep, I like that, but combined with the fact that it's eggy and hot, no. The Muscat de Mireval 2013 was great though; mouth watering-ly crisp and floral.
From looking back at my previous post on
Lumiere's tasting menu, I'm quite surprised to see so many similarities; I'm glad I hadn't reminded myself before going! I suppose if it ain't broke, don't fix it, but still, after 2 years I'd probably expect a bit more variation. And, although I've got a really sweet tooth, having three desserts seemed like quite a lot, especially as there were sweet or fruity elements in a few of the other dishes too.
Nevertheless, all 6 of us had a fantastic time. It really is one of the best restaurants in Cheltenham, and I'd visit again tomorrow if I could... Though I'll definitely be hitting the a la carte next time.
