Red Lion Freehouse

So it was a sunny day in between Stonehenge, Avebury and Woodhenge, we had lunch at Red Lion. Since the weather was so awesome, we decided to have lunch al fresco, in the back garden (beats sitting inside the stuffy bar), and best of all, there were no flies or any uninvited critters joining us for lunch. The menu has specific instructions for the guests to not feed Stowford, the dog. Didn't see Stowford but we did see a lot of other animals there.

 We went poking around their back yard, and they have lots of egg laying hens

They even have 3 hairy pigs (see how they have long and hairy coats?)
The piglets are 11 weeks old and they will be made into bacon next year. But they're really super cute (like dogs, apparently their intelligence is on par with a 3yo child's intelligence according to this video), and I really like the middle piglet cos it looks like it's smiling. When we went over to the pig pen, the three of them rushed up and wanted to be fed. I didn't eat pork for the rest of the day, but my love for charsiew bao and wanton mee is just too great to give up pork!

Darn, I can't find some of my photos, but we had the Salad of Bombay Sapphire cured watermelon with pickled red onions and feta (7.5 pounds) and the chicken liver pate with Maderia jelly which was so awesome I don't think I can settle for other pates anymore. My liver is most definitely fatty after eating this...

Roast Sterling Halibut with English samphire, Jerseys, cherry tomatoes, brown shrimp and Noilly Prat veloute (25 pounds)

 -Loved the little pieces of shrimps, and the asparagus was extremely fresh.

Confit Creedy Carver duck leg with spring onions, cucumber, chilli, Burbage shitakes and master stock (18)

Duck Confit - which was done in a very Chinese style.

Herb Roasted Guinea fowl breast with sarladaise potatoes, chanterelles, broad beans and roasting juices (19)

I had the guinea fowl cos I haven't eaten it before - it just taste like chicken.

Dessert was Valrhona coca pound cake with confit fennel, chocolate pudding and orange blossom ice cream (8). The orange blossom ice cream was pretty interesting, very floral and with the slightest hint of orange smell (which I don't like). The fennel was cooked in such a way that it resembled celery (but not so crispy). The chocolate was extremely gorgeous.

We also had the carrot sponge with cream cheese ice cream, candied baby carrot, raisin coulis and walnuts (8)

I really enjoyed my lunch here - very unpretentious, casual and with great food. Prices are reasonable and lunch sets are available on weekdays (3 courses for 20 pounds). As usual, it's out of the way so you'll have to drive to get here.

Red Lion Freehouse
East Chisenbury, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 6AQ
Tel 01980 671124

Bybrook - Manor House, Wiltshire

One of the things that I strongly believe in splurging on (especially when I'm overseas on holidays) is food. Especially when it comes to trying out some new Michelin Star restaurants, since Singapore has none, and whenever those Michelin star chefs visit, they charge an arm and a leg cos they have to fly all their ingredients in. A dinner in a Michelin Star restaurant overseas will probably not cost you more than Waku Ghin, or having a meal at some of those fancy restaurants in Singapore.

It takes some planning ahead, and unless you're driving, some of these restaurants are really out of the way. This was our first dinner on our holiday, so we decided to go for the degustation (called 'Prestige Menu' here for 74 pounds/ person). They have an additional 12.5% service charge on top of this. I personally do not drink alcohol with such dinners, because I find that I get too full on the alcohol and I don't appreciate the food as much, so that saves me some money. Plus, since it's out of the way in a far away place, we usually have to drive.

Amuse Bouche which had bread sticks, some fried potato balls and hummus

Bread with butter, mushroom butter and sea salt.

I think this was a sweet potato soup (can't remember very well)

The first dish, which was hand dived scallops with apple, walnut, and pickled cauliflower

Torchon of duck liver, orange, ginger bread and garden carrot
The duck liver was served cool, and went very well with my bread. I really liked the way they paired it with the spicy ginger bread. I donated all my orange away.

Pan fried fillet of Cornish Turbot, celeriac and panchetta fricassee
I don't think I've eaten turbot ever, till that dinner. It's has the texture of cod but not so oily, and tastes really nice. I think it would be a good substitute for making fish slice soup (if you're overseas, that is. )

Manor House old spot pork, braised cheek, pickled white cabbage, carrot puree and five spice. It tasted a bit like kong bak to me, the pork was very nicely done. Actually, after going to Red Lion, I hope the pig that we ate didn't grow in a farm in the Manor house and wasn't as cute as the ones we saw at Red Lion >.<

Another angle

The pre dessert, I think it was some yogurt thing with mango

The dessert, which was mango custard (tastes like mango pudding), pain d'epices (tastes like gingerbread/spiced loaf) and lime caviar (didn't eat this, donated all away also). 

The hotel lobby, totally reminds me of those murder mysteries!

Manor house is actually a hotel, but even though I think it's a really beautiful place to go to during the day, I won't want to stay overnight there cos it's really old and creepy! It reminds me of those horror stories kind of haunted house eeps

Go Here to see the website