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