Where the Stars Go! (Combe House)

Member Name: lasagne5

Product:	Combe House
Date:	20/02/02 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Swank without Swanky prices, Luxurious surroundings, Expert cooking from a masterchef

Disadvantages: Keep your wits about you if travelling at night on the dark roads!, Might have to save up!, Can't go as often as I would want to!

Need to treat someone?

We needed to make up for completely forgetting my partner's mum's birthday and so my partner said - we'll go down to see her in Devon and take her somewhere swanky! I was ordered onto the PC upstairs on a mission for 'Swank'.

So I got onto the Internet and a few search engine's later came across Combe House in Gittisham. The sample menu was featured on the website along with online bookings. The menu included many international recipes with wonderful sounding flavours. Here are some examples:

Starters
Soup of the Day
Steamed Timballe of Partridge with Wild Mushrooms and Port Sauce
Tomato Consomme with Crab Tortellinis and confit fennel
Confit Duck and Foie Gras Terrine with Toasted Brioche and Red onion compote, balsamic and truffle dressing.

Main Courses
Fresh Fish of the Day
Roast medallions of venison, potato and celeriac gratin, with juniper infused sauce
Pan Fried Seabass with wilted spinach on a smoked Cherry tomato risotto and saffron rice.

Desserts
Caramelised Ginger Creams with gingerbread and glazed pears
Iced mulberry parfait
chocolate jaffa cake mousse cake with orange caramel

Sooooooooooo you ask - what's the damage?

Monday to Saturday 12-2
2 Courses cost £12.00!!!!!
3 Courses cost £16.00!!!

Sunday Lunch is even better
12-2 3 courses, coffee and homemade petit fours - £18.50

We had Dinner as it was more convenient:
7-9.30 3 courses £29.50

Online Booking
The online booking is very efficient - we received a confirmation call the next night.

Getting There:
Gittisham is a tiny little place down a series of tiny roads near Honiton Devon. It was pretty hair raising going down the badly lit country roads. Eventually the first thing we saw in Gittisham was the sign for Combe House. We then embarked on the drive up a winding driveway up a hill
where we could see the golden lights of the house. It looked stunning.

The House
It's a Grade 1 Elizabethan Manor House and inside it is decorated with original artworks and elaborate period furniture. Lovely huge roorging wood and peat fires lure you towards the lovely lounge areas where you can view the menus and have a drink. Teh whole place is warm and romantic.

The Service
I went to Jamie Oliver's Monte's last year and found that very intimidating even though it was cheaper and not half as nice a place! The staff made you feel really welcome and don't pressurise you. They are really helpful if you don't understand the menu - a big worry if you don't know what a confit is! Service isn't included in the bill but there is no pressure to tip. It doesn't even request anything on the menu.

The Restaurant
We dined in a lovely lounge style room that had been turned into a dining room. Every wall was painted with tress and birds in tiny detail. There were only 8 other diners in our room so it was really intimate.

The Food
The chef is a UK BBC Masterchef (and it shows). The food is laid out cordon bleu style ie. staked on top of each other, smallish amount but amazing quality in terms of the rich flavours and lovely fresh ingredients. everything just melted in your mouth. I had the seabass and could not believe how tasty they'd made the fish! Superb! If you only do it once, go to find out just how good food can be! It'll knock your usual home cooking for six!

His Mother?
Over the moon. Before we set off she said - "I can't beleive we're going there, that's where the stars go - what shall I wear" etc!

Be Posh, go and eat some great food and enjoy the superb surroundings! Book online and make it even easier!

Summary: