Out For Lunch In The Farmhouse Kitchen At Horsley Lodge Estate
Published On Sunday 31 Aug 2025 by Sticky Beak
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I’m not much of a cook at the best of times, to be honest; so, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m not going to bust a gut trying to rustle something tasty up on a Bank Holiday weekend You can also double up the ‘ain’t happening’ vibe on a Sunday! Thankfully, The Man is a dab-hand at hunting down venues we haven’t visited and got us (plus Mummy Bird) a table booked at Horsley Lodge Estate.
The favourable weather meant that the golfing set were out in force, togged up in their finest plus-fours and short-skirt & polo/tank-top sets, so there was a good ‘buzz’ to the outside space. Last time we visited, the disabled spot was in a much more accessible place than it is now: up against the hedge, where there is a lack of gridded space and pulling further out would leave a lack of space for other traffic and/or pedestrians to pass comfortably in both directions. Maybe this needs a re-think? One plus-point, though, was the warmth of the greeting the young lady at reception gave us as she directed us around to the restaurant entrance.
Our table in the Farmhouse Kitchen Restaurant was ideally situated; close to the open-plan kitchen, and also near to the bi-fold doors that were flung open to allow the warmth to drift around us and give us uninterrupted views over the green and beyond. We ordered drinks: large Pinot for Mummy (£8.40), pint of Madri for His Nibs (£6.20) and a large bottle of sparkling water for me (£3.50), then turned our attention to the menu. Originally, we were all guns blazing for a Sunday roast, but that went out of the window when we spied the other options. Mummy fancied traditional Fish-n-Chips with Tartare Sauce, Mushy Peas and Lemon (£16.50), and The Man liked the sound of the Chicken, Ham and Leek Pie with Smoked Mash, Buttered Greens and ‘proper’ Gravy (£17.50). I was hooked by the Tuna Niçoise Salad on the Specials Board (£18.50), especially since it said that the Tuna would be served rare.
Whilst we waited for our food, we admired the variety of other dishes, including some gorgeous looking roasts, making their way to adjacent tables. By the looks of things, we weren’t going to be going hungry, if our meals matched the portion sizes headed to other diners. We didn’t have to wait long to find out, as a lovely young lady and her colleague brought our dishes to us.
Mummy Bird was an instant fan of the crispier-than-crisp batter as it elicited an audible crunch when cut into…and the crunching continued as she chomped away! The batter was lovely and light, too, and not at all greasy which allowed the sweet flesh of the fish to shine on the palate. Adding a superb injection of sharpness was the perfect duo of chunky Tartare sauce and the wedge of fresh Lemon; this pair cut through the rich batter brilliantly, bringing a great balance to this meal. Matching the crunch of the batter were the moreish chunky chips – there’s nothing more awful than soggy chips or, even worse, skinny fries, with fish (in my opinion). In a separate pot was a good amount of Mushy Peas; a nice touch, as it allows you to add as many or as few as you fancy.
At first glance, the Pie looked as if it was going to be excellent and was nicely garnished with verdant Pea Shoots. Cutting into the pastry, His Nibs was rewarded with the most enticing aroma, making him smile; the joy continued as he saw that the filling took up every last bit of space inside, and he eagerly took his first mouthful. The Chicken chunks were lovely and juicy, partnered with meaty pieces of Ham and a creamy Leek-pimped sauce; delicious, for sure. A large quenelle of Mash, topped with Crispy Onions, did indeed have a gentle smokiness to it, one that was respectful of the other elements in the dish. The buttered Greens consisted of Green Beans, shredded Leeks and Cabbage and all of them were still lightly crunchy and bursting with peak flavour. In keeping with the depth of taste within the pie, the gravy was gloriously rich and meaty, just adding to the magnificence of this morsel.
I was very happy to see a sizeable Tuna Loin Steak sat front-and-centre on my salad, and the colours on the plate were beautiful. This looked like summer dining at its peak, and I enthusiastically tucked in. Chef had indeed cooked the Tuna to rare perfection, and the thin seared outer gave way to soft, coral-pink flesh that melted on my tongue. The Mustard Vinaigrette that lightly coated each element added a pop of tang in the mouth, but didn’t dominate the whole dish. Fine Green Beans had been cut into segments that were the perfect ‘pop straight into your mouth’, one-bite size and they elicited that irresistible squeak when bitten into. I absolutely loved the contrast of the nutty, sweet Jersey Royal Potato halves and the pungent, earthy Black Olives. I can’t go without mentioning the glaring blunder, though: there was no soft-boiled Egg in my Niçoise salad! Egg is an absolutely vital element of any self-respecting Niçoise and, yes, I could’ve complained but a) I didn’t fancy the wait and not eating with the flock and, b) it was delicious and satiating enough. But it does need pointing out, I feel.
As is often the case, Mummy Bird said she wasn’t going to have pudding but, when His Nibs and I both said we were, she changed her mind. I think the lure of the Raspberry Apple Crumble Tart (£5.50) had more to do with her change of heart, than our decision, if truth be told! Cinnamon Ice Cream or Vanilla Custard are the options that come with the Tart, and Mummy opted for the Custard. His Nibs has been cutting down on the number of sweet treats he’s having lately, but who can resist a Chocolate Fondant (£6.50) and its oozy centre? Not my Man, clearly, as that was what he plumped for, and the accompanying fresh Raspberries and Honeycomb Ice Cream. Clearly, it was my day for having the specials at Horsley Lodge Estate; my choice of pudding was a scrummy sounding Caramelised Peach Tarte Tatin, served with Vanilla Crème Fraiche (£7.50).
Now, we weren’t told by our server that there would be a wait for our desserts, but we were expecting it as previous experience has told us that Tarte Tatins and Chocolate Fondants are made fresh-to-order and take their respective cooking times (plus presentation). If you don’t want to wait, don’t order them – simple; but it does need to be communicated to diners.
The individual Crumble Tart that Mummy had ordered was lovely, not least the crumbly pastry case; this melted in the mouth instantly. There was plenty of sweet fruit to savour that was nicely softened but not ‘pulpy’, and the crumble topping was rich and buttery. The Vanilla Custard was in a separate pot and was nice and hot. Mummy was more than happy that she’d changed her mind and gone for this pud.
His Nibs was bowled over by his Chocolate Fondant, and I must admit that it did look good. The pudding was gloriously cocoa-heavy, hitting the brains’ pleasure centre like a ten-ton weight! This was seriously good, not least the molten centre that lingered on every millimetre of the inside of The Man’s mouth. Unfortunately, the Honeycomb Ice Cream was a definite damp squib. Ice Cream should be, as its name implies, cold; this could only describe half of the pots’ contents – the rest of it was completely melted! Being brutally honest, there is no excuse whatsoever for serving this; even the busiest kitchen (and it had quietened off considerably by this point, so this definitely wasn’t the case!) can serve ice cream with a hot pud right at the last moment before it leaves the pass. Not good enough, chaps.
My Caramelised Peach Tarte Tatin, by contrast to The Mans’ pud, was simply divine. Not a shred of sympathy escaped from my ice-cold heart though, at His Nibs’ plight: all is fair in love and food, after all!! The Peach was sweet and fragrant within the tarte, and the two slices that decorated the top were nice and firm to the bite. I really liked the consistency of the Vanilla Crème Fraiche, and its sharp edge partnered the fruit Tarte perfectly. This was, in my opinion, the star of the dessert show, hands down.
So, folks, Horsley Lodge Estate is a bit of a conundrum, and I did debate whether to give it Hot Wings. On balance, I do think it’s worth a visit and we are planning on returning to sample the roast lunch. However, the service times are a bit on the ‘relaxed’ side and the serving teams’ communication to their guests could be clearer; at least you have the information to make your choice, now. Let me know how you get on if you visit, please.
To book a table call 01332 780838 and visit www.horsleylodgeestate.co.uk for information on the golfing facilities and accommodation at the lodge.
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