The Vyse Room, Stoke
Place, Skoke Poges, Buckinghamshire
The Vyse Room
Stoke Place
Stoke Green
Skoke Poges
Buckinghamshire
SL2 4HT
Tel: 01753 534790
Living and working
in the centre of London it’s
easy get embroiled in the daily
grind. The perfect
antidote to this sort of living
is to escape every so often. Less
than an hours drive from the capital
is Stoke Place, a country house
hotel. This grand Queen Anne manor
house has been lovingly restored
and sits resplendently in twenty-three
acres of Capability Brown designed
grounds. If you are a lover of
English eccentricity than you have
found your spiritual home, as each
room throughout the hotel is an
off beat drama of colour and quirkiness.
Dining takes place in The Vyse
Room, a well-proportioned, imposing
space with huge windows overlooking
the grounds. The décor
is a blend of eclectic with a
touch
of fantasy. Dominating the ceiling
is an oversized and enormous
central black light fitting.
White tables
are paired with black shiny chairs,
whilst a huge mirror and turquoise
embossed wallpaper all add to
the dramatic setting.
In the kitchen
Head Chef Mark Bentley, (formally
Head Chef at The Hinds
Head at Bray) is featuring plenty
of regional specialties on the
menu. The beef is from a local
farm who rear with care and the
vegetables are sourced from a
nearby market garden organic suppliers.
The quintessentially
English menu has plenty to tempt.
Starters included
Stoke Place smoked salmon with
buttered crumpets & horseradish
cream; crab cakes with tartare
sauce; and potted shrimps. I began
with a summer garden soup which
was broth-like in consistency with
a good depth of flavour. Soused
mackerel with beetroot and horseradish
was visually stunning and thoroughly
enjoyed by my guest.
Main courses
included roast Gressingham duck
with braised peas and lettuce,
and Cornish pollock with battered
oysters and samphire. I tried the
roast Berkshire pork served with
braised trotter and champ. It was
everything it should have been,
the pork being succulent and tender,
the braised trotter adding bite
and flavour to the dish. It came
served with a gravy and a wonderful
tasting champ which is, if you’ve
never tasted it, a potato mashed
with scallions, butter, milk, salt & pepper
and quite delicious.
The British
are known for their love of puddings
and here there
are a whole host on offer. From
nursery favourites such as treacle
tart with nutmeg cream through
to more sophisticated choices such
as cherry sherry trifle and strawberry
Eton Mess. Blancmange is a sort
of English joke pudding which at
Stoke Place they are very keen
on reviving and giving it some
respect and credibility. In fact
when made properly it is a fine
delicacy, with buttermilk, yoghurt,
crème fraiche, and a dash
of orange - resulting in an absolute
treat and which I thoroughly enjoyed
every creamy spoonful. My guest
commented his Eton Mess was truly
excellent, in fact, possibly the
best he’d ever eaten!
There
is an extensive wine list offering
plenty of choice at all
prices. Wines by the glass start
at £4.50, House wines from £18.50
a bottle. There is also a speciality
cocktail list which I shall have
to try on another occasion. Perhaps
when I return to try out the stylish
boutique bedrooms upstairs which
I toured afterwards. My favourite
being the Alexander Suite - with
its plasma TV and luxurious hedonistic
interior making it the perfect
place to hole up for a couple of
nights of luxury living in between
popping downstairs for good quality
food and plenty of those cocktails.
Sunday
lunch for two with wine is about £70.00
Alexander Suite from £250
including breakfast.
Louise Elgin. June 2008
