While some embark on a 'hot girl summer,' I've found myself in the middle of a hot woodland one - wolfing down flame-kissed meats on heavy-duty, seasoned logs far more than I ever anticipated. There seems to be a sudden rise in wild kitchen experiences across the UK. Parasols and picnics are being swapped for transporting the entire culinary setup to a lush green plot to host an outdoor banquet, and frankly, I’m not complaining.
In a bid to make fire pits a summer essential, I set off to Garden Gatherings at The Woodland Table, a lunch taking place at the four-star Down Hall Hotel in Bishop's Stortford, Essex, via a 45-minute train from Liverpool Street. This was its second year running, where it invited guests to come together to enjoy seasonal produce and engage in conversation atop hand-crafted benches made from the estate’s own felled trees.
Zesty butterbean, courgette and feta salad (pictured left) and chefs hard at work (right).
DesignMyNight's Review Of Garden Gatherings At The Woodland Table
Need To Know:
- Address: Matching Road, Hatfield Heath, Bishop's Stortford, CM22 7AS
- Area: Essex
- Cuisine: wood-fired and British
Ambience & We Think Perfect For
- Atmosphere: the lunch took place in the hotel's garden, offering us the chance to wander around plots of coriander and gin botanicals while woodsmoke and herbs filled our noses. It was a very quaint setting with banquet-style tables dressed with floral touches
- Perfect for: a unique dining experience, a lunch date, or a meal with friends
Service & Price
- Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cost: £90 per person (£180 for two, excluding drinks)
The succulent beef fillet (pictured left) and the neat table layout (right).
Menu Highlights
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Buttebean, courgette and feta salad - this was topped with pickled red onions that added a lovely zing to what was an otherwise very simple and earthy dish. I enjoyed the creaminess the feta added, but felt there could've been a little more kick to it, perhaps a tarter vinaigrette bringing it all together. Nonetheless, it was fitting for a summer's day
- Beef fillet - a very generous portion was served atop fresh garden-herb pesto, garnished with micro watercress. The meat was remarkably tender, and I loved how beautifully the smokiness from the fire came through. The pesto was a wonderful addition, carrying a bright, almost gremolata-like quality. To accompany the main, we were served a small bamboo basket of nutty, salty roasted garlic and herb potatoes, alongside roasted carrots. However, sharing a single artichoke head between the two of us felt a little stingy
- Grilled peaches, granola, rhubarb compote and Chantilly cream - caramelised to perfection, the grilled peaches brought a treacly sweetness that paired gloriously with the light vanilla cream. The tart rhubarb was a brilliant addition, keeping the dish perfectly balanced and never too sweet. I’d eat this pudding every day if my dentist wouldn't have a fit
Grilled peaches (pictured left) and the rhubarb spritz (right).
Drink: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Garden rhubarb spritz - as we arrived, we were welcomed with a drink made from the garden's rhubarb and some gin. It had a very botanical quality to it, and was more like an alcoholic squash than a fizzy beverage, but I enjoyed how refreshing and easy to drink it was
- Peppermint tea - we ended our lunch with fresh mint tea from the garden, which was absolutely delightful. Strong and herbaceous, it was exactly the sort of comforting brew I’d make at home after a meal
My Overall Experience At The Woodland Table
DesignMyNight Review Out Of 5: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Woodland Table hit a lot of the right notes for me. The produce was brilliantly fresh and locally sourced, the cooking was filled with care, and the setting was very whimsical. Having a live vocalist while we ate was a lovely touch, and it seemed everyone else agreed - before long, my whole table was humming along under their breaths as they enjoyed their mint teas and reflected on those delightful peaches. My only real qualm was that I wished more of the drinks had been included in the food price. That aside, dining on such a grand estate definitely felt like a special occasion.
