Levi D.
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The Tudor Pass, Great Fosters, Egham
The Tudor Pass is a small, elegant dining room within the historic Great Fosters hotel in Surrey, holding a single Michelin star under head chef Tony Parkin. The room seats perhaps twenty guests at most, with heavy oak beams, pale lighting, and comfortably spaced tables that allow conversation without intrusion. Service is efficient, courteous, and notably unpretentious.
A tasting menu was offered at £145. An initial canape of smoked eel tartlet was delicate, the pastry very fine, and the eel’s gentle smokiness balanced by a touch of apple acidity. This was followed by a crisp bite of chicken skin topped with liver parfait and truffle, the rich, saline note of the liver nicely offset by a hint of sweetness from a port reduction.
The bread course featured a house-made sourdough of high quality, served with cultured butter that had a pleasing lactic tang. The texture of the crumb was supple and warm, suggesting careful fermentation.
A dish of Orkney scallop arrived next, lightly seared and served with cauliflower purée and a sherry vinegar dressing. The scallop was perfectly timed, translucent at the centre, and the vinegar added a precise lift without overwhelming the natural sweetness of the shellfish.
The main course of venison with celeriac, smoked beetroot, and a juniper reduction was exceptional. The meat was tender, cooked to a blushing pink, and the beetroot’s earthiness deepened the sauce’s aromatic sharpness. A small dish of pomme purée—more butter than potato, as it should be—completed the plate.
A pre-dessert of green apple granita with yuzu curd was well-judged, cleansing and bright. Dessert proper was a chocolate délice with miso caramel and hazelnut ice cream. The miso added a faintly savoury edge that worked effectively to prevent the richness from becoming cloying.
Service throughout was attentive but not overbearing, and wines were intelligently chosen by the sommelier, whose recommendations showed both knowledge and restraint.
The Tudor Pass is a kitchen of precision rather than spectacle. Dishes are measured, flavours clean, and presentation refined without affectation. It does not chase novelty but pursues balance and craft. On this evidence, its Michelin star is well earned.
Food: 8/10 – Service: 8/10 – Ambience: 7/10 – Overall: 8/10