Exton, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“The entire experience is extremely memorable” at Michael Caines’s “beautiful country-house hotel” which has “a lovely setting overlooking the River Exe”. (“Our meal began with Champagne and canapes in a wonderfully styled, tranquil lounge with perfect views out over the estuary and across the Lympstone vineyard. The sun was setting across the estuary and the voile floor-length curtains at the open French windows were billowing gently”). “The whole package has continually improved since opening in 2017”, according to one regular, and it’s “a classy experience that’s hard to beat”. “The cooking is of the highest quality, championing everything in the region, so it’s best to ignore your inner accountant and just ride the wave of the Estuary tasting menu”: “a masterclass in how to use top ingredients and complement them with exceptionally well-balanced sauces”. “Predictably it has a huge price tag” (£180 per person for the à la carte or £240 per person for the tasting menu) but no-one this year begrudged paying it. It’s one of the top-20 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll and satisfaction levels are impressive (“one of the best meals I’ve ever had”) so we share the puzzlement of some reporters at why it’s not more accoladed in some obvious quarters: “I‘m always surprised that the Michelin inspectors only award this establishment a single star”; “the food is easily two star, so no idea why Lympstone only has one”. Perhaps if Michael were French it would help…