White Waltham, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

Following the departure of chef Dominic Chapman, this smart pub on a village green still ticks the boxes for “top food, service and environment at a sensible price” – now with British-Indian fusion cooking branded as ‘Milaanj’, a play on mélange meaning mixture. Top Menu Tip – “the Scotch eggs” (served with curry mayo).

“An ex-pub that’s turned itself into a wonderful restaurant with very interesting menu and excellent-value lunch” – well-known chef Dom Chapman took over this destination just outside Maidenhead in late 2022 and all reports attest to its “delicious food, attentive service and delightful setting”.

“More an experience than a meal out: an amazing trip with faultless service and a restaurant and kitchen running like clockwork” – that’s a convert’s take on Heston Blumenthal’s temple of bizarre molecular gastronomy, world famous for its outlandish culinary concoctions and wacky ideas (like listening to the sea on headphones as you eat seafood). Especially for a first-timer, it can seem “outstanding in all aspects”, and to be fair even many of its detractors do actually rate the kitchen’s creations here as outstanding. But that it delivers “gastronomic theatre rather than a meal out” leads to a view in some quarters that this is “a once-in-a-lifetime experience, rather than somewhere to return to” (and a reporter who did comment on a repeat visit found the second run lacked variety). Then there’s the perennial issue of the “outrageous” prices, which continue to be a major detractor for about one third of reporters and which foster a feeling among more sceptical diners that the whole schtick is a case of “emperor‘s new clothes” – (“at least paying in advance removes some of the shock of the astronomic cost”). Finally, the ambience of this converted pub is “difficult to score as the decor is minimalist and the room is dark”: it isn’t dire but it’s safe to say that it’s not a huge contributor to the event. None of the above is new, by the way – this is a similar review to the one featured in the guide for many of the last ten years… and the show marches on…

“Very friendly service with good-quality food on a menu that’s refreshed regularly” is the recipe for success at this smart boozer that is now the flagship of Brucan Pubs, a five-strong group from chef Jamie Dobbin (ex-Savoy, Ivy and Groucho CLub) and James Lyon-Shaw, ex- operations manager at the ETM group. One unusual feature is the horsebox converted into a mini dining room in the garden – a tribute to the regal town’s equestrian tastes, perhaps.

“A wonderful neighbourhood restaurant, which provides all the elements of interesting and delicious dishes and friendly unobtrusive service” – Wesley & Francesca Smalley opened their excellent restaurant in the town centre in 2021 and it‘s been winning awards as a top- quality local ever since. It has a sensibly focused fixed-price à la carte menu that’s “to die for”.

This “good and old-fashioned” French outfit (with Spanish inflection, reflecting the owners’ heritage) has quite some “stickability”, having ably served this Bucks village over the bridge from Marlow for over two decades now. There’s a “long menu (not always a good sign)” but here the food is all “freshly cooked and well-sourced”, providing a selection including a “proper seafood cocktail, plus fish and meat dishes hailing back to the ’70s and ’80s!” (Avocat Crevettes, Boeuf Stroganoff, Escalope de Veau Marsala…); adding drama to a visit, some dishes are flambéed at the table.