The new restaurant from the hotel’s incredibly humble and affable chef is simply sublime. Walking into the pantry as chefs busily conjure up work of art-esque appetisers truly sets the scene for the experience to follow.
Designed by Martin Hulbert Design, the interiors are both theatrical and contemporary, and the two floor-to-ceiling wine cellars make for perfect Instagram fodder.
Chef Adam Smith says he finds a rare pleasure in being able to bring together the finest ingredients on a plate. He likes to ‘remix’ the staples of the British cookbook in vibrant and unexpected ways, which he does with aplomb at Woven.
Our culinary experience kicked off with appetisers from the pantry: mouthwatering canapés like cured seabass, XO sauce, kalamansi, seaweed, brown crab salad, and goat’s cheese with hazelnut and truffle (an ingredient that features heavily on his menu).
I simply can’t not mention (or picture below) the bread basket: a selection of croissants and deliciously soft homemade breads for the table. After raving to the chef himself about the carb offering, he told me he really judges a place on its bread basket and that’s a man after my own heart.
The menu continues to champion British produce as the courses come: from the larder we enjoyed hand dived scallop with celery and bergamot, Hen of the Woods – Old Winchester, cauliflower, mushroom and turnip and truffled chestnut. From the stove, we devoured Hereford beef, fallow deer, dover sole and Cornish Turbot.
In celebration of Coworth Park’s bee hives, desserts include black fig, estate honey, walnut and bee pollen, as well as Adam’s signature chocolate, sea salt, coco nib and crème fraîche, which was truly incredible. If you’ve any room, opt for a selection of British cheeses served from the pantry. We were also sent back to our room with a box of ‘treats’ – think praline chocolates and lemon and ginger meringue tarts – which served as the perfect car snacks en route home the next day.