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Review: The Back Garden, Dormy House Hotel & Spa
- amanda03874
- 9 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Dormy House Hotel and Spa, in the beautiful Cotswolds chocolate-box village of Broadway, undoubtedly offers the five-star experience.
And central to that is its culinary contribution, enhancing the guest stay with its fine dining credentials.
Four very different restaurants on site offer a generous selection of dining options. The Back Garden is an informal but sophisticated space which celebrates the best of local ingredients, including those from its own hotel kitchen gardens. The dining area is bathed in natural light, thanks to large glass windows that overlook the gardens, opening up the connection to the outdoors.
Intimate MO (open for dinner, Wednesday to Sunday) offers a showstopping chef’s table eight-course tasting menu for up to 12 discerning foodies each evening.
In The Back Garden, My Paddock Farm Scotch Egg with Spiced Apple and Pear Sauce proved a winning choice of Starter from a tempting menu which also included: Revills Farm Beetroot Soup, Smoked Crème Fraiche, Cumin and Sourdough Croutons; Caramelised Onion Tart with Crispy Kale, Smoked Shallot Puree and Pickled Walnut or Venison Farmhouse Terrine with Dormy’s Homemade Fruit Chutney, among others.
My friend’s Crispy Filo Prawns With Seaweed and Chilli Dip were given a big thumbs up and we were both impressed by the portion sizes, oftentimes sacrificed as part of the fine dining experience.
Main course brought another fish dish her way in the form of BBQ Monkfish, Tikka Masala Sauce, Spiced Cauliflower and Potato, while I devoured the Braised Beef Blade, which simply melted in my mouth, complemented by the Crushed Celeriac, Crispy Kale and Horseradish, Red Wine Sauce and side dish of Garlic Mash. (I couldn’t resist)
Locally brewed Hawkstone Ale formed the basis of the Risotto dish – served with Wild Mushrooms, Watercress and Old Winchester Cheese while their other options included: Outdoor Pig Company Chicken and Mushroom Pie; Cready Carver Duck Breast, Caramelised Onion, Braised Salsify and Crab Apple and Cider Sauce, plus Stokes Marsh Farm Beef Wellington, Stinking Bishop Dauphinoise and Peppercorn Sauce (to share.)
The high standards dictated a third course was definitely in order and so my Sticky Toffee Braeburn Apple Pudding with Clotted Cream Ice Cream lived up to its promises as one of the most delicious desserts I’ve enjoyed in a long time. My dining companion’s Warm Chocolate Fondant with Candied Chestnuts and Conker Coffee Liqueur Ice Cream also hit the spot and neither of us regretted a single calorie!
Other sweet treat options include Caramel Crème Brulee, with Pear and Sherry; Fig Leaf Tart with Pickled Blackberries and Blackberry Sorbet and Dormy Plum Souffle, Pistachio and Preserved Plums. Cheese and Biscuits also available – served with thyme, honey and crab apple jelly.
Elsewhere on site, The Greenhouse café at the spa – with its own sun terrace - serves breakfast, cakes, coffee, nutritional light lunches and snacks, whilst the modestly named The Shed, is a cosy lounge bar that offers the perfect pitstop for everything from fireside light bites to pre- or post-dinner tipples.
A fun feature which catches a lot of attention in the bar is a wine dispensing machine (yes, that’s right!) This enables guests to help themselves to their tipple of choice simply by popping in their credit card and making a selection. And I’m assured all the wines are kept at optimum temperature. Now where can I get one of these for my kitchen at home??!
Back in The Back Garden, breakfast is a deliciously lavish affair of freshly cooked options as well as a buffet – where you can even grab yourself a range of nutritious options, including a health drink shot, to set you up for the day!
All these spaces are tastefully and individually designed in keeping with the opulent yet sophisticated ambience the hotel is striving for.
Dormy House Hotel and Spa is a 17th-Century farmhouse which underwent a multimillion pound refurbishment in 2013. It has a modern stylish feel, while still retaining the Nordic origins of its family owners with Scandi-chic décor and hand-picked furnishings throughout.
It exudes a casual (definitely not snobby) sophistication and delivers a five-star level of service the price tag would dictate (it’s hefty!) That said, for the most discerning it’s a clear choice for that special dinner or even the ultimate weekend retreat.
For more about the dining options visit: https://dormyhouse.co.uk/eat/
[Items in this article may have been gifted to Chatting Food. No financial payment has been made to feature in this article, and entries to the feature are made independently by members of the Editorial Team. This page contains affiliate links and we may receive a small commission for purchases]
Amanda is a journalist of 30 years and now runs an award-winning PR agency based in Warwickshire. When she's not writing about her own clients she loves to help spotlight the great work of other pubs, restaurants and hotels around the country.
