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This restaurant review was
conducted on March 10, 2009
We arrived in near darkness and slowly turned
left to drive through a grand and imposing archway. Immediately
our eyes were cast on the deer in the grounds of Woburn Park.
They were just visible as the light from the moon glistened
through the trees; we were immediately in awe of our
surroundings. There in the distance we saw a gorgeous black and
white timber house – Paris House.
Not many reviews we conduct are approached with
quite the level of excitement as this and we were eager to
sample some classic French cuisine with a touch of the
contemporary.
Decor
Small, picturesque and classical, this restaurant
is not only unique in the way it looks, but also incredibly
inviting, welcoming and relaxing. Brilliantly lit, the tone is
immediately set to chill out and enjoy good food.
After a drink in the waiting area where we were
given time to choose our food, we were ready to begin what
transpired to be a memorable and exceptional dining experience.
Food
I was probably unoriginal in my choice of
starter, opting for the popular and very French dish that is confit of crispy duck with orange salad. Arriving like a piece
of artwork, I sat there for a while whilst enjoying the gorgeous
aromas rising from my plate. Never before had I seen meat fall
away from the bone with such ease, the duck had been cooked to
perfection and was meltingly tender. The orange salad proved the
perfect side-kick to this starter. This was seriously good food.
I found the belly of pork with redcurrant and
port sauce and irresistible choice for my main course. The pork
is cut into a square on a bed of mash with a thin layer of
crackling on top. The sauce was wonderful – simply first class
and one that must have taken ages for the kitchen to perfect.
Every single mouthful of this dish had an abundance of flavour
and it is clear that a lot of attention goes into every single
ingredient. It would have been a sin to leave anything on the
plate.
For dessert I was attracted to the banana en
croute with Baileys sauce and vanilla ice cream. This was a far
bigger dessert than I had expected, and I did struggle to finish
my meal. I would have preferred I think, my guest’s choice of
hot raspberry soufflé which was a masterpiece.
Service
We were served by a gentleman called Mark who
somehow managed to appear whenever we needed anything, but was
totally unobtrusive in the way he went about his work. He made
us feel incredibly relaxed throughout.
Atmosphere
Paris House is totally unique in the way you will
feel whilst dining. Look out of the window and you will see deer
roaming the park and you instantly feel you have escaped. It’s
almost as if you are on holiday. Everything from start to
finish, including the wine, the food, the décor and friendly
service all add to a genuine ‘feel good’ atmosphere.
What more can I say except that I cannot wait to
return!
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