One of the most disappointing restaurant experiences I had was at the now-closed basement Japanese restaurant in London’s Pantechnicon. Amongst many irritations, the main one was that I had to continually ask for cutlery to accompany the sharing plates we had ordered. After settling the bill I asked the manager why they had not placed, like all sensible restaurants, a set of cutlery on the table. Even a token pair of chopsticks would have allowed us to start eating when the food arrived. The reply was that the ‘concept’ (such a detestable word) was minimalism and the order from higher up was to have a completely bare table to greet the diners.
I was reminded of this during lunch at the Pythouse Kitchen Garden, just off the A303 on the way to Devon. To my utter delight the table was set with cutlery, cloth napkin, side plate and with the menu neatly tucked underneath. To the side, a glass for water and a glass for wine.
The current menu allows you to mix and match dishes to make up your ideal meal
WHAT WE ATE
Wild Farmed Potato Bread, English Fava Bean Whip, Garden XO Sauce
Garden Beetroots, Dorset Yoghurt, Plum Stone Vinegar
Fried Sprouts, Apple Harissa
Slow Cooked Lamb and Rosemary Croquettes
Smoked Leeks, Hazelnut Miso
Delicata Squash, Buffalo Mozzarella, Fried Pumpkin Seeds, Wild Garlic
Chalkstream Trout, Celeriac Skin Miso Sauce, Grilled Broccoli
For dessert we shared a slice of Spice Cake, Roasted Pear, Ivy House Cream
For a brilliant recipe using earthy beetroot, try Otto’s beetroot which we ate in Berlin in 2023 and 2024. Reading the posts again, I realise now why I so enjoyed our meal at Pythouse Kitchen Garden. I was staring at otto transplanted to the Wiltshire countryside. My heart is suddenly beating faster as I contemplate our next visit to either of these establishments.
After lunch we visited the HQ of Niwaki, repository of precision Japanese tools for the home and garden. Going back to university days, Mr Gochugaru and I bonded over our love of good food and good gadgets. This little corner off the A303 is a wonder to us.
Addresses:
Pythouse Kitchen Garden, West Hatch, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6PA
Niwaki HQ Showroom, 7 Chaldicott Barns, Semley, Shaftsbury SP7 9AW
otto, Oderberger Strasse 56, 10435 Berlin, Germany