IF any of the many overseas visitors to Stratford were under the delusion that British food was no more than fish and chips then they need to book a table at The Woodsman, which would change that misconception in a single mouthful.
The Chapel Street restaurant, located within Hotel Indigo, has just been awarded two AA Rosettes, and with very good reason.
Restaurateur Mike Robinson, who co-owns the Michelin-starred Harwood Arms in London, opened The Woodsman in 2019 with a clear vision to deliver contemporary British cooking based on tradition. It’s a vision driven by a passion for the finest quality, locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Seasonality is also key to the success of this extraordinary restaurant with dishes changing regularly as ingredients become naturally available throughout the year.
These ingredients are all carefully sourced from producers with the same passion and standards as the restaurant itself, from Hebridean lamb bred from sheep unchanged by man since first brought to these shores by the Vikings, to daily delivered fish from leading Cornish fisheries, and vegetables from the neighbouring Vale of Evesham, among many others.
Of course, having quality ingredients is no guarantee of successful dishes. That very much depends on the kitchen. Led by executive head chef Greg Newman, his team do full justice to every single ingredient. They deliver some truly exceptional and inventive dishes. Nothing finds a place on a plate at The Woodsman without a reason, and that reason is primarily flavour.
When you’re presented with a Marmite butter, with a butter and beer bread, it’s clear you’re not set for a run of the mill meal.
And so proved the case with a stunning starter of Gazpacho of Isle of Wight tomatoes. Forget the all too often flavourless supermarket offerings. This chilled soup with tomato jam, marinated tomatoes and ricotta was positively bursting with flavour, as was the Coronation crab crumpet with an inspired pickled mango puree.
The Woodfired rump of lamb ‘Caesar salad’, with a black garlic glazed breast, is a very special dish. Some may wonder at the inclusion of smoked anchovy – until that is they taste it! The Barbequed South Coast Monkfish, accompanied by a potato salad tartlet, with a langoustine bisque, is every bit as impressive.
Both feature on the current Tasting Menu, with a drinks pairing option, for those keen to taste the true heart of The Woodsman.
The rich and sumptuous Manjari chocolate delice also features on the Tasting Menu, alongside a fine selection of English cheese, from the bold cheddar-like Lancashire Bomb, to the brie-like beer-washed Maida Vale, the Camembert-styled Hampshire Tunworth, and the glorious Mrs Bell’s Blue made from Bowland sheep’s cheese.
There’s nothing pretentious about The Woodsman – just a genuine honest love and passion for British food, which is echoed from the kitchen to the knowledgeable and affable front of house staff.
This love and passion they share with diners in a comfortable and relaxed restaurant at the heart of which is the open kitchen with wood-fired oven. Even the charcoal used in said oven is from wood hand coppiced in Oxfordshire and the burn carefully managed for flavour. Nothing is left to chance at The Woodsman.
And returning to the Marmite butter – superb!
Visit thewoodsmanrestaurant.co.uk for further details.
