GETAWAYS
THE REEDS
lighting and hand-painted illustrations that nod to the produce used by chefs all creating a very high-end but inviting feel. The floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the kitchen remains, as do the signature high tables that give diners a clear view of the brigade at work. Yet, despite the culinary choreography taking place a few feet away, the room never feels overtly structured, a point brought home subtly by a soundtrack veering between Tracey Chapman, Jesper Munk and Charlotte Leigh that had the same unforced cool as the space itself.
Typical of a Michelin one-star restaurant, Ben Wilkinson and his team have devised a seven-course tasting menu with an optional wine flight that begins with‘ snacks’- a crispy croquette of pulled pigs cheek, a pastry shell of smoked pork and a gooey cheese chou topped with shavings of air-dried coppa from Beale’ s Farm, one of the most renowned producers of charcuterie in the South East- each one an appetitewhetting demonstration of what Wilkinson’ s kitchen does so well: complexity that reveals itself gradually.
A Louët-Feisser oyster followed, paired with fermented grains, turnip, N25 caviar and dill. Built around acidity and texture, the oyster’ s clean minerality remained sharp, retaining that delicious creamy salinity. The next course, though … I wish it could remain etched on my palate for eternity. Simply entitled‘ celeriac’, what arrived was a warm, comforting bowl of beef cheek with celeriac cubes. Slow cooked to a thick, ragu-like consistency, it was savoury, deeply beefy and cut through with rich marrow that made it silky soft. Mopped up with homemade miniature treacle loves, which we slathered with whipped, salty butter, it was so tasty that I almost forgot the briny sharpness of the beef tartare tartlet with pickles and capers that was served on the side. An impeccable dish.
A light day boat turbot followed, which was mild and slightly sweet, deepened by leeks, king oyster mushroom and a Ridgeview sparkling wine sauce. Wilkinson’ s clever cooking was evident from the first bite- the fish was yielding enough to carry the wine sauce, while the vegetables brought sweetness and umami without crowding the flavours. It also worked as a great palate cleanser before a deep-red plate of fallow venison, beetroot, lardo, kale, red wine and peppercorn stamped its earthy, succulent and extremely tasty authority on the menu.
I’ m usually a cheese over dessert person, so I devoured the trio of sheep’ s cheeses with quince and crackers with glee, but that said, Wilkinson’ s desserts are, like all of his masterful cookery, more disciplined, with flavour accumulating in layers. The kumquat, fromage blanc and grains was an invigorating collision of citrus bitterness, creaminess and crunch, and the hazelnut finisher with coffee, maple, chocolate and pear, all served on a cakey base with maple ice cream and an indulgent chocolate sphere, not only looked beautiful topped with a coffee-flavoured sugar tuile rising up like a piece of coral, but tasted divine.
The five-glass signature wine pairing also deserves its own spotlight. The Pass prides itself on finding wines diners are unlikely to encounter by accident and our sommelier spoke with the kind of knowledge that illuminates rather than lectures. Oremus Mandolás Furmint 2022 from Tokaj brought floral freshness and vivid acidity; Muré Côte de Rouffach 2023 offered the purity and mineral lift associated with Alsace’ s clay-limestone slopes. A 2019 Grand Vin de Graves from Domaine de la Solitude in Pessac-Léognan carried Bordeaux depth, while Château Ksara 2010- a mature and supple blend from Lebanon’ s Bekaa Valley- was the evening’ s most memorable act of discovery.
What matters is that these unusual choices make sense on the table. The wines do not trail behind the food like expensive accessories; they alter it, lifting smoke here, softening bitterness there, pulling out a fruit note or savoury depth that might otherwise have remained hidden. The pairing becomes a second, parallel tasting menu and the sommelier its storyteller.
Back at the lodge, the contrast between The Pass’ s open-kitchen theatre and the stillness of the lake felt like the evening’ s natural conclusion. This is South Lodge’ s particular talent. The hotel is grand without being grandiose, the spa ambitious without being clinical, and The Pass exacting without losing its warmth.
A spa, dine and stay break here is unquestionably a splurge, especially in one of The Reeds’ exquisite spa lodges, yet it offers much more than a collection of premium experiences assembled under one name. South Lodge does not ask you to escape into a fantasy version of luxury, it simply makes the real world around you a far more vivid, rewarding and relaxing place to be.
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