As befitting our surroundings I opted for The Lady of Wye , the house ’ s take on a Charlie Chaplin with flavours of berries , apricots and cream and a foam top courtesy of vegan fave , aquafaba . My guests opted for the Mediterranean flavours of a Pampelle Spritz and were rewarded with the zing of Corsican grapefruit liqueur with an Aperol-esque finish , and the Toby-recommended Riverside respectively . Befitting Wye ’ s waterside location and the fresh flavours of the garden of England , the Riverside was a classic fresh hit of London dry gin , cucumber and mint and the perfect pre-lunch refresher .
The table needed little persuasion to opt for the chef ' s taster menu – always the true showcase of any menu ’ s highlights – opting for five instead of seven courses for lunchtime ease .
With just enough time to relish the final drops of our aperitifs the first course arrived , an amuse-bouche of heritage beetroot tartlet with the thinnest , most divine crisp shell topped with a cascade of tiny cubes of yellow and red beetroot ; and a still warm potato terrine cake topped with a rich smoked cod roe which instantly delivered tastes reminiscent of fish and chips by the sea .
Next was the cured beef ; thinly sliced morsels of melt-in-the-mouth beef sat atop a crisp slice of bread topped with pickled shallots and capers , the welcome zing of salsa verde adding depth of flavour with the delicious swirl of onion puree the true star completing the dish .
A brief respite and it was time for course three : the fish dish . One of my all-time white fish favourites , a huge but delicate fillet of halibut was perfectly panfried and paired delightfully with a warm sour cream sauce , potato and wild garlic .
There was no hiding team iK ’ s enthusiastic anticipation for dish four as we were presented with one of The Wife of Bath ’ s most popular and well conceived dishes : glazed ox cheek . Marinated in kimchi and black soy for over 24 hours before slow cooking for well over half a day , the rich , sticky cheek simply and wonderfully fell apart from fork to mouth , a hit of fresh orange zest providing an unexpected and fresh palate hit amongst the richness of baby onions , Parmesan polenta and tender beef .
Happily sated and still murmuring over that beef , we were presented with our final course : a chocolate delice . Made with chocolate de rigueur Valrhona , the moreish ganache sat upon a thin , crisp hazelnutembedded base with a smooth Bueno-esque hazelnut ice cream giving the final flourish . The table were pleasantly surprised to find a more mellow milk chocolate finish ; a much better balance over bitter darker flavours and the perfect sweet finish to a decidedly delicious taster menu .
With seasonal lunchtime , á la carte and five and seven course taster menus all now enhanced by the bespoke cocktail list and refined wine cellar , The Wife of Bath is set to continue its fine dining reign .
The five-course taster menu costs from £ 65 per person with an optional wine flight available . Prebooking is recommended .
The Wife of Bath 4 Upper Bridge Street Wye Ashford TN25 5AF www . thewifeofbath . com
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