Lucknam Park, Colerne, Chippenham (From Swindon Advertiser)

Lucknam Park, Colerne, Chippenham

5:39pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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THE dining experience begins before you even enter The Park restaurant at Lucknam Park.

Over pre-dinner drinks we were brought olives, nuts and some terrific versions of cheese straws. The spindly delicacies were a lovely tiny taster of what was ahead.

For the indecisive type - like me! - choosing was a doddle. Instead of dithering over the a la carte dishes (£65 for three courses) I went straight for the gourmet menu.

That offered five courses - plus a couple of mini extras of an assiette surprise and a pre-dessert - for £75.

That meant the decisions were made for me and as the choices were made by Lucknam’s Michelin starred executive chef Hywel Jones, I knew we were in for a good meal.

We also opted for our drinks to be chosen for us, going for the £35 a head matching wines menu (there’s also a version at £70) so there was nothing else to do but sit back and enjoy the delicious dishes.

After the assiette surprise of a frothy artichoke soup, we had rolled terrine of Gressingham duck, smoked ham hock and foie gras, soy glazed duck breast and honey marinated vegetables washed down with a crisp Vouvray. The food was full of flavour and, as with all the dishes, beautifully presented.

Next up was braised fillet of turbot with buttered iceberg and Cornish crab, hand rolled macaroni, roast artichokes and truffle butter sauce, matched with an Italian chardonnay.

That was followed by loin and shoulder of Wiltshire Downlands lamb, sweetbread dumpling, potato terrine, green olive and celery purée and watercress accompanied by a glass of pinot noir.

It may sound like we should have been pretty well stuffed by this point but the well balanced dishes are designed to give you a great range of flavours without filling you up too much, which was just as well as the selection of cheeses (and port) which came next were superb. Our very knowledgeable waitress questioned us on our preferences, then came up with a great selection to suit.

The meal was rounded of with a sweet wine and a dessert trio of passion fruit cream, lemongrass and palm sugar sorbet, and a mango shot.

It was a lovely meal and as we were staying over, we didn’t even have to make a decision on who was driving home . . . bliss!

n You can spoil your Mother on Sunday with a three-course lunch in The Park restauraunt for £35 per person. For more details of the Mothers’ Day menu, or the more informal £25 lunch being held in The Brasserie at Lucknam Park call 01225 742 777 or go to www.lucknampark.co.uk. There is also a discounted overnight bed and breakfast rate of £210 a room available, for Sunday, March 14 only, so mum can stay over relax and enjoy the estate and the outstanding spa facilities.