Lizzie Wood - Freelance Journalist

Orangery Restaurant, Bedford Lodge Hotel - Newmarket

'Best known as a Hotel and wedding venue, the Hotel also offers an acclaimed restaurant, which itself offers some of the most ambitious food in Newmarket.'

The Bedford Lodge Hotel undoubtedly enjoys one of the most idyllic locations in Newmarket. Set back from the impeccably manicured main road, the crisp white building stands out against the backdrop of the sloping Gallops, effortlessly catching your eye as you drive past. Best known in the region as a popular Hotel and wedding venue, the venue also offers an acclaimed restaurant, which itself offers some of the most ambitious food in Newmarket, if not further a field.

Both the venue and setting are perfect for a special occasion and, as you hear the gravel crunch beneath your feet, you certainly get a sense of what it was like to be part of the landed gentry, crossing the car park to the entrance of the striking country house. Entering as directed through the imposing front doors, you immediately step back in time to the 19th Century, feeling more as if you’re invading someone’s private stately home as opposed to arriving for dinner; however, this is fundamentally a hotel and is set up as such, and the majestic atmosphere adds to the sense of occasion.

The Orangery Restaurant is set back from the hotel’s Roxanna Bar, which offers a relaxing and somewhat less formal area to enjoy a drink, scrutinise the menu, and place your order, before being led into the dining area. It’s also the hotel’s main bar, with an open fire in the winter and entrance to the garden terrace in the summer, and guests come here to relax, socialise and eat in a less formal environment than the restaurant – the space works well, and it creates a warm atmosphere that should be enjoyed.

The menu offered in the Orangery Restaurant is extensive, and perhaps overly ambitious: divided into two, you can choose dishes from the more expensive, and exclusive A La Carte Menu, or from an abridged version, which offers either two or three courses for a set price. Both menus include equally intricate dishes, and it’s immediately obvious from the tone and description of the dishes that this is fine dining – our expectations were heightened as we made our selections. All the dishes are appealing: you can choose between a variety of locally sourced meats, including duck and pork belly, and the main ingredients are also complemented by seasonal vegetables.

On arrival, although beautifully presented, the dishes themselves are somewhat overcomplicated, with often bizarre choices of sauce accompanying an otherwise beautifully cooked – and locally reared – piece of meat. The vanilla flavoured puree and jus reduction did little to complement the duck, and the accompanying tortellini was both minimal and poorly executed. Nevertheless, the ambition of the chef should be applauded – we were served with a complimentary chorizo broth before our meal, which was both tasty and warming.

Throughout the evening, we were treated as royalty: the attention to detail on the part of the service staff was impeccable, and we were made to feel significant as well as comfortable in an otherwise quite stiff environment. Despite the complexity of the food, it’s an occasion and venue to be enjoyed.