Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

Frommer's Review

Some 19km (12 miles) southeast of Oxford, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons offers the finest cuisine in the Midlands. The gray-and-honey-colored stone manor house, originally built by a Norman nobleman in the early 1300s, has attracted many famous visitors. Today, the restaurant's connection with France has been masterfully revived by the Gallic owner and chef, Raymond Blanc. His reputation for comfort and cuisine attracts guests from as far away as London. The menu is adjusted to take advantage of the best produce in any season. The best-loved dishes at Le Manoir are smoked haddock soup with sea bass tartare and caviar as a starter, followed by Cornish red mullet with a fricassee of squid. Longtime favorites are roast suckling pig in its own juices and roasted Anjou squab with a celeriac sauerkraut in a juniper-berry sauce. For a sweet finish, bite into a pastry filled with caramelized apples and honey and served with a ginger ice cream.

Accommodations are also available. Each very pricey room -- rates are £400 ($800) for a double, from £850 ($1,700) for a suite -- is decorated with luxurious beds and linens, ruffled canopies, and antique reproductions.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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