1. Fork at The Royal Berkshire Hotel

The Royal Berkshire Hotel was acquired by the Exclusive Group a few years ago and latest in its refurbishment programme is the restaurant previously known as Little Paddocks. Open this week as Fork, with head chef Jamie Brown at the helm we can reveal first pics above of the newest fine dining venue on the Berkshire scene. Aiming to use British produce and a simply executed cooking style, Jamie brings influences in from chef’s such as Michael Wignall and Andrew Turner. Team DR are descending en mass later this week and will be bringing you our exclusive review on Monday – watch this space! http://www.ehvenues.com/royalberkshire/food/fork/.

2. Flora Teas™ 

We spotted this stand at Taste of London in Regents Park earlier in the year and were very taken with them. Flora Teas ™ (Flowering teas ™) are hand-tied individual tea (Green tea) leaves with selected dried aromatic flowers forming a tea ball/heart, which reveals its secret centre when placed in boiling water, blooming into an artistic and captivating flower display with an enriching taste. They make the most delicately beautiful display and as we are total tea-pots in this office we are always looking for gorgeous new teas to try. Fans of the tea have likened the ‘Flora’ experience to ‘drinking from an underwater garden of delight’. More info at http://www.floratea.co.uk

3. Kaiseki Kyoto Cuisine

Kaiseki  is a style of cooking in Japan which is standing all the Michelin inspectors on their heads!  Kyoto is the birth place of Japan’s haute kaiseki cuisine. Originally created to keep hunger at bay during elaborate tea ceremonies during the 16^th, (century), this version – called cha kaiseki – evolved over time into a fuller, more elaborate banquet.  Kaiseki, seasonally-inspired tapas-style dishes – each encapsulating the mood of the season and evoking the terroir of the locale – is making a splash on foodies’ radar screen. Thanks to the Michelin Guide, Kyoto’s top kaiseki restaurants, previously known exclusively to chefs, restaurateurs and select groups of gastronomes, are in the limelight. We wrote about it recently in our blog What is the Haute Cuisine Capital of the World? Designed to please the eye as much as the pallate, for the full Kaiseki experience outside of Japan we have been told http://theshiori.com/ is the place to go but we’d love to know your recommendations!

4. Lady Bamford’s The Wild Rabbit 

Could this be the poshest pub in Britain? Carole Bamford, founder of Daylesford Organic Farm Shops and co-founder of construction equipment firm JCB along with her husband Sir Anthony Bamford, is to open a new restaurant with rooms today! Previously named The Tollgate Inn, The Wild Rabbit in the Cotswolds village of Kingham is in a building which dates from 1750, and has been thoroughly renovated and aside from having a restaurant and a traditional pub bar, it will offer 12 bedrooms.

The menu will celebrate local produce and will reflect the changing seasons, showcasing game throughout the autumn. Ingredients will be selected by head chef Adam Caisley for their quality and will always be organic where possible. The Wild Rabbit also plans to support British farmers, heritage breeds and artisan producers, and meat will be cooked in a charcoal Josper oven. As DR’s noble leader is a huge Bamford fan no doubt we will be visiting very shortly! http://www.thewildrabbit.co.uk/

5. Dormy House Hotel Website

This gorgeous Cotswold property came onto our radar earlier in the year and we just can’t stop looking at their fantastic site! The images are so inspiring and the rooms look so spacious and comfortable. The views from the Garden Room restaurant are exquisite and the ‘farmed and foraged’ menu doesn’t disappoint either. Now we just need a good excuse…  http://dormyhouse.co.uk

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