Blimey, Cirencester is gorgeous isn’t it. A small and very walkable town of honeyed stone buildings and narrow streets that seemingly lead to nowhere and everywhere at the same time. The great big church that somehow feels more grandiose than most cathedrals, cutting the sun light off across the cobbled square where they are clearing up the mornings farmers market. I’d never been here before. I love the Cotswolds but I also love convenience, so I’m a Broadway or Chipping Camden man when I need my fill of local fudge and Barbour jackets. Push me, and I’ll possibly venture as far deep as Stow-on-The-Wold or Daylesford for a three-figure picnic in a car park full of SUVs.
Roots + Seeds reminded me of Daylesford Organic. The good bits without the endless posturing. The location on the edge of town, various shades of green, gently rolling like a toddler in a swimming pool. How the veg and fruit comes from behind the building in the vast property, and how they understand that the best food is also the simplest. Take great ingredients, show them love and respect. Eat. It really is as simple as that.
Take the fish cake; so often an excuse to use up trim and an excess of potatoes. This one is full of plump, smokey haddock with just enough mash to bind it. The mayonnaise it comes with has so much dill running through I wonder if it should be observing the Sabbath rather than be here. It’s pretty much perfect. And so were the tomatoes enough ways to form a 90’s girlband: Fresh tomato, sweet and sour tomato, jellied tomato, and consommé tomato, who of course pongs a little of herbs and onion.
I took the chicken Caesar salad for main, no idea why, given it was originally my last choice. It’s faultless. Half a torn-up bird including the white meat and the tasty meat, lardons, a dressing loaded with salty anchovy, parmesan, garlicky croutons the French would be proud of, and lettuce so fresh it wouldn’t surprise me if it was picked to order. Sophie orders the red mullet in a seriously buttery sauce with capers and more of the garden veg with zero complaints. There’s cheese to finish, and also a very good sabayon with summer fruits that probably strays a little too much into breakfast due to the granola with it. We drink rosè and gin and blimey that was a really wonderful dinner that I’ll happily make the journey to again. Perhaps as early as next month on the way to Bruton.
Our base for the weekend was Ingleside House, a gorgeous boutique hotel five minutes walk from the centre. I mention it not because of the beautifully spacious rooms with bath tubs at the bottom of the beds, nor the terrace out back that held the suns rays well into late evening, but the service, which was nothing short of superb at all times. I simply can’t recall being treated better. Cirencester, made the trip and loved it. Would highly recommend.
9/10
Listen to The Meat and One Veg Podcast here