Review of Hearth restaurant in Heckfield Place, Hampshire

Picture the scene: The sound of a warm open fire crackling, keeping you nice and cosy at the end of a long week - and to top it off - delicious hand-cooked food.

Well, that's exactly what you'll get if you find yourself in Hearth at Heckfield Place.

Inside this restaurant set within a converted vaulted stable yard, you'll experience the warmth of the open fire, with chefs crafting intricate recipes upon it, while you comfortably sit down on soft furnishings of cushions and blankets inside the destination restaurant which overlooks the 438-acre estate.

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Delicious soup (Image: Newsquest)

I was kindly invited to try the new menu, which was crafted by culinary director Skye Gyngell, and it did not disappoint.

I visited in the evening on November 3 with my girlfriend, and we were immediately greeted by the friendly staff who took our coats and sat us down.

We chose a table which was tucked away to the side, next to the window. My first impression of the place was that it has a 'homely' vibe, despite the fact that it is part of the 5-star hotel that is Heckfield Place, the restaurant itself doesn't seem alien at all.

Having browsed the menu, we both opted for a non-alcoholic margarita, which was sublime, I can't say I'm a cocktail drinker - I'm more of a lager man than myself - however, this did not disappoint, it was full of flavour and was very sweet on the tooth.

In terms of food, we selected four dishes between us from the menu. Each brought its own unique flavour and made for an enjoyable experience.

We chose a wood fired spinach pie with feta and honey as our first dish. The pastry was golden and has just the right amount of crisp, and while my picture probably doesn't do it justice, the flavour was phenomenal. The perfect ratio of cheese to spinach was achieved, and it was just a joyous experience to dine on.

The next dish was burrata with figs, prosciutto di san Daniele and fig leaf oil. I'll be honest, on paper, this one didn't appeal to me too much. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet flavours of this dish, it's something I would definitely have again.

Our third dish was onion squash soup with brown butter, chestnuts and sage. It was INCREDIBLE. Words cannot do this soup justice. I would eat an entire cauldron of it if I had the chance. If anyone reading does in fact choose to visit, I urge you to try this dish. It's full of flavour, has a wonderful texture is just overall, sublime.

After this, we had pak choi with chilli and garlic. It was wonderfully flavoursome, bringing a new twist on the staple Chinese vegetable.

Finally, we each chose a dessert. I opted for affogato with ricciarelli. The bitter-sweet taste made for a delightful end to the evening and filled that little hole which is always left over for pudding.

If you're struggling to find ideas for date night, Hearth may just be the place for you - it's a warm, cosy restaurant that makes for a perfect setting in these cold winter evenings.