THE LOWDOWN

L'Ortolan Restaurant in reading fine dining berkshire

Located in the leafy village of Shinfield, escape the city centre hustle and bustle and retreat to Reading’s shiniest example of exceptional fine dining with serious flair. L’Ortolan is a modern French restaurant which held onto its Michelin Star for 21 years and now proudly sports three prestigious AA Rosettes like a badge of honour.

Recently taking over the reins as Head Chef, burgeoning talent Jamie Pearce has a number of Michelin creds to his name including Cliveden House, Moorhall, and Whatley Manor. Peruse the variety of menus on offer and discover innovative and expertly contrived dishes designed to inspire and excite. There’s something for everyone here, from six, eight, or ten course tasting menus (including vegetarian and vegan options), three course midweek dinners and lunches, to special tasting evenings and monthly themed wine events.

L'Ortolan Restaurant in reading fine dining berkshire

It’s silver service, baby. Expect white linen table cloths to exceptional level of professionalism and attention to detail. There’s an intimate 58 covers in the main restaurant, a chef’s table for up to four, and three private dining rooms for 8 to 22 guests. At L’Ortolan, every diner is made to feel like King or Queen for the night. So, it’s little wonder the place is a magnet for celebrating special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries.

THE VIBE

Grown up, suave, and practically screams decadence from the rooftops. From the moment you swing into the gravel drive, the handsome red brick Grade II-listed vicarage comes into view, surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens. You know you’re in for a treat. After being welcomed by the incredibly professional front of house team, you’re ushered into the bar for pre-dinner drinks.

Inside, it’s a sexy vibe with dark walls and vibrant art. As you would expect, a good gin menu, cocktail list, extensive wines to suit all tastes and budgets, and artisan beers. Should the sun shine, there’s a sunny terrace to kick back in too. In the main dining room, find a natural light flooded space with cream carpets and walls dressed with oversized mirrors. A truly classic and timeless feel.

L'ORTOLAN READING DINING ROOM CREAM WALLS WHITE TABLE CLOTHs and purple chairs

The atmosphere is formal but still super friendly with softly spoken waiters and hushed conversations. It’s far from snooty or pretentious. However, from the get-go, you just know you are in for one of those rare, unforgettable dining experiences that don’t come knocking often. It’s somewhere you’ll want to dress to the nines for and feel good while doing it.

SCOFF & QUAFF

L'Ortolan Restaurant in reading fine dining berkshire

Ultimately, it’s L’Ortolan’s new Head Chef Jamie that has me seriously amped up. Having recently taken over the proceedings, with him comes a totally fresh, modern energy to the restaurant where he’s not just looking to break the mould, but smash it. In what perhaps might have been previously seen as the pretentious and privileged world of fine dining, only financially attainable to a few, Jamie’s ethos is simple: first-class food, unbeatable quality, and dining that’s accessible to all. Or as he terms it, “approachable luxury”.

“If there’s anything I want to achieve here, it’s I want it to be accessible and take out the pretentiousness. I want everyone to have the same experience, regardless if they have the money to do the full tasting menu or just three courses,” he tells me. His passion and determination is not only palpable, but infectious.

L'Ortolan Restaurant in reading fine dining berkshire

So, what was I in for? A 10-course whopper with the best seat in the house no less. The chef’s table was mine for the night, and Jamie would be throwing everything at me. “If you’re not crawling out in pain, we haven’t done our job properly,” he joked. Challenge accepted.

After enjoying a delicious glass of Gosset champagne in the bar (the oldest wine house in the Champagne region), accompanied by an assortment of nuts to nibble on, it was showtime. Taken into L’Ortolan’s beating heart, we were greeted by Jamie (such a lovely, easy-going guy may I add), who introduced us to every member of his fabulous team, from all the chefs, to the front and back of house miracle workers. It was an incredible experience to see just what goes on behind-the-scenes of a restaurant of this calibre. Everyone was super chilled, banter was flying, and good tunes blaring.

L'Ortolan Restaurant in reading fine dining berkshire

First up, we began with a series of three snacks. There was Berkshire Hoisin Pork Belly Taco, New Season Pea Tartlet, and Spenwood Cheese and Red Onion Waffle. Each not only looked gorgeous, dressed with edible flower petals, but were the perfect bite sized pocket rockets to get the taste buds revved up. We were also given a loaf of homemade bread, made fresh each day by the pastry chef which was just heavenly. Don’t even get me started on the lobster oil and pomegranate dip. If it was for sale, I’d be buying out the shop, stat.

Side note: the snacks and bread, as well as the pre-dessert and sweet box are given as standard whether you opt for a 10-course tasting menu or have a three-course midweek lunch. Aka, the value for money is real.

Jamie personally served each course to us, carefully explaining the intricate and laborious lengths that went into every detail, ingredient, and flavour. Our next dish was the Jersey Royal Potatoes with a BBQ flavouring, cheese curd, and lovage. Super tasty, bursting with complementary flavours, and again, like every course to follow, immaculately presented. Of course, with our table in the kitchen, we had the pleasure of seeing each dish carefully put together with expert precision and care.

Next, my favourite course that’s immediately being added to my ‘attempt to recreate at home list’. The Devon Crab Crumpet complete with brown butter hollandaise and celery had me doing the happy dance. The crab was so delicate, and they had absolutely nailed the crumpet (a recipe from Mr Warburtons himself I am told). It’s worth adding too, L’Ortolan are hot, hot, hot on the eco side of things. The crab, for example, is caught fresh from British waters and they operate on a 48 hour, catch to plate policy. It’s first-rate ingredients only, sourced seasonally, and as locally as physically possible. As a result, menus are often changing too.

Our next course was another fish, this time locally caught Chalk Stream Trout with yuzu ponzu, bisque, and Japanese radish. Although not entirely to my taste, I could definitely appreciate just how much effort had gone into the dish and what it was trying to achieve.

A veeeery close second behind the crab for me though, had to be what came next. Brace yourselves. It was quite possibly the poshest take on fish and chips I’ve ever had. I was obsessed. Jamie and his team had undergone a shed load of trial and error to create a chip that’s about as close as the one you’d get from your local chippy as possible. My god did it pay off. A thick, buttery layer of crisp, fluffy in the middle, and pure shameless indulgence. The malt vinegar flavouring was the cherry on top, and the Cornish Cod was perfection. An insanely scrumptious flavour.

Accompanied by a delicious glass of red by the all-knowing sommelier (who would be all too happy to pair each dish to perfection), came the Salt Aged Hogget, joined by Wye Valley asparagus, lamb fat fondant, and smoked yoghurt. Another winner, winner. Hogget is essentially a teenage sheep, a little firmer than lamb but certainly nowhere near the chewiness of mutton. Rich, succulent, very yummy, the chefs nailed this one.

With each course that came out, I couldn’t help notice just how calm the kitchen was. Think the antithesis of Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen. In fact, I get more flustered just whipping up a spag bol at home, let alone cooking for a packed-out dining room. But this is just another example of how Jamie is determined to break the wheel at L’Ortolan, creating a forward-thinking, progressive work environment of mutual respect filled with people who simply love what they do.

Jamie fully understands the strengths of every chef in his team, each coming from stonking foodie backgrounds, and reiterates just how much of a united effort the operation is. “If I didn’t have the best team around me, I couldn’t do the best,” he tells me. And the results show for themselves in the quality of the cooking alone.

L'Ortolan Restaurant in reading fine dining berkshire

By now, the trousers were well and truly tightening. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’d gone up a dress size at this point. But duty called, and it was pudding time – three of them to be exact. The pre-dessert was caramel Szechuan pepper ice cream and pineapple. A more unusual flavour, yet the bitterness of the pepper and creaminess of the ice cream just worked.

Next up, Gariguette Strawberry with olive oil, Thai basil, and long peppercorn. This was like summer on a plate. Refreshing, zingy, and sweet. The quality of the fruit was about as good as you’re going to get. Loved.

As the third pudding rolled around, I equally could have been rolled around myself. I was essentially 9 courses in, and as you can imagine, stuffed. But when chocolate comes knocking, you answer. Especially when it’s this good. The Tulakulum Chocolate (the big daddy of all chocolate) with red grape, galangal, and biscuit is a £10pp supplement on the menu, but honestly, worth every penny. Every chocolate lover’s dream, do not pass up the chance to try this. The sphere is packed to the rafters with chocolate, and I only wished I wasn’t so stuffed to fully appreciate it.

Just as I was about to wave my white flag in surrender, the holy grail of all cheese boards came rolling in. In fact, not a cheese board at all – an ENTIRE trolley. As Jamie said, if he’s going to charge an £18 supplement for a cheese course, it’s going to be worth the splurge. And my god is it.

There were 14 varieties of cheese to choose from, each apparently carefully sourced and selected from the back of a cheese dealer’s lorry. Just brilliant. The server herself was the human equivalent of a cheese encyclopedia. She has a huge binder (aka the cheese bible) which she has to study and learn front to back so she can give guests the full lowdown on each one. I mean, come on! We gave four of the cheese a whirl, accompanied by grapes, a relish, and six different types of crackers. But you are free to take as many or little as you like.

To finish off, each guest is given a selection from the homemade sweet box. On ours were a variety of French fancies (the pastry chef being French) including Macarons and Madeleines which I thoroughly enjoyed once recovered from my blissful food coma the next day.

And with that, the marathon was complete. To say L’Ortolan’s chef’s table experience was brilliant is an understatement. I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough. Everyone was such a laugh, the levels of professionalism were through the roof, and for a special occasion, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience you’d remember forever.

At the time I ate here, Jamie’s young and dynamic team had only been together just seven weeks (the longest chef who’d worked there was four months). It was remarkable for the well-oiled machine they operated as. And if they could achieve what they had in that short time, I can’t imagine what they will be doing by this time next year. I for one, seriously can’t wait to find out.

OUT & ABOUT

A hop, skip, and a jump to the town centre, if you’re looking for restaurants in Reading after hitting the retail therapy at The Oracle Shopping centre hard, L’Ortolan is perfectly placed. Enjoy a show at The Hexagon, mooch around Reading Museum, or take a stroll along the river. Slightly further afield, you’ll find beautiful National Trust property Basildon Park, an 18th-century Palladian-style mansion with 400-acres to work up an appetite in.

THE VERDICT

Good for: Special occasions or just one indulgent midweek dinner. Staff go above and beyond to make you feel super special. The midweek menus are very reasonable, and you get all the added extras too.

Not for: Well behaved kids are welcome but unless they’re budding gourmands, leave them at home. Casual diners might struggle with the formality, but I mean, who doesn’t love the princess treatment?

The damage: L’Ortolan’s full hog Chef’s Table Experience will cost you £156 per person. The eight-course tasting menu is £89 per person, the weekday dinner menu is £59 per head, and the lunchtime menu is either £50 for 7 courses or £40 for 6 courses. For the quality, it’s worth every penny. Look out for special offers and one-off dining events too. Wine pairings from £25.

Words by Ellie Ball

L’Ortolan, Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9BY. Tel: 0118 988 8500.

Review: L’Ortolan, Shinfield

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