Who's heard of the M25 gastro-route?

Who’s ever heard of the M25 gastro-route?

It was only when Food & Travel magazine asked me to review a number of gastro-worthy restaurants and pubs around the M25 earlier this week that I discovered there was actually a nexus of extremely good places to eat around its junctions. All perfect meeting places for converging with food-minded friends from the furthest flung perimeters of its route.

My top 6

Drake’s Restaurant, Ripley, Surrey: junction 10
An exquisite, very proper and elegant Georgian house with beautiful walled garden. Michelin starred chef Steve Drake, a one-time Roux scholar, trained with Marc Veyrat and Tom Aitken and his extraordinarily accomplished, technically demanding and original approach to flavours is evidence of such illustrous training. Highlights include ratte potato wrapped in spinach with roasted cepes, poached sea bass with roast cumin aubergine, the finest crab risotto, grilled fennel and frothy fennel veloute, crème reversee (a French take on pannacotta) with apple sorbet and artfully arranged dried apple tuiles and mesmerizingly good and generous own-made petit fours.
The Clock House, 13 High St. Ripley 01483 224777

Chapter One, Locksbottom, Orpington: junction 4
As glamorous as the newest West End restaurant, but altogether more welcoming, chef Andrew McNeish’s menu is extremely appealing, cooked with great finesse and represents truly exceptional value for money (£28.50 for 3 courses). He may have temporarily lost his Michelin star this year, but no doubt it will shortly be restored. Dishes include Venison carpaccio with truffle and ice salad, poached and roast pigeon with fig and divine rice pudding brulee.
Farnborough Common, Kent BR6 8NF 01689 8544848

Alexander’s at Limpsfield, Surrey: junction 6
A newcomer with serious culinary aspirations and credentials. Chef Simon Attridge has worked with both Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal and their influence is apparent in stunning dishes notable for their clever contrasts of textures and flavours and his liking for high end surf n turf dishes such as pork macaroni with roasted langoustines served in a tiny copper pan, impeccable roast sea bass blissfully partnered with serrano ham, bone marrow, croutons and definitive chocolate fondant with salted caramel ice-cream Ultra-chic sympathetically restored 16c schoolroom/chapel in a bucolic village high street. The brasserie offers simpler dishes with similar attention to detail including rib-eye steak with Heston’s trademark triple-cooked chips
The Old Lodge, High St. Limpsfield, Oxtend, Surrey RH8 ODR
T 01883 714365

Jolly Farmer Emporium gastro-pub meets deli/farm shop, Buckland, Surrey: junction 8
A brilliant idea brought together with tangible commitment and enthusiasm by Jon and A lovely pub has been appealingly restored with a mix of leather sofas and proper dining, flagstones and local art and serving hugely generous portions of well-prepared food with an admirable emphasis on seasonal and local ingredients. Diver caught scallops with caperberries and raisins, local pork chop with cheese mash and roasted whole apple and sage sauce and bread and butter pudding. They’re soon to open for an ultra-low food mile breakfast using all local produce. The shop includes bread, cheese, meat, smoked fish, biscuits, jams and chutneys all produced by small local producers plus organic and gluten-free foods not found elsewhere in the neighbourhood.
Reigate Rd, Buckland, Surrey RH3 7BG 01737 221355

Colette’s at The Grove, Hertfordshire: junction 18/19
The fine dining restaurant of spectacular “groovy grand” hotel The Grove with extravagantly quirky décor and art and extremely accomplished and unaccountably under-rated cooking by Chris Harrod, whose CV includes Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons. Dishes are highly original and refreshingly light including ravishingly zingy crab with quivering lemon grass pannacotta, poached chicken with almond milk and spinach and caramelised apple with walnut biscuits and cinnamon ice-cream. Vegetarian dishes are extraordinarily enticing too.
Chandler’s Cross, Herts WD3 4TG 01923 296015