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Renowned venue has so much more to offer

SPRING is here and the evenings are lengthening, providing the opportunity to take in a meal and enjoy the rolling Northamptonshire countryside.

The Terrace Restaurant at Highgate House in Creaton may not immediately spring to mind as a venue for an evening out but it is becoming a favourite with many discerning diners.

Following a major recent refurbishment, the Terrace Restaurant is light and airy with comfortable seating for up to 150 people, a feature wine wall which showcases a wide range of wines, and an award-winning chef.

This means there is plenty of room not only for delegat

SPRING is here and the evenings are lengthening, providing the opportunity to take in a meal and enjoy the rolling Northamptonshire countryside.

The Terrace Restaurant at Highgate House in Creaton may not immediately spring to mind as a venue for an evening out but it is becoming a favourite with many discerning diners.

Following a major recent refurbishment, the Terrace Restaurant is light and airy with comfortable seating for up to 150 people, a feature wine wall which showcases a wide range of wines, and an award-winning chef.

This means there is plenty of room not only for delegates and residents at Highgate but also for local people looking for good food in pleasant, comfortable surroundings with excellent service.

Slowly but surely more and more people are becoming aware that Highgate House is not just a conference and wedding venue but is, in fact, a restaurant and hotel for casual visitors, offering guests the opportunity to dine out at this 17th Century country house, set in 26 acres of grounds, either at lunchtime or in the evening.

In addition to the Terrace Restaurant, there are six private dining rooms available at Highgate House for groups of all sizes, which are ideal for family celebrations or business lunches and dinners.

The award-winning chef is Lee Gaskins, twice winner of the Chef of the Year title in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards. He produces modern cuisine using free-range Northamptonshire eggs, fish from sustainable sources and Red Tractor-accredited chicken, while preference is always given to British meat and locally sourced seasonal produce throughout the year.

I have eaten at Highgate House before, so it was with eager anticipation that we headed out there on a midweek evening last month to sample the evening table d’hote menu in the contemporary, brasserie-style restaurant.

On arrival, we were greeted by Jo Chudley, the marketing director, who took us straight through to the recently refurbished bar where guests can also enjoy a wide range of bar snacks in very comfortable surroundings, and then whisked us off on a brief tour of the other dining rooms, which include the Conservatory, the Library and the Baronial Hall. We also passed the very busy kitchen with evening service in full swing.

A meal out is always a good way to relax after a busy day, and the Highgate House evening table d’hote menu, which changes daily, is designed to make meal selection simple, with three options for starters and desserts and four for mains, including a vegetarian offering, so there is no requirement to wade through a long list of dishes.

On the evening of our visit, the starter choices were roast vine tomato soup, char-grilled lemon and coriander chicken and hot halloumi cheese, while the main options were roast rump of lamb, pan-fried breast of chicken and roast fillet of cod and warm broccoli quiche with balsamic glaze.

Breads and oils, together with a jug of water, were delivered to our table while we made our choices and we added a bottle of Italian alverdi pinot grigio to accompany our meals.

The chicken and halloumi cheese starters were both delicious with the portions just right to kick off the meal. A pancetta and port sauce with the perfectly cooked lamb, and garlic roasted new potatoes and brandy and mushroom sauce with the chicken were the perfect accompaniments to both dishes. Suffice to say, there was nothing left on either plate.

So that just left the dessert choices: strawberry and vanilla meringue roulade with marinated strawberries and a white chocolate sauce, sticky toffee pudding with custard and butterscotch sauce and fresh fruit salad. It was nul points for the fruit salad on this occasion.

It’s easy to see why Lee Gaskins has won his accolades. Our meals were superbly cooked and presented and now anyone venturing out to Creaton can enjoy this excellent fare.

Traditional Sunday lunches are served every week at Highgate House from 12.30pm to 3pm, with a special three-course lunch on Father’s Day (21 June).

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