REVIEW: Red Lion at Hinxton

By Cambridgeshire Agenda on July 1st 2010

The Red Lion at Hinxton offers the full package – a local pub, fine dining restaurant plus bed and breakfast. Sian Townsend enjoys all three

Our aim at The Red Lion is to offer something for every customer, on every occasion,’ says owner Alex Clarke. ‘Whether someone comes in for a pint and a pie, to treat themselves on a special occasion, or to entertain business clients, we truly can offer something for everyone here.’
The bar area has the feel of a proper local, with four ale pumps and a pub classics menu for those popping in for a pint or a meal after work. But head through into the restaurant and Alex and the team have clearly upped the game.
‘We haven’t lost the roots of the Red Lion being a classic pub but over the last few years we have really pushed the boundaries in the fine dining food we offer in the restaurant,’ explains Alex.

The real deal
The a la carte menu is full of cleverly devised dishes that head chef Peter Friskey and his team have worked hard to perfect. It’s the real deal, with ingredients such as wood pigeon, quails’ eggs and scallops regularly appearing on the menu. And all cooked to perfection – Peter clearly knows what he’s doing. And this approach is taken a step further in the monthly tasting menus.
‘It’s great coming up with the seasonal a la carte menu but I also love experimenting and showing off some of the different techniques I’ve learnt,’ says Peter. ‘The tasting evenings are the perfect occasion to do that.’
My dining companion and I were treated to just such a feast. The seven
courses we tried included delights such as potato mousse, leek jelly and truffle foam, a smoked duck salad with a peppery raspberry jelly, and East Anglian scallops with cauliflower puree (my personal favourite of the night). My dining partner declared the venison loin with blackberry jus the tenderest meat he had ever had the pleasure to eat.
Before our much-anticipated dessert arrived we were treated to a cleanser of confit fennel and pineapple bavarois which tingled in the mouth and refreshed the palate. And the dessert really couldn’t have been better. A perfectly thick and gloopy chocolate salted caramel delice with homemade Baileys ice cream and a poppy biscuit. However full we were from the previous six courses, we simply couldn’t leave a smidgen of it.

Perfect match
Front of house service was faultless. Restaurant manager Mike Champion has worked hard on ensuring the standard equals the food on offer. The wines he matched with our meal were perfect, especially the Muscat dessert wine which, as Mike promised, was ‘all the flavours of a Christmas pudding in a glass’.
After a night of feasting we retired to one of the pub’s crisp, fresh and modern rooms, with all the home comforts we needed. After a perfect stay we couldn’t have agreed more with Alex: ‘I am so proud of how we’ve progressed,’ he enthused. ‘I truly believe we offer the full package.’

The Red Lion is offering Agenda readers an exclusive deal on its next tasting evenings. On 3 and 31 July a seven-course taster menu with wines will cost just £40pp (usually £50pp). Simply quote Agenda when booking.

The Red Lion at Hinxton CB10 1QY, 01799 530601, redlionhinxton.co.uk

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