Hi guys, just felt the urge to pop up a quick public service post about the all-singing all-dancing refurb over at the Flying Horse Clophill, that I checked out with the kids last night.

I’m not often prompted to squeeze an ad hoc post into an already jam packed day although I love nothing better than writing about food, but I feel it’s merited in this case.  We were invited to a complimentary press re-launch (for full disclure purposes) and as well as the fact I have always had a soft spot for the Flying Horse, bonus draw was a night off cooking!

Last time we visited it was for Sunday lunch, tables were scarce, the food was already legendary round these parts and the decor was pleasant enough  but stereotypically wall to wall wood.  Fast forward to today and the gastronomic reputation may have remained sacred but due to an extensive overhaul, the bar has quite literally been raised in the interior design and ambiance stakes.

Nestled in the heart of rambling Bedfordshire countryside, this place has long been a pivotal meeting and eating point tucked behind a bustling thoroughfare. Now, its the crystal clear essential must visit for first dates, private dining, family memory making and upmarket nights out.

This expansive barn conversion now boasts notes of the West End elite (for me I was strongly feeling original The Ivy, West street inspiration)  from top city hotspots and country retreats alike, peppered with original artsitic touches throughout and a skilled use of on-trend brass detail.  The Flying Horse is now a sophisticated seamless blend of opulence and old school glamour.

Let’s get to the food because I promised myself this would be short and sweet! Fail…..

The contemporary menu has a multitude of options, heavily pescatarian but carnivorous options are plentiful whilst also ticking the vegan & allergens boxes too.

I loved the small plates option alongside starters as it allows for trying new tastes without forefiting all the space for mains. After much deliberation I chose the delectable duck bao, youngest son went for freshly stonebaked garlic and mozzarella pizzette and third choice for us was my eldest’s enviable chipotle sticky chicken. Luckily they were in sharing mode so we had a little of everything. I just can’t wax lyrical enough about the duck, it truly was perfection.

Mains: my high maintence teen went for 28 day aged 7oz fillet steak medium cooked, which was perfectly prepared as well as presented. He polished it off in it’s entirety, which speaks for itself.

From the childrens menu, Dominic chose burger sliders which one would assume would be pretty standard but his proclamation that ‘wow, your teeth just slides straight through that burger, soooo good” was a pretty high accolade for a seemigly simple dish.

Uncharacteristically I opted for salmon. Really not sure why, perhaps just feeling mutinous toward my usual carnivorous comfort zone or it was more the inviting description on the menu. For my tastes, it was a beautifully done dish, pan seared to perfection, although set in a tad more oily arrangement than I’d have liked.

I’d better make this quick now because I’m getting carried away with the memories, but although we had very little space left, we had to go for desserts as they felt requisite.

Lotus Biscoff chocolate bomb and sticky toffee pudding were the unrivalled choices.

My instagram stories today will hopefully do the bomb justice more than a blog post can, but it melted into perfection and finished off the teen so he was ready to roll out of there. For me, my sticky toffee pudding was one of the best I’ve ever had and believe me, I had done extensive research.

I think the key was that it was so light as well as so utterly flavoursome. I don’t know what chef’s secret produced this successful sorcery was but it certainly  a winner for me.

Ok, I have to go, but I just had to share. The Flying Horse reopens to the public on 2nd April and I strongly urge you to get booked up.

Until next time lovelies x