A while back I had the pleasure of having a rather fabulous afternoon tea at The Petersham Hotel in Richmond. It’s a stunning hotel – set atop Richmond Hill with an incredible sweeping view across green meadows towards the river Thames. The tea was excellent – although it was a little too chilly to take it out on the small terrace - but I thought at the time that the restaurant was a little tired and not somewhere I would make a special effort to visit.
So I was intrigued to go along to see the newly refurbished restaurant and talk to the team. I took along a companion who had a particular fondness for the place having held his own wedding celebrations there over 10 years ago.
The restaurant is completely transformed. It is calm and classically elegant and beautifully lit. There’s a comfortable space between tables. There’s a soft luxurious carpet, flowing drapes and interesting sconce lights. The burnished mirror walls add a contemporary feel. But the huge windows onto that panoramic view have been preserved.
There’s a separate bar area which feels integral to the main room. And a private dining area for between eight and 12 people that you can enjoy opened onto the restaurant or privately shut away. I believe that there is also a larger private dining area down in the wine cellar – that sounds interesting.
The canapes were sublime – creamy avocado with a light kick of something spicy presented in a small cone, tender rare beef presented in a tiny Yorkshire pudding and a smooth roasted tomato concoction.
Head Chef Adebola Adeshina looked incredibly calm considering he runs a busy kitchen with 18 staff from where he manages breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner – as well as a busy function programme including weddings and posh rugby day events.
He talked passionately about his menus which are biased towards fish and balance the conservative tastes of some of the day time, mature regular clients with the more avant-garde demands of the younger professional evening set.
Amongst the starters there are classics with twists such as hot smoked salmon with beetroot, caviar, fennel and sea spaghetti (£15) and steamed lasagne of Cornish crab with capers and tarragon (£16.50). And more adventurous options such as rabbit ballotine with wasbi mayonnaise (£14) and, my favourite, sautéed scallops with banana plantain, black pudding and parsnip puree (£16).
Standouts on the mains menu is grilled whole Dover sole with ratte potatoes, capers and brown butter sauce (£38), roast Scottish halibut with watercress puree, chorizo, puy lentils and Pernod sauce (£28) and duo of Brechin beef (fillet and Jacob’s ladder) with potato Anna and bordelaise sauce (£35).
The lunch menu (two courses for £22.95 and three for £26.95) has three good options for starters and mains and includes ratatouille with Quorn, sage and rosemary toast. The traditional afternoon tea (£27.50) is given a modern twist with funky home-made breads such as olive and spinach and some amazing pastries
I’ll keep the place in mind for any future business breakfasts I might need to arrange – it’s an added bonus that there’s good parking at the hotel which is a rarity in Richmond. And it will definitely be on my short list when I consider my next celebratory dinner in the area.
