Van Zeller

Saturday, January 29, 2011 - The smart but not overly formal dining room reflects Van Zeller's 'fine food without the fuss' philosophy, the standard-issue black leather chairs, cream walls, white tablecloths and hotel artwork offset by a pleasingly scruffy black wooden floor...A starter of roast mallard breast, from the nearby Ripley Castle estate, impressed not just for the big, deep flavour of the ruby-red meat, but for the range of flavours that surrounded it; a dusting of powdered cep underpinning the dish with a subtle note of umami, while celeriac remoulade and quince jelly did interesting things in the foreground.