The eye-catching chandelier constructed from wine glasses and a cellar crammed with new and old world varieties from vineyards across the globe should have been our first clues. The dedicated sommelier with obligatory French accent and rows of bottles adding tasteful touches to the restaurant’s decor were dead giveaways.

But, it wasn’t until we opened the weighty wine list, which read like a vintner’s encyclopaedia, that it dawned on our table of two that Hotel du Vin Bistro Cheltenham takes its wine very, very seriously.

Seated amongst an eclectic mix of diners in the elegant and modern restaurant, without the option of Oz Clarke joining us for dinner, we found ourselves cluelessly flicking through pages before promptly handing the wine list back to Lionel Lamadon, the aforementioned head sommelier, agreeing wisely that we would leave the drinks decision-making in his more than capable continental hands.

Offering a balance between fruity richness and crisp acidity, apparently, we also agreed that the suggested bottle of Newton Johnson sauvignon blanc, shipped from South Africa and priced at a reasonable £27 a bottle, ‘would do nicely, thank you’. And, through the course of the summer’s evening spent in one of Cheltenham’s most popular restaurants, the wine – the sparkling atmosphere and tirelessly-helpful service, for that matter – did do very nicely indeed.

But did the culinary skills of head chef Jon Parsons live up to what had, so far, been a swimming start to high expectations? My classic starter of vibrant spears of asparagus, with a peppery hollandaise and plump poached egg was certainly a flavoursome and seasonal start. While my companion’s moules marinere also packed a punch in the flavour stakes, with lashings of the buttery, garlic-infused sauce covering the ample bowl of small, but meaty mussels. So far, so good.

Next was my maincourse of seared bream, which proved a succulent fillet with a satisfying crunch of crispy skin. Served on a bed of rocket with well-seasoned sauté potatoes, all arrived beautifully-presented with a swirl of balsamic vinegar.

Opposite, a bloody 28-day dry-aged rib eye, which had arrived on a manly wooden slab with a generous cone of chips, was devoured. Smothered with a calorific café de Paris butter, and declared to be ‘the best steak I have had for years,’ it was futile to resist the begrudged forkful offered my way.

The huge choice of British and French cheese wheeled over by an astonishingly knowledgably waiter continued to keep a smile on my companion’s face. Hunks of Lancashire bomb, Cerney Ash and May Hill Green were slathered onto biscuits and washed down with a ten-year-old Tawny port, resulting in more indulgent grins. While the fresh strawberries, dollops of cream and crumbly meringue of my quintessentially English Eton mess proved a light and unfussy way to finish on a high note.

This was not my first experience of dining at Cheltenham’s Hotel du Vin Bistro – having had a less than successful evening at the same table when the restaurant first opened its doors almost two years before – but, the vibrant ambience, the crowd-pleasingly simple dishes, and exceptionally friendly staff all came as a pleasant surprise.

In vino veritas, as they say, and truth be told the culinary contributions to this memorable evening in Cheltenham proved more than a match to the exceptional wine list. In fact, the restaurant has been elevated to the lofty heights of a personal favourite – like a fine vintage, improving with age.

The average price of a three-course meal for two at Hotel du Vin Bistro Cheltenham, excluding drinks, is around £55.

Michelle Byrne
15 June 2009