Contributed by Annabelle King:
Ok so this isn’t in West London, but it’s within easy reach if you are in need of some fresh country air, beautiful scenery and balmy September temperatures. Under two hours from London in the heart of the majestic New Forest in Hampshire lies this gem of a hotel and restaurant, The Pig. A lot has been written about it in the press lately much to my amusement as I got married there nearly eight years ago, long before it was “chi chi-fied” (back then it was all faded chintz and chenille sofas). Now it’s described as a “restaurant with rooms”, all Farrow & Ball and young funky waiters, with a serious country house vibe. Think Babington House but a bit nearer and a bit less ‘media’.
We went for their delicious outdoor wood-fired oven option, offered in the al fresco courtyard all day with no need to book. With the eight year old in tow this felt like a better option to the slightly more formal a la carte menu, but to be honest, the whole place is very chilled out and children are welcome everywhere. My daughter ordered the tomato, mozzarella and purple basil flat bread before promptly disappearing off into the vast grounds to swing on the giant swing with some other resident children. For us London folk this kind of freedom on a Sunday is in itself a treat.
Granny and I tucked into a nice little pichet of Malbec to accompany our delicious wood fired garlic bread with sea-salt and fresh rosemary to start, followed by flat breads with the hotel’s home made chorizo, rocket and buffalo mozzarella. The Pig’s philosophy is that everything they serve is either grown, reared, caught, shot or gathered within a twenty five mile radius of the premises. Indeed an abundant kitchen garden on the far side of the hotel, which you are welcome to walk around, supplies every kind of vegetable, herb and salad leaf you can think of.
The best thing about this place, along with the food, is the atmosphere. With chic lounges dotted around stuffed with huge comfy sofas and welcoming armchairs, it really does feel like someone’s house where you’ve been invited for lunch and the hosts have left you to it. People were scattered around reading the papers, curled up with books or setting off for bike rides on one of the hotel’s many available bikes. As a resident you can borrow a pair of Hunter wellies, on offer in an array of candy colours and sizes for those muddy country walks or even a bike helmet if you left your’s behind.
No one seems to bother you, service is laid back and discreet without being absent and after lunch you can stride straight out into the heart of the New Forest to walk off what will no doubt have been a gastronomic feast. The chef is ex Ivy, Caprice and Sheeky’s and knows what he is doing. A seriously beautiful place to go for a slap up Sunday lunch or a proper English country weekend away, with (or without) the kids.
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This posting was contributed by Annabelle King who lives in Shepherds Bush. After a crazy ten year career in advertising, she gave it all up to be bossed about by her three little girls. Her blog The Bush Babies was started in 2007, where she writes about the highs and lows of parenthood and raising three little girls in London.
