ATE AT RUSSELL’S OFBROADWAY, COTSWOLDS
HMM, LOOKS A BIT ‘QUAINT’ FOR ME…
Admittedly from the outside Russell’s is a bit twee, what with the honey-coloured bricks and pretty cottage windows. But as my girlfriend and I stepped through the front door and saw the oak floor, white linen and wine wall, it was clear this was no clichéd tourist trap. This place is as slick as any modern city restaurant. And Kate Moss has a party house down the road – see, the Cotswolds is not as innocent as it looks… PUB GRUB OR HAUTE CUISINE? More hipster than haute, the menu was littered with combinations of organic ingredients guaranteed to send a foodie into orgasm – like my girlfriend’s pan-fried halibut with saffron and chorizo arancini, and my 28-day aged scotch beef with thyme potato rosti, duck liver parfait and sautéed chanterelles. Dessert was just as tasty – my chocolate mousse was accompanied by a beetroot foam, which was so good I actually googled how to foam a beetroot. WORTH STAYING THE NIGHT FOR? Hell, yes. As the hotel’s strapline suggests, Russell’s prides itself on being more than just a restaurant. It only has seven bedrooms and we were upgraded to a huge suite – the superking bed could basically fill my entire flat. The fancy bathroom had Jacuzzi-style jets in the bath, and a flat-screen TV (watching telly in the tub feels so decadent, FYI). His and hers sinks and robes gave it a firstweekend-awaytogether vibe. EXIT OR EXPLORE? Explore, of course. Though first we started up our inroom Nespresso machine for a coffee to give us enough buzz to get down to breakfast. Despite the night before, we still had room for a full English and smoked salmon and eggs. Sadly we couldn’t manage the cereal, yoghurt, croissants and fruit. Then it was pulling on wellies time (when in the Cotswolds…) and a hike (OK, laid-back two-mile stroll) through pretty countryside. We ended our stay with a potter around Broadway’s boutiques and a cheeky cream tea. Then, sadly, it was time to head home. And go on a diet.
Book it: From £120 per night; Russells-ofbroadway. co.uk. 28-day dry-aged Scotch beef, £29