Berkshire is an incredibly competitive area to open a restaurant, you are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Heston, the Rouxs and Tom Kerridge, a dazzling array of michelin stars. So had John Burton-Race got it right, as Consultant Executive Chef (Fancy title, John)at ‘Sanctum on the Green’ in Cookham? Was it a place of “inviolable privacy” (check your definition of sanctum dictionary lovers!)? More to the point, how was the cooking?
Now I have met John on several occasions, all through the rounds of “Britain’s Best Dish”, pus the Celebrity version and in fact, he even cooked at John’s cousin’s wedding at the Landmark. So having experienced his close scrutiny of my cooking, I thought it was time to repay the compliment.
Sanctum on the Green (http://www.sanctumonthegreen.com/index.html) is an absolutely charming hotel, set on Old Cricketer’s Common it has been most beautifully refurbished. I loved the pool area, it felt very Hollywood and rather glamorous and definitely a haven of privacy. The restaurant is small, but feels intimate without being too cramped. Check out the pictures on their website.
There was a wedding going on when we arrived, whcih meant that there was a marquee in the garden which rather swamped the view, but the staff were absolutely lovely, and we did not feel in the slightest bit neglected or left out. I really didn’t know what to expect, and the simple, well-priced menu was quite refreshing. There was a set menu with 2 choices for each course (£20 for 2 courses, £25 for 3) and an A la carte menu. 
We were served with an Amuse bouche of a substantial liver parfait, which had a delicate flavour:
I started with a ballotine of chicken (above) from the set menu.
My main course was a classic turbot with hollandaise and new potatoes, which was a lovely, light summer dish, the belly of pork from the set menu was also good.
A creme brulee for dessert was okay but unremarkable.
To summarise, the food was very simple and well-cooked. It is not going to alarm the Roux brothers nor Heston, the michelin star holders won’t be quaking in their designer boots, but then I don’t think it was designed for that. If you want a lovely setting, good food and a very reasonable price then this is the place for you. The thing that really stood out for me, was the service. Rachel, the restaurant manager was charming and attentive and the rest of the team were also excellent. This really made the evening for us.
Well done, John I think you made excellent choices in your menu design. You didn’t try for the elaborate style of your Bray neighbours, which is a good thing. You’ve provided us with a really good venue that we can visit often, without breaking the bank.
Criticisms? Whilst I enjoyed the rather eclectic 80’s mix in the background, I am a bit funny about music in restaurants and for me, if it’s not live, or very low key background, I’m not so keen and prefer silence., but this was a small point and did nothing to detract from our evening. In all, I was a happy anniversary gal.
The Bombay Boys 