The Armada Restaurant
The Armada restaurant is a sight to behold. Attention to detail, as in the rest of the house, is obvious with the magnificent carving of the Armada set in the fireplace. Having taken nine years to complete and carved from one solid block of oak some four feet thick, whilst you are sitting comfortably in your deep leather bound seat, feasting on the delights chef David Kinnes has prepared, take a minute to appreciate the amazing amount of work that has gone into creating such an ornate piece of work. Or maybe you prefer to concentrate on your dinner. If you are an admirer of fine workmanship, you will be more than happy with both your surroundings and your meal.
The Alhambra Smoking Room
The Alhambra Room, of breathtaking beauty, is an exact copy of the Alhambra Palace in Granada, recreated here by Mabel Walker-Munro as a Christmas present for her husband. During their honeymoon he had so admired the then ruined Alhambra that she was determined to recreate this room for his own private use as a smoking room. She therefore instructed her architects to set out and gather materials, including onyx from Persia and coppersmiths of Moorish origin, who were capable of recreating, in England, this unique room. High in the dome one sees beautiful stars in the Venetian glass forming the Star of David. One could liken the vast dome itself to the breast feathers of a peacock. Below is a bronze grille. This was once part of the first air-conditioning of the house, which could either blow hot or cold air, pumped by the great gas engines. The walls of beaten copper with a gesso finish bear the inscriptions "There is no God but God and Mohammed is his prophet", "God loves all men and loves a true believer" and "The heavens and the earth testify to the magnificence of God". The beautiful mosaic floors with onyx pillars tell the story of how the great and good Caliph Harmoum Al Rashid of Baghdad, by making magic from the pentacle (which is seen in the centre of the floor), rescued his twin daughters from the clutches of Ahnzar the Devil who had turned them into flamingos. The magnificent copper and bronze lantern is the full Ruaiyat of Omar Khayyam, both in cameo and intaglio, and on the base a comet whirling through space shows how God created the world, for if one looks, there are six appendages. In six days God created the world and on the seventh he rested. Opposite the doors, the tapestry work of the fine Kalim prayer carpets every stitch a prayer. The doors to the room are inlaid with brass telling the same story as is told in the floor. The tiles on the walls are hand cut and burnt and each show flowers and other symbols of religious significance.
Fine Dining Menu:
To Begin
Scallop
Hand Dived Portland Scallops, Crab Open Spring Roll, Coriander, Peanut Satay
(supplement £4.95)
Smoked Salmon
Our Own Smoked and Cured Salmon, Beetroot Risotto, Langoustine Brochette, Horseradish
Wild Mushroom (v)
A Palette of Local Wild Mushrooms, Pumpkin Purée, Seeds, Herbs
Marinated Vegetables and Crisp Potato
Bacon and Egg
Poached Duck Egg, Marinated Tomatoes, Boudin Blanc,
Smoked Bacon Consommé, Wild Rice
Cured New Forest Venison Loin with Cauliflower
Venison Loin Cured and Marinated, Cauliflower a la Greque, Beignet, Purée
Main Course
From the Farm
Hampshire Beef
Roast Sirloin of Hampshire Beef, Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad,
Jerusalem Artichoke Puree, Free Range Egg Ravioli
(supplement £5.95)
New Forest Mutton
Best End of New Forest Mutton, Crisp Belly, Mint Jelly, Pearl Barley, Chicory
Middle White Pork
Spiced Roasted Loin, Braised Belly Sausage Roll, Black Pudding, Crackling
From the Sea
Cod
Seared Fillet of Cod, Parsley and Salt Cod Brandade,
Foie Gras, Brown Shrimp Butter
Turbot
Braised Turbot with a Crab and Coriander Tortellini, Citrus Fruits,
Fresh Coriander Oil
From the Woodland (v)
Squash Crumble (v)
Spiced and Roasted Butternut Squash, Granola and Hazelnut Crumble
Assiette of Seasonal Vegetables (v)
A tasting of all our vegetable garnishes
To Finish
Trio of Valhrona Dark Chocolate
Warm Mousse, Parfait, Delice, Salted Caramel and Pistachios
Coconut and Pineapple
10 Hour Roasted and Spiced Pineapple, Coconut Chiboust, Malibu Sorbet
Butterscotch and Apple
Butterscotch Pannacotta, Granny Smith Sorbet, Cinnamon Doughnuts
Crème Brulee
Tonka Bean Crème Brulee, Mandarin Jelly, Coriander, Vanilla Madeleine
( Please allow 10 minutes to bake the fresh Madeleine )
The Armada Gourmet Tasting Plate
A selection of the above desserts
(minimum of 2 people sharing)
Cheese, Celery and Fig
A Handpicked Selection of Artisan Cheese
Celery Sorbet, Preserved Fig, Fig Jam,
Available as a dessert course or an extra course for a supplement of £7.95
Cheese Description
Lyburn Cheese – Stoney Cross
Mould ripened, not dissimilar to a French Tomme De Savoie. Creamy in texture, sweet flavours with a distinctly earthy finish
Cranborne Chase
Manor Farm in Cranborne, North Dorset provides green pastures and excellent climatic conditions to make our washed rind artisan cheese
Dorest Blue Vinney
An old Dorset recipe which had almost died out until Michael Davies revived it! This delightful, slightly crumbly blue cheese has a pleasantly soft taste. Made from semi-skimmed milk
Rosary Goats Cheese
Rosary are a small, family business currently making a selection of fresh goats' cheeses. Emphasis is on the quality of their cheeses, four times winner of the Best Fresh Cheese at the British Cheese Awards
Montgomery Cheddar
The Montgomery’s have made cheese on their farm near Yeovil in south Somerset for three generations. Perhaps the epitome of traditional cheddar and made in a truly traditional way – matured for over a year wrapped in muslin cloth on wooden shelves
