AD – Why is this here?

Nestled in the tranquil village of Stuntney, The Old Hall is a truly magnificent hotel well known for its historic architecture and truly spectacular gardens.

I was excited to revisit, having last been here for my stepsister’s wedding nearly ten years ago. I vividly remember its meticulously manicured lawns, beautifully maintained pond, and the serene pathways that invite scenic strolls under the watchful eye of Ely Cathedral. It’s a charming place with a certain magic, making it hard to forget. I was keen to experience it again, hoping to recapture the sense of wonder it had left in me.

Overlooking this beautiful landscape is The Orangery Restaurant, a fine dining establishment nestled within The Old Hall. This restaurant takes immense pride in sourcing ingredients from local butchers, fishmongers, and greengrocers, crafting modern British classics for its guests. Fine dining options are not abundant in this area, making The Orangery a note worthy culinary destination.

The Orangery Restaurant has a tastefully styled interior that effortlessly combines traditional elegance with a touch of modern class, perfectly setting the stage for the memorable meal about to follow. But it is the light that truly steals the show, giving the restaurant an almost angelic ambience. An abundance of natural light pours in through the impressive floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights, bathing the room in a luminous, almost ethereal glow. This incredible brightness creates an effortless connection to the stunning gardens outside, making you feel completely immersed in the beauty of the fens.

The wine

The Orangery Restaurant boasts some great wines with choices from all over the world. I noticed a slight emphasis on Spanish vino, something I was overjoyed by, as Spanish reds are my personal favourite. I picked a bottle of their house red, called ‘Cal y Canto Tempranillo’ a Spanish Merlot Syrah (13.5%).

This was a smooth and velvety wine, with a rich and intense flavour that gave off strong notes of black cherry. I also caught hints of raspberry and vanilla throughout, that pulled off the trick of being complex and fun at the same time. This is very much my sort of wine!

The menu

The menu here is à la carte, with a set price of £30 for two courses or £35 for three. Don’t expect a huge, overwhelming list but instead a carefully curated selection that covers all the bases, including a surprising number of gluten-free options. What really struck us, for a fine dining restaurant was the value. A three-course meal for two, with a bottle of house wine, would come to roughly £100 – which I thought was reasonable!

Soup of the day

For this particular review, I was joined by my sister, who kicked things off with the “Soup of the day with home-baked bread”. Today’s choice was a coconut and curry soup, which she raved about as “wonderful, fresh, and hearty.” She even commented on the surprisingly generous portion size for a starter that was certainly a lot larger than it looked! What truly impressed her was the balance of flavour, as she had expected the curry to overpower the coconut, but the soup was prepared with such precision that each flavour harmonised effortlessly. I must admit, I was subtly eyeing her bowl with a touch of food envy!

Stir fried beef

As for me, I simply couldn’t resist the allure of the stir-fried beef. Unlike my sister’s generous soup, this starter was a more modest portion – exactly what I would expect for a fine dining appetiser. The beef was cut into rectangle cubes that came coated in a red pepper and chilli glaze with a scattering of spring onions. Each bite offered a delightful texture that was solid yet yielding, with a lovely subtle sweetness balanced by a gentle touch of heat from the chilli glaze. It was a satisfying start to the meal.

Surf & Turf

The “surf and turf” immediately caught my eye on the menu. This is a dish I hadn’t enjoyed since my visit to Riverside Bar & Steakhouse in Cambridge several months ago. I was eager to see how a fine dining establishment would interpret this classic dish, especially given the price constraints of the set menu of £35 for three courses, when compared to my experience at Riverside coming to nearly £60 for one dish.

For those who have never experienced the surf and turf before, it is a dish that combines the “surf” (typically served as lobster tail, prawns or seafood) and the “turf” (usually beef steak).

As expected, the presentation was exquisite. A vibrant green salad provided a striking contrast and the triple-cooked, thick-cut chips boasted an inviting golden colour. The 8oz steak was cooked, as requested, to medium-rare but was accompanied by a single shrimp…a rather questionable addition, that left me feeling somewhat flat.

The triple cooked chips were one of the best examples I have had in a long time. They were served chunky with a crispy skin and a soft fluffy centre, as well as tasting clean – it was everything you could hope for and more from triple cooked chips and I honestly couldn’t fault it.

The steak itself was a triumph. Soft and tender, it required minimal effort to cut with my steak knife and was utterly delicious, easily rivalling the quality of any steak I have enjoyed in Cambridgeshire. It truly stood out as the highlight of the evening, embodying the quality one would expect from a top-tier steakhouse. The fact it was sourced from a local butcher was the icing on the cake.

While there was nothing inherently wrong with the lone shrimp, its presence on the plate as the “surf” felt a bit underwhelming. I wasn’t anticipating a lobster tail necessarily but a solitary shrimp seemed a rather stingy interpretation of “surf and turf.” I understand the budgetary limitations of a £35 set menu, unlike the £60 indulgence at Riverside Bar and Steakhouse. However, it leads me to think that perhaps it would be better to simply serve the steak as a steak, rather than teasing me with the promise of a surf and turf that can’t be fully delivered within the given budget.

Confit duck

My sister was absolutely delighted with her duck confit and repeatedly expressed her enjoyment throughout our meal. Like every dish this evening, she described it as a “work of art.”

The crispy duck leg was delicately placed atop a generous bed of green beans and colcannon pomme purée (mashed potatoes with cabbage). The spiced cherry jus provided a delightful burst of flavor that worked well with the hints of cherry from our red wine, elevating the entire dining experience. Unlike many fine dining establishments that prioritise presentation over substance, the chefs at The Orangery Restaurant were commendably generous with their portions of beans and gravy. What a refreshing change!

Cheese board

As a testament to their commitment to local sourcing, I was delighted to discover that the cheeses on our cheeseboard were supplied by the newly opened Victoria’s Cheese Limited, located right on Ely high street.
Regular readers of the Cambridge Foodies blog will know my often-complex relationship with restaurant cheeseboards, with 80-90% typically falling short. However, from the moment these cheeses were presented, I knew I was in for a truly exceptional experience!

The board comes with a selection  of four cheeses, relish, celery, grapes and biscuits.

• Stilton

• Double Smoked Cheddar

• Honey & Flower Goats Cheese

• Baron Bigod Brie

The cheese wedges were a good size for a (presumably) single portion, with a selection of ten crackers and a hefty jug of relish.

The Stilton was wonderfully soft with a pungent flavour that perfectly met all expectations for a quality Stilton. An unexpected star of the show, however, was a delightful honey & flower goat’s cheese. This beautifully presented cheese, resembling a decorative petal bath bomb, was soft and creamy with a sweetness that harmonised exquisitely with the fragrances from its colourful floral accents. This was presentation at its finest, with a delivery that truly lived up to the high expectations it set.

Chocolate cake

We concluded our meal with a rich flourless chocolate cake, perfectly complemented by a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Being flourless, this delicious dessert also offered a delightful gluten-free option, ensuring everyone could indulge in a sweet ending to the evening. I particularly enjoyed the powdery texture of the cake, which seemed to emphasise the chocolate flavor by reaching more of my palate.

We ended our meal with a leisurely stroll around the garden, a welcome opportunity to walk off that delicious three-course meal. I particularly enjoyed discovering the charming little details like a bench shaped as a large wooden rabbit, a whimsical concrete pineapple fountain, and hedges sculpted into ducks. These unique touches truly added character and personality to the grounds. Rumour has it, they even have someone working on the gardens who has experience from the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show.

Local pride in every sense of the word

A meal at The Orangery Restaurant immerses you in the very best that our region has to offer. The beautiful cuisine is beautifully presented and carefully crafted from locally sourced meat, produce, and cheeses that showcases The Orangery as a genuinely outstanding institution in its own right.

Add to that a truly warm and friendly welcome and you quickly realise that this is a premier dining spot perfect for any occasion, while also offering good enough value for more frequent and casual visits. The fact it also offers striking views of the meticulously kept gardens and Ely Cathedral, all set against the stunning Fenland horison, elevates an already exceptional experience into one that is almost impossible to rival. It’s this fantastic blend of culinary excellence and breathtaking surroundings that ultimately fills you with a deep sense of local pride.

Thanks for reading