Just peachy at the Pear Tree (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Just peachy at the Pear Tree

5:03pm Friday 27th July 2012 in Eating Out Reviews

EAT AT:THE PEAR TREE AT Purton

Church End

Purton

SN5 4ED

Tel: (01793) 772100

Open: Every day except Christmas Day evening and Boxing Day all day

Lunch 12-2pm

Dinner 6.30pm-9.30pm

WHEN you’ve worked for Hussein of Jordan, it’s hardly surprising that you can run a hotel fit for a king.

Francis and Anne Young have owned the Pear Tree at Purton, originally the village vicarage, since 1987... and over the years have given it the Royal treatment.

The couple both worked for the Jordanian king in a previous life, so naturally they have exacting standards.

Their luxury hotel nestles in stunning gardens with a vineyard to boot, from which they are now producing their own wine.

But there’s nothing stuffy about the Pear Tree.

It’s warm, welcoming, and the accolades from happy customers are testament to its enduring attraction.

Even in these austere times, the restaurant, with its beautiful conservatory, is a magnet for corporate diners doing business over a flavoursome lunch.

But it was a top class dinner we were after when we visited for a birthday treat, and that’s just what we got.

The menu, lovingly prepared by head chef Alan Postill, is priced at £35.50 a head for three courses and the variety is tremendous.

Our choices on the night began with wok-smoked salmon and saffron potato terrine for my husband and tian of crab with avocado and sweet potato for me.

The combinations were perfect and the dressings for each of the dishes were the perfect accompaniment.

Having wolfed those down, we anticipated our mouth-watering mains... and we weren’t disappointed. Barry’s Scottish beef fillet was perfectly cooked and came with a casserole of shallots and mushrooms in Guinness.

The lack of speech from across the table was a clue to how good the dish was. My choice of pork tenderloin with black pudding puree and spring onion mash was equally superb.

And the strange thing is, both dishes looked fairly spartan... but we were absolutely full to the brim by the time we had finished. We managed to find space to share a cheese board, but it was a struggle.

Our meal was accompanied with a bottle of sparkling wine from the Youngs’ own vineyard. Cuvee Anne is obviously named after mine host’s wife and was a delight to drink. The Pear Tree also features Cuvee Alix, a still white named after the couple’s daughter. Francis has long been a bit of a wine buff, indeed he once wrote a column for the Adver, so it’s hardly surprising that any wine produced on his land would have to be top notch.

With drinks before and coffee afterwards, our bill came to £110. Not cheap, but we got what we paid for... excellent food in lovely suroundings with wonderful service. Roll on another birthday!

PAULINE LEIGHTON