I vividly remember my mother’s excitement back in the ‘90s when she was taken to dine at the Compleat Angler. And now, to celebrate it being awarded three AA Rosettes, it was finally my turn to visit the beautiful Marlow landmark on the banks of the Thames.

Head chef Michael Lloyd arrived in 2014 and has been given the credit for the accolade. He and his team use fresh seasonal produce to create a menu of imaginative British food for The Riverside Restaurant.

Our nine-course tasting menu started with a tasty amuse-bouche of cod and rolls from artisan baker Degustibus, followed by the subtle flavours of a ham hock and foie gras terrine with pea mousse and puffed rice adding some crunch.

I fell in love with the wonderful salty sweetness of the honey-whipped brie and goat’s cheese, served with port jelly, ginger breadcrumbs and the tiniest of tomatoes. My companion, who is not a cheese lover, even said how nice it was.

Bucks Free Press:

Bucks Free Press:

The crab and vanilla bisque with a medley of seafood, rarebit and fennel was the least appealing to look at, with a foam on top which I’m not a fan of but each element was perfectly cooked.

The main course was pink slices of tenderloin of Gloucestershire pork presented prettily on a bed of bubble and squeak with black autumn truffle shavings on top and a creamy sauce underneath. It is the sort of dish you want to eat all over again once finished.

The selection of mild to very strong British cheeses looked very appealing served with a choice of biscuits and accompaniments such as chutney and honey.

My favourite course was an innocent looking pre-dessert served in a small glass which held a delectable lemon mousse with miniature meringues on top. I hardly managed any of the dessert, a lemon brioche treacle slice with blackcurrant and clotted cream ice cream and was wishing for more mousse. I did however manage to squeeze in an amazing chocolate mousse petit four to end on a high.

But my culinary journey was not over. My visit also coincided with the first birthday of the hotel’s Indian restaurant Sindhu, now serving its new autumn menu.

We began with delicious non-alcoholic pineapple and coconut cocktails which we guzzled greedily as we shared the tandoori ratan starter. It comes with four very different bite-sized delights – honey and mustard salmon which fell apart in my mouth, one of the largest grilled prawns I have ever seen, a fragrant lamb kebab and a saffron chicken tikka, which had a flavour like nothing I’d ever tasted.

Bucks Free Press:

Bucks Free Press:

For my main I chose erachi chettinad, a tandoor grilled rack of lamb, which had been marinated in 21 spices for 24 hours to give it a complex but delicate flavour. It was pink and tender and is without a doubt the best lamb dish I have ever eaten.

My companion’s tandoor smoked chicken in a creamy tomato and fenugreek sauce was also a delight with plenty of meat and a taste head and shoulders above that of most Indian restaurants.

Touches such as the compressed hand towels being expanded in front of you using water from a tiny teapot, the snowflake shaped sugar crystal on my Granny Smith sorbet and the hot chocolate pouring sauce melting the hard shell encasing the chocolate mousse added a touch of magic that elevated the experience into a truly memorable occasion.

Details: sindhurestaurant.co.ukmacdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-compleat-angler/