My favourite film about food is Babette’s Feast. A chef wins the lottery and creates the most magnificent meal for all the villagers in the community she lives. It consumes all her winnings. If you had known my mother you would realise why I love it so much. As I tuck into my second course at Twine restaurant in Ansty Hall Coventry, the film flashes across my mind. That is not to say the meal is a gargantuan feast to make Mr Creosote’s eyes roll, but one balanced to perfection.
Dining at Twine
Before dinner I have a cherry whisky sour upon the recommendation of mixologist Alfie. Made from fresh cherry juice it is nowhere near as sweet as I feared, and just as Alfie had promised.
Service is impeccable. I am swiftly seated and once the menu has been dealt with, a cappuccino spumante amuse bouche arrives; it is quite incredible and the highlight of the meal.
I was brought up in a family that loved food. Sadly, at restaurants I often feel the feeling is not mutual. I do not feel this way at Twine.
I start with charred leek hearts, which have a lovely smoky taste from the almonds, as well as puffed potato which provides a crispness as a juxtapose to the other ingredients. I realise the chef is someone to my own heart.
Briefly I chat with him. He explains they try to source locally where possible. For instance, the eggs are from the local Bruce farm, while the bread is baked in the kitchen. However, the emphasis is more on using the best ingredients where possible rather than adopting a strict local-only policy.
My main is a monkfish tail which comes with a wonderful potato tot, and for a side I opt for the broccoli stems with confit garlic. The latter is as surprisingly wonderful as the cappuccino to start. I conclude with a chocolate coulant which sends me to bed most content. The food is subtle, yet so full of flavour.
A Welcome Surprise in My Bedroom
The food is not the only surprising thing about Ansty Hall.
After checking in, I discover a bottle of Ridgeview Bloomsbury sparkling wine waiting for me as well as Montezumas chocolates in my room.
I drink the former as an aperitif as I wait for dinner, while the latter I plan to eat afterwards. In the end, I take the box home, as I have no room left after the excellent meal.
The room itself is quite magnificent. Ansty Hall used to be a 17th-century Georgian country house. The room has echoes of its former glory. The queen-size bed is wrapped with curtains which are purely ornamental, and match those actually put to use by the windows.
Not everything about the room is ancient. The radio plays Classic FM as I arrive, the TV set is wide and those who need to dry their hair can fathom how to get the Dyson hairdryer to work.
Needless to say, there is a large tub in the bathroom, which passes the test of my 6’ 3” body. Toiletries have plastic free content, which is always good to see.
History of Ansty Hall
Ansty Hall was built in 1678 replacing an earlier manor house, a third storey was added in 1800 along with a Carolean style entrance. It became a hotel in 1965 and was purchased by Exclusive Hotels in 2023.
The subsequent refurbishment preserves many of the house’s original features while embellishing these with more modern touches. The design pays tribute to Coventry’s long history of silk weaving and cloth manufacturing, as evidenced by Twine restaurant with its dominant use of fabric. I particularly like the red carpet on the staircase, and the conversation chair in the reception area.
As with all old buildings, there are tales of ghosts. On this occasion that of former owner Sir Henry Adams, who has been seen walking the grounds.
Enjoying the Grounds at Ansty Hall
That’s where I head prior to dinner, enjoying the eight acres of gardens. Ansty Hall adjoins the church of St James, which was built in the 13th century, and redesigned by Sir Gilbert Scott, who added the tower and spire in the mid-19th century.
It makes for an excellent short stroll, sufficient to stimulate my appetite, which is well rewarded.
A Welcome Breakfast
My room also has an excellent coffee machine, I discover the following day, before I return to Twine for breakfast. The poached eggs are cooked to perfection without any need for prompting.
Afterwards I sit in the garden, as the sun has come out, and the birds are enjoying the beautiful spring morning. It is really blissful just listening to their birdsong. A short, but most welcome break, perhaps I shall return? After all, the word Ansty stems from the Old English ‘anstig’ meaning a ‘path leading to others’.
Ansty Hall
For more information about Ansty Hall, click here.
