<a target="_blank" href="http://www.theparsonstable.co.uk/">The Parson’s Table</a>

2 &amp; 8, Castle Mews, Tarrant St

Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9DG

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 27, 2022The Food: Trout with
shredded daikon, mayo and leaves 

Ballotine
of Guinea fowl and chicken with leek, shitake mushroom and Waldorf garnish 

Confit
of duck with mushroom risotto and spinach

Cornish
hake with tartar and arancini 

Dark
chocolate delice with blood orange, orange curd and marmalade ice-creamThe Wines:<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>2018
 Gusbourne Brut Reserve&nbsp; &nbsp;</td>
 <td class="wysiwyg-text-align-right">89</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1983 Léoville-Poyferré</td>
 <td class="wysiwyg-text-align-right">93</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2004 Haut Bernasse</td>
 <td class="wysiwyg-text-align-right">89</td>
 </tr></tbody></table> 

Every
now and again, you stumble upon a dining experience so perfect, that frankly,
if someone had run into the restaurant breathlessly announcing that Ferran
Adrià was re-opening El Bulli for one night only just down the road, I’d have
replied: “Nah thanks, mate. We’re alright here.” I feel a positive vibe, an
inexplicable rush of optimism, even before entering the restaurant for the
first time. Intuition? Gut feeling? Fate? I dunno. But as soon as I set eyes on
The Parson’s Table, I knew that I would be celebrating my birthday in the best
possible manner.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653594976343-parsons+exterior.jpg">The Parson's Table exterior 

The
Parson’s Table nestles in the town of Arundel in West Sussex, seagulls
squawking overhead serve as a reminder that you are not far from England’s
south coast. It is famous for its Roman Catholic cathedral and the 11th
century castle, remodelled over subsequent centuries by various Dukes of
Norfolk, that looms over the quaint buildings at the heart of Arundel. It is an
absolutely beautiful place to visit, not too far from London if you happen to
be over on holiday. The restaurant is co-owned by Lee and Liz Parsons; chef Lee
Parsons worked at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons before becoming a
bit of a celebrity chef in Canada. The couple moved to Arundel in 2015 to set
up their own independent restaurant. The menu is based upon French-influenced
British cuisine using seasonal ingredients and traditional techniques.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595005931-parsons+trout.jpg">Trout with shredded daikon, mayo and leaves 

Funnily
enough, we found The Parson’s Table after misreading that it had a Michelin
star, when in fact, it is simply recommended in their guide. Maybe the older I
get, the less I crave the froufrou, the accoutrements of a Michelin-starred
restaurant. Give me good food and a nice ambiance. In this respect, The
Parson’s Table delivers. It is veiled in that relaxed rural atmosphere that is impossible
to find in a city. Its location in the middle of Arundel, its whitewashed
brickwork and discrete lighting, imbues the interior with cosiness. No need for
fancy décor. Most importantly, every dish was absolutely delicious. We are not
talking about a menu designed to show the chef’s mastery in the kitchen or
faddish, costly ingredients flown first-class from some island off Japan. The
key to the cooking here is simplicity and execution. I found it impossible to
think how I might improve any of the three courses. &nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595036503-parsons+ballotine_copy.jpg">Ballotine of Guinea fowl and chicken with leek, shitake mushroom and Waldorf garnish 

For
starters, we shared a fresh trout served with ribbons of shredded daikon, blobs
of mayo and garnished with green leaves. The fish was achingly delicious,
packed full of flavour yet light as a feather. Plus it was healthy. The ballotine
of guinea fowl and chicken with leek, shitake mushroom and Waldorf garnish had
a lightness of touch that might be lost in the hands of a less experienced
chef. The combination was perfectly balanced and seasoned.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595072263-parsons+duck.jpg">Confit of duck with mushroom risotto and spinach 

For
mains, my confit of duck with mushroom risotto and spinach was cooked to
absolute perfection. The duck was pink and moist, thankfully not too fatty, and
crucially, that skin had just the right amount of crunch and saltiness. It
matched the mushroom risotto wonderfully, again, lightly seasoned with the
spinach imparting countervailing bitterness. On the other side of the table,
freshly-caught hake with tartar and arancini. The waitress told us that the
fish usually comes locally from waters off Hove, though this hake was fresh off
a trawler combing Cornwall’s deeper waters. It was a lovely cut, moist and
tender, and like the duck, the skin had the perfect crunch that lent texture
and salinity. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595105150-parsons+hake.jpg">Cornish hake with tartar and arancini 

For
pudding, out came my dark chocolate delice with a solitary candle stuck on top.
I made my wish, but unfortunately it did not start raining 1945 Romanée-Conti
outside. I appreciated that this was not an overly generous delice that you had
to work your way through, so packed with chocolaty goodness that you did not
need any more. Perhaps the real star was the drop-dead gorgeous blood orange,
orange curd and marmalade ice-cream. Wow. This worked a treat because the
orange flavourings were nuanced and perfectly matched with the chocolate
delice. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595129862-parsons+delice.jpg">Dark chocolate delice with blood orange, orange curd and marmalade ice-cream 

The
wine list is supplied by local merchant, Four Walls Wine. Perhaps here, I would
have liked an expanded list covering a few more countries and some more
esoteric suggestions. Certainly, the quality of cooking deserves it. That said,
the wines are all well-chosen. The 2018 Brut Reserve from Gusbourne
in Kent provides more evidence, not that it is really necessary anymore, that
English sparkling wine is really delivering. A tripartite blend of Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier aged for 36 months on the lees, it offers enticing
orange blossom, Nashi pear and hints of crème fraiche on the nose. The palate is
imbued with a slightly creamy texture offset by well-judged acidity and a malic
bite on the finish. Next, one of my favourites, the 1983 Léoville-Poyferré.
It had been some years since I tasted this Saint-Julien, and it has always been
over-shadowed by former proprietor Didier Cuvelier’s splendid 1982. Ignore it
at your peril. Showing light bricking on the rim, it delivers a wonderful nose
of red plum, freshly-rolled tobacco, autumn leaves and a hint of cassis
borrowed from Pauillac. It was actually richer than I recalled, and blind, I
might guess the previous vintage. The palate does not disappoint. Now
fully-mature, again, it is more opulent in style than you might expect,
portending the richer style the estate has successfully pursued under
consultant Michel Rolland. Beautifully balanced with a sensual, quite plush
finish, this over-delivers. Drink it over the next decade. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595160002-parsons+leoville.jpg">I took
a punt and ordered a Monbazillac to accompany my dessert. Frankly, I wasn’t
expecting much. However, the 2004 Haut Bernasse was a real treat. A
blend of 85% Sémillon, 10% Muscadelle and 5% Sauvignon Blanc, the nose bursts
with mandarin and quince, well-defined and belying its 18-years of age. The
palate has just the right amount of viscosity, hints of marmalade and orange
pith, rhubarb touches surfacing towards the finish. I had to resist ordering
another cheeky glass. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1653595173904-parsons+monbazillac.jpg">The
Parson’s Table delivered everything I wanted for a small, unfussy but memorable
birthday dinner. Service&nbsp;from&nbsp;Liz Parsons and her&nbsp;front of house team was friendly and efficient. Funnily enough, when I posted a couple of photos
on Instagram, a few locals got in touch confirming that it is a local
favourite. If you happen to be down in West Sussex, then do yourself a favour
and book a table, then tour the castle afterwards.<div><div></div></div><div><div>© 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.</div></div>

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