Walnut Tree
Llanddewi Skirrid, United Kingdom
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
It's hard not to love Walnut Tree; it's got a cosy, open-fired bar, a dining room adorned with colourful art, and owners who run it with heart and soul. Shaun Hill, the quintessential chef’s chef, has been here for over 20 years and has a great understanding of flavours and balance. His overtly seasonal cooking blends the classical and the modern across dishes that are prepared with a no-frills, yet consistently delicious approach. Fish is a particular strength, be it red mullet with dashi or cod with brown shrimps, and the muscat crème caramel is a great way to finish.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
1. Serving Woodcock with a Unique Presentation
At Walnut Tree, the woodcock dish is prepared and served in an unconventional way: the legs and breast are perfectly cooked, the trails are served like a pâté, and the skull is split open so diners can suck the brains out. This is a rare and traditional approach to woodcock that is seldom found on modern menus, making it a distinctive culinary experience.
2. Eclectic Menu Based on Personal Taste, Not Cuisine
The restaurant’s menu is not tied to any specific cuisine but is an eclectic mix based on chef Shaun Hill’s personal taste and sound cooking techniques. This approach results in a diverse and unpredictable menu that changes daily depending on ingredient availability, emphasizing seasonality and quality rather than culinary trends or strict categories.
3. Country Inn Atmosphere with Art and Open-Fired Bar
Unlike many Michelin-starred restaurants that emphasize formality, Walnut Tree combines high-quality cooking with a cosy, informal setting. It features a warm open-fired bar, wooden tables, colourful art, and fresh flowers, creating a welcoming and unpretentious atmosphere that contrasts with the typical high-end restaurant experience.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred Walnut Tree in Llanddewi Skirrid include:
Walnuts: The restaurant is named after the walnut tree, which is one of the oldest living tree foods in the world, symbolizing longevity and tradition. While not always a direct ingredient, walnuts represent the heritage and philosophy of the establishment.
Cornish Lobster: Featured in a signature dish served with a Thai sauce made of nam pla (fish sauce), mild chili, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaf, showcasing a fusion of Welsh and Southeast Asian flavors that was ahead of its time.
Thai Pork Ingredients: Minced pork combined with peanuts, garlic, coriander, shallots, and sugar, served in a lettuce shell, highlighting the restaurant's pioneering use of Thai flavors long before they became trendy in London.
Wild Mushrooms and Truffles: Used in the signature wild mushroom lasagne with parma ham, parmesan, porcini, and truffles, reflecting Franco Taruschio’s Italian heritage and the restaurant's commitment to rich, rustic flavors.
Local Welsh Beef and Game: The restaurant emphasizes first-class local beef and game, British fish and seafood, and fine French cheeses, underscoring its dedication to quality, local sourcing, and classic culinary techniques.
These ingredients are significant as they represent a blend of local Welsh produce, international influences, and a respect for culinary tradition without unnecessary gimmicks, which defines the Walnut Tree’s celebrated style.