Michelin Star Dining at John’s House Leicestershire

Blink and you will drive past this 16^thcentury stone house building located in the cute village, Mountsorrel.  Located next to the farmhouse and café owned by Chef John Duffin’s family, Leicestershire’s only Michelin Starred Restaurant, John’s House, is one not to miss.

Environment & Service

After parking up we walked into the warm cosy restaurant. It was an instant Hygge feeling especially with the crackling sound of the wood burner and the stone walls. John’s House prides themselves in homegrown food that is locally sourced. Chef John believes in farm to plate and some of his high-quality products come from his family farms.

We were greeted by the host who took our coats and sat us down in the lounge area while the table was prepared. The interior décor was simple and rustic, and we felt welcome. The temperature was ideal and lighting was perfect for the time of day.

Whilst seated we were offered drinks and handed the food menu to pick our options. We opted for the lunch menu however the taster menu was on offer too. The three-course lunch is £30.

We were taken to our table shortly after where the staff delivered a great service from start to finish. The experience was brilliant and it was clear the staff were passionate about the restaurant. We felt comfortable and I liked that the restaurant did not feel pretentious.

Drinks

John’s House has an extensive wine list and some great cocktails including seasonal ones.

I went for a Mince Pie cocktail (Mince puree, Ophir Gin, Grand Marnier and Lemon) and my friend had a glass of Argentinian Malbec.

The cocktail was just so delicious – I could have easily had a few. Beautifully presented and perfectly combined with a surprise at the end.

Food

Once we sat down we had fresh bread delivered to the table. There were two varieties, one being an onion bun. Warm and soft with room temperature butter, the bread was a winner.  There was attention to detail in each dish that was delivered.

Starters:

Goats cheese mousse with heritage beetroot and basil: A beautiful plate full of colours was delivered on the table. Each element was delicious and made with care. The cheese was smooth, and the combination of flavours was amazing.

Crispy pigs head, salt cod brandade, curry spices: This was a terrine that had a crispy coating and came with a flavoured sauce. The texture was perfect and the pork went well with the curry sauce. My friend gave it a thumbs up.

Mains:

Cornish hake, barley, prawns, grapefruit and shellfish bisque: This was my friends main and it was delicious. Delicate flavours were put together and the fish fell apart like it should. The portion was ideal (if not on the generous side) and the bisque was perfectly prepared.

Tamworth pork, black garlic, turnip, hen of the woods: The pork was tender and succulent. It went well with the mushrooms, garlic and turnip. The dish was substantial and had a great combination of flavours which were satisfying..

Desserts:

Brown sugar cream, quince, Sherry, cardamom: I would not normally pick a dessert which has cream in it but was intrigued because all the other courses were just so delicious and not what I was expecting based on the menu. It was almost like Panna Cotta but not as creamy which was perfect for me. The quince was puréed and had a beautiful taste to it. The cardamom flavour was evident and just made this dessert divine.

Creamed rice pudding burnt apple purée, hazelnut and yoghurt sorbet: A warm pudding always goes down a treat and this was no different. The rice was cooked to perfection and the apple and hazelnut flavours came through well. The yoghurt sorbet added to the taste and the dessert was comforting and luxurious.

I had a great lunch and would recommend John’s House. The taster menu looked tempting too but for £30 I could not resist choosing the set menu.

---

John’s House
Address: 139-141 Loughborough Rd, Mountsorrel, Loughborough LE12 7AR
Phone: 01509 415569
Email: dine@johnshouse.co.uk

---

Like fine dining? What not try Hambleton Hall, which is another Michelin Star restaurant on the outskirts of Leicestershire.

Neha 

x