Alpine Evening at Burton Farm Shop & Kitchen

Three courses £40.

Review by Amanda Read

A little bit of the Matterhorn came to Burton last Thursday night and it was magical.

Step through the door of the converted barn into a cosy rustic haven. Outsized artisan paintings by the talented local artist, Alex Newman, grace the cabin style walls. Seating is a mix of bistro and spacious banquettes, all of which come with sheepskin throws and fleece blankets, perfect for nestling into. Wood fired burners emit a welcoming glow, and a huge real fir tree with soft fairy lights completes the Winter Wonderland mood.

Along with my two accomplices, I turned up as a large party was arriving. The group, some of whom were dressed as what I originally took to be ninjas, but who confessed later to being ski enthusiasts, filled the room with a cheery hum.

It turns out the real ninja of the night was head chef Nikki. Despite the throng, we were never left waiting, and the food served was authentic and self-assured.

To start, a lusciously rugged terrine of duck, chicken, sour cherry and pistachio was served with a dollop of red onion marmalade and a hunk of sourdough bread.

The tartiflette, a hugger-mugger of potato, smoked bacon and onions, topped with Reblochon cheese (a vegetarian option is available), arrived sizzling in its cast iron pan (properly called a pelagic, or shovel, by Savoyards). It was hearty après-ski fare, warming and big on flavour.

The boeuf bourguignon was a significant plateful and, I’m informed, melt in the mouth.

We may not have saved space for dessert, but flushed with foodie fabulousness, we went ahead anyway with crème brûlée served in a mason jar, and a velvety rich chocolate and hazelnut torte.

All in all, delicious and convivial.

The Burton Farm Shop & Kitchen’s Alpine evening has been a sell-out success since it launched at the end of November. If you haven’t managed to get a table yet, they are hosting one more supper club event on Friday 21 January. A word to the wise: bring your own bottle.

Nikki and team (credit: Lee Jane Hawkes)

Whether you go for a coffee, or breakfast, or to pick up the bacon on your way home, the Farm Shop knows what it is doing and does it well. The staff are friendly and go out of their way to help.

A great addition to Burton and the surrounding area.