Though the menu is predominantly Szechuan, with archetypal dishes of the region such as camphor duck and stewed chicken with red wine, these dishes proved disappointing, and the real stunners of the night came from their selection of contemporary concoctions. The sliced beef tenderloin cooked at the table by stirring in small, smooth, blisteringly hot pebbles was probably my favourite dish: the noise of sizzling meat and the clatter of the stones tumbling over one another made it a wonderfully theatrical dish, and actually cooks the beef rather beautifully. The sea perch done three ways - steamed, with garlic and butter, and with curry - was another great dish: each piece was perfectly cooked and taken in a completely different direction to its companions – my favourite was the one with the light and delicate curry sauce. It is easy to go overboard with the ordering - the menu offers and extraordinary range - but whatever you do, be sure to save space for the dessert of durian pudding with mango spring roll. This was highly recommended by our waitress, and sealed Goodwood's reputation for its fine durian desserts: the smooth, custardy bread fruit was taken to a different plane by the light, crispy-sweet mango rolls - delightful.
WINE: A standard selection of wines, nothing special, but you should be able to find something that’s nice enough.
