White Hart

We had a very good meal at the White Hart restaurant last night, Friday. The atmosphere was lovely and the staff attentive. It’s a fabulous asset for Wiveliscombe. We’ll definitely be going back again and again.

Our 7pm table had been cancelled by email at 5.30pm, but we hadn’t seen the message. It just said the booking was cancelled, with no apology or explanation. When we arrived, we were told the kitchen was closed because of a burst pipe. More effort could have been made to contact us before we all set off. At least the evening wasn’t a total loss: we went to The Bear in Wiviliscombe instead, where the atmosphere was excellent and the meal very tasty.

One caveat: Google asked for a hotel review and offered no way to skip the room question, so I’ve given five stars even though I didn’t see the rooms. The new restaurant is a fantastic addition to Wivey, alongside the excellent Bear pub opposite, which is already a regular haunt for me and will stay one. It’s an old-school country pub with excellent beer and good food. The White Hart feels like a proper, very comfortable restaurant rather than a gastro pub. Prices are comparable to a gastro pub and reasonable. The wine list is limited but very good, and the service was excellent. William Sitwell was working front of house on a Monday evening and seems promising. New ventures are hard, but this is a cracking start, and we’ll definitely be back regularly. There’s also a comfortable little semi-separate bar, so it’s easy to take a look if you’re unsure.

We celebrated my mother’s 80th birthday here this weekend, and the team made it a fantastic occasion. Chrissy, Nathalie, William and everyone else were wonderful, with great food and genuinely warm, family-style hospitality. They kindly let us bring a cake for my mother and served it for us, which made the evening especially special for her. The Exmoor venison was superb, as were the carpaccio and tuna tartar. We enjoyed the Barbera D Asti on William’s recommendation. I hadn’t tried it before, and its lightness reminded me of pinot noir, making it very easy to drink. The Negroni's were well made and not too overpowering. Breakfast was simple and tasty too: “butcher’s bacon”, poached eggs and black pudding. There were eight of us, so we ate early at 6pm. By 730pm the restaurant was full and lively, with a buzzy feel and the warm smell of open log fires. I’m very happy to recommend the place wholeheartedly. A gratuity hadn’t been added automatically, and I was glad to add one to the bill, just like dining out used to be. Thanks again, and best wishes for making the White Hart a great success.