Beaverbrook Balloon Dining Experience Review
Reigate Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8QX | Book here
Our verdict
★★★★.5
One of the greatest joys of this time of year is eating al fresco, and luxury Surrey hotel, Beaverbrook, has created an outdoor dining experience like no other. Six stationary hot air balloons have been inflated in the hotel’s stunning Italian garden this summer, and they are the hottest (tethered) table intown.
We were lucky with the weather and arrived on a balmy summer evening, just before sunset, and it just so happens that Beaverbrook boasts a perfect position for watching the sun go down over the Surrey Hills.
As we entered through the gates of Beaverbrook’s Italian garden, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear - the sight of the colourful balloons with their beautifully laid baskets all lined up neatly around a waterlily-filled pond is a truly magnificent one.
As we entered through the gates of Beaverbrook’s Italian garden, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear - the sight of the colourful balloons with their beautifully laid baskets all lined up neatly around a waterlily-filled pond is a truly magnificent one.
The theme of this magical experience is Love is in the Air, and the balloons themselves are covered in luxury table dressers Summerill & Bishop’s incredibly joyful ‘Queen of Hearts’ design, which has been very pleasingly applied to other elements such as the tableware and linen. It couldn’t be more picturesque.
We were shown to our balloon and slid into the very comfortable basket. Inside, the attention to detail makes it feel as though you’re about to take off - there are brass dials and sturdy ropes aplenty, whilst flickering tea lights echo the flames of a hot air balloon. There’s also a selection of very fetching Panama hats, should you feel like accessorising like a true explorer.
Food-wise, it’s a tasting menu affair with a Japanese twist. I was thrilled when the first thing to arrive was a cocktail - a beautiful coup filled with chilled Silent Pool gin, lychee liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and egg white, topped with a big red heart. I was already very much enjoying my balloon adventure.
Food-wise, it’s a tasting menu affair with a Japanese twist.
Next, a traditional Japanese wooden sandangasane box arrived, wrapped in a furoshiki cloth. Carefully, I unwrapped the beautiful, colourful cloth (which cleverly doubled up as a napkin for the rest of the evening) and unstacked the smooth wooden boxes within. Inside one layer, a large metal caviar tin filled with a very generous portion of dry-aged otoro (the highly prized fattiest part of a tuna), topped with Antonius caviar. The next box contained crackers made with puffed rice and the other was filled with freshly picked nasturtiums.
Our brilliant waiter, Sam, informed us how best to enjoy the treats that lay before us, and then we got stuck into building our own, very special canapés.
Carnivores can enjoy dry-aged beef instead of the tuna should they wish, but the fatty, marbled otorowas the best I’ve ever had - every bite melted in the mouth. The caviar added an opulent, silky saltiness, the crackers provided the perfect crisp base, and the nasturtium brought freshness and a hint of pepper, not to mention beauty. It was a match made in heaven.
And let’s not forget the setting! Nestled underneath our hot air balloon adorned with colourful hearts, I admired the grandeur of Beaverbrook’s architecture and the greenery all around as music softly drifted across the garden and the trickling fountain nearby provided its own serene soundscape.
The caviar added an opulent, silky saltiness, the crackers provided the perfect crisp base, and the nasturtium brought freshness and a hint of pepper, not to mention beauty. It was a match made in heaven.
Next, our balloon transported us to the Caribbean (via Japan) with a course filled with freshness and beautiful ingredients. Delicate, extremely delicious chunks of lobster sashimi arrived on a blue and sand coloured plate, designed to resemble a tropical beach scene. The sweet and tender lobster was a huge treat on its own, but a tomato ponzu dressing added welcome citrussy-ness, whilst a smattering of crisp sea vegetables provided a touch of seawater-saltiness. The whole thing was divine.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, the main event was brought to the table. Just as the sunset and the sky developed that lovely pinky-orange haze, the balloons began to glow. A picnic hamper was delivered to our basket, filled with an assortment of stunningly fresh (raw) fish - wild Alaskan prawns, red bream, flounder, tuna and more (meat eaters are treated to a selection of Kobe beef, Iberico pork, and fish), plus an array of seasonal vegetables such as courgettes, courgette flowers, baby leeks, mushrooms and more.
A variety of dipping sauces arrived next (sesame, barbecue and ponzo - all incredibly tasty), along with a bowl of rice topped with a silky egg yolk and some intense umami bonito flakes.
Next, a red-hot yakiniku grill was positioned in the middle of the table, so that we could spend the next hour or so happily grilling (and gobbling) our hamper of utterly fabulous ingredients. It was so much fun and tasted just wonderful. Once again, Sam’s enthusiasm for proceedings was infectious, and his top tips for grilling on the yakiniku proved invaluable.
Following all that, excitement levels for pudding were high. Two scoops of fruity gelato (made in-house) arrived first, followed by a heart-shaped rose mousse with raspberry and calamansi encased in chocolate. Both were delicious, but having been wow-ed all night by interactivity and food theatre fun, it felt a little underwhelming - I would have loved just one final flourish before floating back down to earth.
It felt incredibly special from start to finish, so up, up, and away I say!
My balloon was far from deflated however, and I would confidently say that the overall ‘Love is in The Air’ experience is an exceptional one. It’s hugely romantic, but equally a really fun thing to do with friends and/or family; either way, it is a truly unique and joyful way to spend an evening.
Beaverbrook is picture-perfect, the food is fabulous, service seamless, and the whole experience is beautifully and imaginatively executed. It felt incredibly special from start to finish, so up, up, and away I say!
Love is in the Air is available Weds-Sun for lunch and dinner until the end of September. £245pp(pescatarian £245pp, vegan £145pp). Each balloon can accommodate up to 4 guests. Children aged 13 years + (no children's menu available). Menu choices and any allergies must be stated at the time of booking to ensure requests can be accommodated. All menus are gluten-free. beaverbrook.co.uk/balloon-dining
