Getting an invite to a Woodland Feast was a first for us and we really didn’t know quite what to expect.

We were given a postcode and told to bring walking shoes. The Woodland Feast sits within Goring Heath, on the outskirts of Reading and for those who wish to not drive, it’s just a short taxi ride from the train station. We arrived by car and were warmly welcomed by a friendly group who we would spend the next few hours with. This was the start of what was to be a very special secret adventure.

We were guided through the woodland on a short walk weaving our way to the most idyllic clearing.

There was a wooden house (actually famous for appearing in a Rowse Honey Advert recently!). Before turning the last corner, we could see the smoke from the open fires and the sun glistening on the perfectly laid tables with nature at its very heart – even down to the tables which have been carved from an oak tree from the wood. It was so picturesque, we couldn’t stop taking pictures.

It’s not often you arrive at a restaurant and are able to meet the Chef before he prepares your four-course meal.

Jason (chef of The Little Artichoke @the_littleartichoke) has teamed up with Secret Adventures to bring a woodland-inspired feast cooked over an open fire in front of approx. 24 guests. It’s an intimate but laid-back affair. We really enjoyed exchanging conversations with some of the guests over the three hours of indulgent feasting.

Before taking our seats, we were offered a Cockburn’s White Heights white port and elderflower aperitif. It arrived with a slice of lemon and sprig of rosemary. Neither of us had tried white port before and were instantly in love. It was a refreshing, light and crisp way to kick off the proceedings. We’ve repeated this several times at home since!

On to the food…

For starters we had salt-baked celeriac, roasted aubergine, smashed romesco, coriander spiced flatbread, and guindillas. What a way to start the feast. Perfectly baked celeriac steak was the star of the show with beautifully smoky roasted aubergine and zingy and sweet romesco. The flatbreads were light and provided the perfect surface to stack up the various flavours. The guindillas added a hit of spice and the acidity of the gherkin gave a fantastic contrast.

An additional note must be given to the delicious homemade raspberry and elderflower cordial. It was served alongside the water and wine on the table. This was a real talking point for the table, it was lovely to have such a well-thought-out option for those that were driving.

For the main course, we had wood-fired chicken, caper remoulade, fire-roasted sweet potato with rosemary, lemon and wild garlic dressing. Once the starter plates had been cleared away we got to chat to the other guests at our table whilst watching the chef and his sous chef work in perfect harmony. They roasted the chicken above one fire pit whilst the other worked on the sweet potatoes. The cooking was absolute perfection. The chicken was moist yet crispy-skinned and the sweet potato was soft with a hint of smokiness. The caper remoulade added a lovely hit of sharp saltiness and the dressing brought the dish together.

Pudding was a fabulously creamy lemon and elderflower posset. It was served with homemade lavender shortbread and a chunk of @the_littleartichokes signature brownie. The posset was sublime, sharp and sweet, incredibly creamy. When piled on top of the lavender shortbread it was a taste explosion. The brownie was decadently gooey and added a beautiful chocolatey hit.

After the seated three-course meal we were invited to wander the grounds.

Many guests brought their four-legged friends who enjoyed a runaround. A campfire was lit and homemade marshmallows on sticks with fresh juicy raspberries were handed around. People took turns to toast their marshmallows – by this point, we were full to the brim so we didn’t indulge in a s’mores with homemade cookies despite that being on offer! The marshmallow was not overly sweet and provided a lovely end to a perfect afternoon.

Warning! this whole experience comes with a big dopamine hit!

The happy hormones were definitely flowing as we said our goodbyes and wandered back down the meandering trail to our car. This is much more than a feast. It’s a very unique and special experience that’ll go down in the memory book. We would thoroughly recommend and plan to head back ourselves…

Launches May 28th 2022, £70 pp. Book your ticket now.

Photo credit Jon Collins.

We visited as guests, all views remain our own.