Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



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<p>The spark for Feast Over Flame, a pop-up restaurant on the banks of the Thames near Marlow, was ignited during Covid. With big events off the menu in summer ‘21, Sarah Dove and her husband Neil pivoted their catering business to run outdoor pop-ups that complied with the Government’s hospitality rules at the time. (Remember when you could eat outdoors in a tent, just so long as it had open sides)?</p>



<p>The silver lining in the Covid cloud is that Feast over Flame was such a roaring success that the pop-ups have become something of a main event. The original Feast Over Flame concept has now been joined by Feast Over Game (the best produce from the British shooting season) and Feast on Cloud 9 (culinary delights served in a hot air balloon). Sarah tells Muddy that another concept, the intriguingly named Feast in a Spin, is coming soon, plus a Christmas pop-up event. Watch this space….</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe">THE VIBE</h2>



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<p>Our evening at Feast over Flame started with a warm welcome at the landmark Compleat Angler hotel by Marlow Bridge. We were handed a complimentary glass of fizz (oh go on, then) before cruising up-river with our fellow diners to a secret riverside spot. Spoiler alert: go past Chris Evans’s home and Bisham Abbey, then look out for the twinkling fairy lights.</p>



<p>Muddy disembarked gracefully (sensible shoes advised) and followed a magical woodland walkway before emerging in – ta da! – a riverside restaurant with tables beautifully laid for a summer feast. It felt like a private party or an intimate wedding, with guests seated in groups of four or eight on trestle tables. If you aren’t already friends with your dining companions, after a couple of Show Pony Negronis, you soon will be!</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff"><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong></h2>



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<p>The clue’s in the name at Feast Over Flame. That means five courses cooked at your table on a Big Green Egg BBQ by one of Feast Over Flame’s attendant chefs. So, make sure you arrive with an appetite because there’s plenty to tuck into. You’ll want to have a squizz at the drinks menu too, where there are cocktails and mocktails galore and a great choice of fizz and wines by the glass. Oh why not, we’ll have a bottle. The signature Show Pony Negroni, if you’re wondering, was invented by the multitalented Cal, who is Sarah and Neil’s indispensable second-in-command. The trad gin and Campari base is spruced up with a dash of strawberry and vanilla to give it a summery feel. Drinks in hand, let the feasting begin!</p>



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<p>We started with freshly baked meadow herb bread with whipped wild garlic butter, which was almost a starter in itself. But hold your horses, because pretty leaf-shaped plates arrived bearing soft-boiled quails’ eggs and truffle mayonnaise (above). Lightly grill some Wye Valley asparagus wrapped in pancetta and – voila! – you have the perfect seasonal opener to an early summer al fresco feast.</p>



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<p>For starter number two (we told you this was a feast), we had apple-smoked hand-dived scallops cooked in the shell over the BBQ, accompanied by a delicious salad made from pea puree, pea shoots and apple. Delicate and palate-cleansing was the Muddy verdict.</p>



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<p>By this point in the evening, the sun had set over the Thames (what better backdrop could you need) and the vibe had become even more… convivial. As an inky darkness drew in and the music turned up a notch or two, we tucked into our mouth-watering main course. A real showstopper of grilled fillet of beef with a tiger prawn perched on top, piping hot triple-cooked truffle chips, and Béarnaise sauce for a flavoursome accompaniment.</p>



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<p>Pudding rolled in with a blaze of sparklers and Stevie Wonder, because it turned out there were three birthdays among our fellow diners that night. Obvs we were too polite to ask their age, but let’s just say that Feast over Flame is a great way to mark a milestone if your age happens to end in a “0”. Fifty is the new forty don’t you know.</p>



<p>You can pre-order a birthday cake if you’re celebrating, but Muddy got her just desserts too – a delectable panna cotta served in an eggshell and presented in a bird’s nest. But wait, there was more. A huge pina colada pavlova arrived at our table, followed by a platter of s’mores and hot chocolate. It’s a wonder we didn’t sink the boat on the ride home.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about"><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong></h2>



<p>Marlow is a destination in itself &#8211; it attracts day-trippers from far and wide. Spend the afternoon before Feast over Flame browsing the boutique shops on Marlow high street, or take a turn through beautiful Higginson Park. You&#8217;ll need to stretch your legs after all that gastronomy, so another easy way to get your step-count in is the gentle stroll along the river starting at Hambleden Lock and heading towards Henley. Great country pubs to explore include <a href="http://www.dewdropinnhurley.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dew Drop Inn</a>, <a href="https://royaloakmarlow.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Royal Oak</a> and <a href="https://www.stagandhuntsman.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Stag &amp; Huntsman</a>.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly"><strong>KID FRIENDLY?</strong></h2>



<p>Absolutely – but only in the daytime. (It’s more fun for you to enjoy date-night at an adults-only dinner and leave the babysitter in charge). Saturday lunches are the family friendly sittings at Feast Over Flame, with a special children’s menu to suit smaller appetites. Don’t worry, they’ll still get s’mores and hot chocolate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-friendly"><strong>DOG FRIENDLY?</strong></h2>



<p>Unfortunately, due to the riverside location, it’s best to leave your dog/s at home. We’re sure Fido will forgive you if you take home a doggy bag.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accessibility"><strong>ACCESSIBILITY</strong></h2>



<p>If you have specific access requirements, please email the team at info@feast-events.com and they’ll be happy to help.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-t-he-muddy-verdict"><strong>T</strong>HE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



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<p>This is Hospitality with a capital ‘H’. Sarah and her team bring a sense of showmanship to Marlow with a stylish riverside feast that’ll make memories that linger long after the Show Pony Negronis have worn off. No wonder one of Muddy’s boat companions was back for a second year in a row. He called it: ‘A midsummer night’s dream.’ We won’t argue.</p>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong>&nbsp;Celebrations, family groups, couples looking for a child-free date night… in fact, anyone wanting a jolly evening out in a magical spot on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Thames.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong>&nbsp;Well, the evenings are adults-only, as mentioned above. And calorie-counters should approach Feast over Flame with caution.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong>&nbsp;Evening dinners, Thurs to Sat, are £95pp including the private boat ride to and from the Compleat Angler and welcome drink. If you want to push the boat out, you can add a wine-pairing option for £45 a head. Lunches on Saturdays are £95pp for adults and £45pp for children.</p>



<p><strong>Words: Harriet Dennys</strong></p>



<p><em>At the time of writing, there are still evening spaces for Feast over Flame on <strong>16/17/18 May</strong> and lunchtime slots on <strong>11/18 May and 1 June</strong>, so <a href="https://www.feast-events.com/feast-over-flame" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">book here to snap up the last spots</a> at this year’s pop-up, which ends on 1 June. Alternatively, check out <a href="https://www.feast-events.com/feast-on-cloud-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Feast on Cloud 9</a> at The Grove in Herts (<strong>25 May to 1 September</strong>) and <a href="https://www.feast-events.com/feast-over-game" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Feast over Game</a> at Holland &amp; Holland’s shooting ground in North West London from <strong>3 October to 9 November</strong>.</em></p>



<p><strong>Get in touch:</strong> info@feast-events.com. Tel: 07772 360119.</p>



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Review: Feast Over Flame, Marlow

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