Is this Sussex’s finest dining experience? A night at The Pass

From treacle bread to turbot, Lilly Subbotin finds Michelin-starred chef Ben Wilkinson at the top of his game at South Lodge’s The Pass – though the spa lodge and Ridgeview fizz might just steal the show

A slice of Sussex serenity – South Lodge’s first impression is as impressive as its Michelin-starred last (Handout)

It says a lot about how wonderful a room is when you find it difficult to drag yourself away from it, even for a seven-course Michelin-starred tasting menu. But that was simply the case at Newt at South Lodge.

Actually, room isn’t really the appropriate word. Newt is one of The Reeds’ eight private eco-lodges; six are geared more towards families but two are spa lodges, designed for couples. Newt, the latter, with its floor-to-double-ceiling windows and electric blinds, is more like a luxury flat complete with a TV in every room (including the bathroom) and an infrared sauna on the decking where you can alternate between sweating and soaking in the copper tub that looks out onto the lake – wild swimmers can take the plunge here twice a day.

When we first arrive, we’re welcomed with a bottle of Ridgeview fizz – a company collaborating with South Lodge with 19,500 vines planted across six hectares in its grounds – a welcome cocktail and beautiful sweet treats from spa restaurant Botanica.

The lodges are exactly the sort of place you’d want to go on your honeymoon – private, tranquil and romantic – or to simply get away. Time seems to stand still in this little idyllic slice of the Sussex countryside.

So much so that after sauna-ing – the infrared is a slightly different experience, slower to build but you really feel it in your muscles the next day – relaxing and watching MAFS in the bath, I really didn’t want to leave. Fortunately, when our buggy arrived promptly (arranged on a WhatsApp group I was added to earlier that day, how modern) and took us to dinner at The Pass, I wasn’t exactly sad to have left my beloved Newt.

The Newt lodge: where soaking in the tub beats wild swimming – just (Lilly Subbotin)

The Pass is a concept that I imagine will divide some, as it did me and my guest. Named after that bit in a restaurant where dishes are checked for quality before being served, one side of the room is where 28 diners sit, with some seats looking right through floor-to-ceiling glass at the actual pass. The idea is intriguing but the high, weirdly purple chairs and bright lighting reminded me of a hospital waiting room, plus whatever you could see at the pass wasn’t exactly exciting, so I didn’t entirely see the point. But my boyfriend thought it was fantastic and we both absolutely loved having the chefs deliver our food straight to our table from their stations.

Quirky concepts aside, the food doesn’t play into gimmicks. Behind it all is Ben Wilkinson, who has earned The Pass a Michelin star and four AA Rosettes. There’s such quiet humbleness to him that it’s a while before I realise that he’s the guy bringing us our dishes.

From a perfectly cooked piece of turbot swimming in a subtle roasted fish sauce, to an earthy bowl of hen of the woods mushrooms topped with a crunchy fried cluster that looks like a little bird nest – complete with a rich, hearty tipple of beef emulsion to sip alongside, the dishes are faultless. But it’s the little details that are the real standouts.

Pink peppercorn butter and tiny treacle loaves: it’s all in the details (Lilly Subbotin)

A pink peppercorn butter spread onto a teeny tiny loaf of perfect treacle bread; almost-too-pretty-to-eat snacks of smoked haddock, battered beef cheek and coppa ham and cheese croissants; a palate cleanser shot at the end to neutralise tastes before a final nibble; elegant langoustine topped with a toasted almond foam and fresh grapes that require you to slow down and enjoy all the adroit flavours.

The wild fallow deer with a liver dumpling and an artichoke red wine sauce is gorgeous, but almost a little too rich and filling following four courses. The warm radicchio, chestnut mushroom and hazelnut salad it’s served with is phenomenal, but I sadly couldn’t eat it all.

I went for the wine flight, but there’s also a soft option where non-alcoholic drinks are matched to the menu with just as much precision. My boyfriend went for this and was blown away, from an apple and elderflower concoction to match the acidity of a ribolla gialla to a bitter take on a martini garnished with seaweed to stand beside a sancerre, non-drinkers are far from forgotten here.

Perfectly cooked turbot and wild fallow deer – proof that The Pass knows how to deliver stars on a plate (Lilly Subbotin)

Of course, this was a lot of food, but all we need to do is fall into a buggy only a few steps away where our lovely driver heats up our lodge remotely for us en route. Talk about service.

To balance the Michelin indulgence of the night before, there’s the aforementioned Botanica at the spa for breakfast. It’s dairy-free, zero-waste and on the healthier side – you can even add botanical tinctures to your fresh juices to feel like you’re doing your body some good. Though I’m not sure all the tincture in the world could counteract seven courses plus cheese. Both the smoked salmon, eggs, dill dressing and buttermilk pancakes were utterly scrumptious.

Aside from the stunning lodgings and exceptional food, there’s a calm and utterly unstuffy feel to the place and its staff. You’re spoken to like a friend rather than in an awkwardly formal manner. There’s no pressure to do anything; if you want to chill in Newt all day you can, or if you want to play tennis on one of their two courts, wild swim (after signing the waiver), enjoy the spa with its reed-filled natural pool or explore the grounds, you can.

However you spend your time, you’ll come away knowing South Lodge is an incredibly special place.

South Lodge Hotel, Brighton Rd, Crabtree, Horsham, RH13 6PS | www.exclusive.co.uk/the-pass | 01403 891711