New Fine Dining Destination For Surrey

Limpsfield is a picturesque village nestling just outside Oxted, Surrey. For a while now, it has been an area bereft of a fine dining experience that many of the local residents have sampled in the capital, but not closer to home. Alexander’s Restaurant & Brasserie has undoubtedly addressed this issue.

Patricia and James Douglas have brought together a top class kitchen and front of house team brimming with experience in not just the UK’s best establishments but from those around the world.

It had long been a dream of the owners, Patricia and James Douglas, to create a unique opportunity for people to enjoy the best food in an environment designed to maximise the experience.

Alexander’s is housed in a building dating back to the sixteenth century that was used as a school and prayer room and many of the original features remain. The restaurant, off to the left of the main entrance, is dominated by a large mahogany fireplace with dark wooden panelling and leaded windows enhancing the rooms character.

Comfortable brown leather chairs, crisp white linen and china, cutlery and glassware by Villeroy Boch, add a discrete modern touch in keeping with the elegant surroundings. The brassiere, at the rear of Alexander’s, is a more casual and contemporary affair with colourful walls and small lounge area where diners can enjoy an aperitif before their meal.

Head chef Simon Attridge, born in nearby Reigate, is one of the country’s most ambitious and innovative young chefs. His kitchen experience has seen him working and collaborating with some of the world’s best chefs. Simon’s grounding in professional cooking took place at the Savoy Grill and pressure pot of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay as it moved from its 2 star to 3 star Michelin rating.

His first head chef position was at Heston Blumenthal’s Riverside Brasserie in Bray in 2003 from where the owners of Drakes On The Pond approached him to take over the reigns of their establishment. Here, he developed his own style of cuisine and under his guidance it maintained its Michelin rating in 2005 and he attained his first star aged just 25.

By this time Simon was quickly establishing quite a reputation for himself and had caught the eye of Paul Pairet, renowned for his “avant-garde” culinary style, and together they developed the cuisine concept for Jade On 36 in Shanghai’s Shangri-La hotel where Simon worked as head chef before circumstances forced him back to England in 2006.

Now at Alexander’s, Simon is drawing on all his experiences and adding his own personal touch to offer a menu that will tantalise even the most discerning taste buds.

To compliment the dishes, manager Bruno Cicco, who himself has a Michelin rated background including time as Chef de Rang at Alain Ducasse’s esteemed Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo, The Waterside Inn and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, has selected a list of fine wines from around the world.

The brasserie offers simpler cooking and guests can choose from more familiar and comforting dishes such as Potted Pork, Cornichons, Piccalilli and Sour Dough Bread, Rib-Eye Steak, Triple Cooked Chips with Bone Marrow Sauce and Treacle Tart with Clotted Cream.

Alexander’s at Limpsfield, The Old Lodge, High Street, Limpsfield, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 ODR. Web: alexanders-limpsfield.co.uk.