Treetops Country House, Shincliffe, Co Durham

Aug 22 2008 by Geoff Laws, The Journal

MANY people like going to the same place each year for their holiday, mainly because there’s a sort of comfort in being away from home but in a recognisable place.

Me, I like discovering new places. Admittedly this means I sometimes end up in a place where the cons outweigh the pros, but what is life if we don’t occasionally take a few chances? Going to most Chinese restaurants fits into the safe-away-from-home category for me. There is a certain predictability about most of their book-long menus, listing all the usual suspects cooked in fairly formulaic fashion. It can be done well, but there are few surprises in gloopy soups and glow-in-the-dark sweet and sour sauces.

So, when I decided to review the pan-Asian restaurant, Treetops, at Shincliffe in County Durham, I wasn’t as hopeful of an interesting experience as usual. But this is where the whole thing spins a full 180 degrees. This turned out to be an exceptionally fine restaurant.

The main menu offered a selection of standard dishes and the à la carte an interesting mix of what were termed “Seasonal Signature” dishes. However, I still wasn’t convinced this was going to be anything other than souped-up S&S, that is until our starters arrived and that 180 degree spin happened.

My crispy chicken and mango roll with honey, lemon and mango salad dressing looked impressive. Chef Alex Shek created two tricorns and one log of crunch-crisp wrap around a mix of soft chicken and sweet mango, so oil-free it was hard to believe anything deep-fried could be so healthy.

My companion’s poached prawn wantons in fresh tomato and parsley soup brought the softness of the seafood in crisp, bubbly deep-fried wanton form in a rich tomato soup with a fresh tomato garnish. Mr Shek’s cleverness lay in co-ordinating all the different textural and flavour elements and his skill was much appreciated.

After this promising introduction I felt we were heading towards sunny uplands with our main courses. I was not disappointed.

I could hear a distinct sizzling coming from the kitchen that heralded the entrance of my spicy Szechwan fillet of beef in ground black pepper and chilli bean sauce. Slices of tender fillet were layered with sauce, rich in meaty juices and spices, with a cluster of vegetables sensitively cooked to keep their freshness. A side dish of noodles and bean sprouts added extra crunch and creamy starch to the mix. A sculpted vegetable flower bowl garnished the dish and everything looked as good as it tasted.

My companion’s Mandarin honey chicken with peppers and vegetable puree matched my dish taste for taste. The crisp-skinned chicken breast, its soft meat complemented by a gently spiced sauce, had extra sauce tucked away in a hollowed-out tomato. An elegant swan, its tail fanned out and its neck demurely curved, impossibly carved from a white turnip, sat serenely on parsley fronds.

The boiled rice was as meticulously perfect as the rest of the ingredients and we were both very contented diners.

My heart dipped a little when I saw the dessert menu, because they sounded so English. How could I have doubted the brilliance of Mr Shek? He confirmed his art with an apple crumble that had a layer of sweet fruit topped with a crunchy crumble and a shimmer of spun sugar. The custard brought creaminess and moisture to the dish.

How could anything so simple be so good?

He did the same trick with the warm chocolate pudding with ice cream by producing a light sponge that, once I cut into it, had melted chocolate seductively oozing out among the dusting of icing sugar and zigzags of rich chocolate sauce. The creamy ice on top was spiked with a vibrant array of sculpted sugar, shooting, twisting and sparkling away from the centre.

This meal from beginning to end was a feast for the eyes and for the stomach. It’s a joy to find fine food and my good fortune to have eaten so well. Well done, Treetops.