La Becasse, Ludlow

As shocks go, the removal of Ludlow restaurant La Becasse from the Michelin Guide measured 10/10 on the Richter Scale,

.

It was the most unexpected news for Shropshire's gastronomic scene in decades and the aftershocks are still being felt.

But in terms of the validity of the decision: it's unfathomable, illogical and utterly absurd – and that's not just my opinion.

Marco Pierre White, one of the few cooks ever to conquer the Michelin game, offered his sympathies to La Becasse's head chef, Will Holland, upon hearing the news.

Food writers, diners and producers around the county are also dumbfounded. Even in the white hot competitive environment of fine-dining restaurants, a number of the county's better cooks have shaken their heads in disbelief. Many believe that there's little hope for them, if La Becasse is unceremoniously and unjustly shown the door.

Let's put Michelin's decision into some sort of context.

This year, 143 restaurants were deemed worthy of a star rating in a guide considered 'the Bible' by many foodies.

La Becasse could, quite reasonably, expect to be in the top third of those. After all, earlier this month it was named the UK's 34th best restaurant in the The National Restaurant Association's list of Top 100 restaurants in the UK, a jump of ten places on the 2010 rating.

Last week, it was named the UK's 24th best by the Sunday Times. It was named in Top Table's Top 50 French restaurants in the UK, based on feedback from more than 500,000 diners while the influential Hardens Guide 2011 awarded the highest possible accolade of two stars and an 'A'. That's the equivalent of scoring 4 A* A levels, or winning the school prize for best results. Hardens commented on "The genius of Will Holland's cuisine".

So why, in the name of foie gras, has Michelin dropped La Becasse from the list?

The answer is this: nobody knows. Many subscribe to the theory that the decision has little to do with the food on offer – regulars know for a fact that it has got better and better and better.

La Becasse worked hard for its star and held it for two years. During that time, I've visited as many times as I've been able to afford. I'll nail my colours to the mast now: the food has improved markedly during that time – not gone downhill, as Michelin's perverse decision suggests.

Will Holland's combinations are dizzyingly exciting; he demonstrates the sort of unlikely alchemy that's on display at another cutting edge British restaurant, L'Enclume, in The Lake District.

Holland, for his part, has maintained a diplomatic silence. The only murmurs from his kitchen have been about a determination to work harder, to re-win his place and to leave no stone unturned in the search for culinary perfection. A friend and I decided to visit last week to see whether La Becasse was still hitting the high notes.

We were welcomed at the door by a personable waitress who showed us to a delightful first-floor champagne bar, where we were served a delightfully appetising selection of olives, wasabi snacks and curried popcorn.

We perused the menu and settled on the Taste of La Becasse Lunch Menu; a five-course tasting experience, with a few additional treats.

A small deep fried cube of parmesan polenta was brought to our table – heavenly, in a word – along with a selection of breads comprising olive, onion and Snowdonia cheddar. They were immaculate. Our first course was a deliciously-sweet and savoury butternut squash risotto with a fried sage leaf, crispy Hayton's Bent Farm quail's egg and amaretti biscuit. The mellow crunch of the biscuit, the crisp snap of the savoury leaf and the sweet, sticky indulgence of the risotto had my friend purring her approval.

Next came a jellied pig's head ballotine with chick pea salsa, preserved lemon, hummus and coriander. It was stunning.

The sharp acidity of the lemon and the mild garlicky hummus were a delightful contrast to the well-seasoned pork. Bravo.

Our fish course comprised a pan fried fillet of Loch Duart salmon, curried lentils, cauliflower, apple and citrus jelly. It was exceptional, my favourite course of the day. The salmon had been so adroitly cooked that each flake fell away beneath the knife. It was translucent, delicately pink and the crispy skin was exquisite.

Its accompaniments, the mildly spiced lentils and the sweet, sharp apple made for a plate that will linger long in the memory of my appreciative friend and I.

The main course comprised a confit pork belly and braised chicken wings with white beans and rosemary, caramelised onion and a truffle vinaigrette.

It was the poshest, most intensely-flavoured king's cassoulet-inspired dish that I've experienced. If Holland served it in foodie quarters of rural France, he'd be named President.

A cheeky pre-dessert with autumnal flavours, including hickory smoke, was served in a shot glass. It had the taste and texture of autumn, reminding us of crackling bonfires, fallen leaves and sweet, sticky fruits.

The dessert, meanwhile, was a triumph of local produce, comprising a whimberry compote served on a stunning warm almond financier with lemon thyme ice cream.

The five courses with appetisers, and series of amuse bouche cost £40 each: representing stunning value.

Among local foodies, Michelin has lost much of its credibility by omitting a restaurant that was included in recent years and has actually improved.

Happily, Holland has already moved on. He's a determined, level-headed, hard-working fellow whose food is well-established and whose reputation is intact. His customers continue to flock from around the UK and he doesn't need stars to tell him he's a good cook: the satisfied smiles of diners do that.

In this reviewer's opinion, La Becasse is one of only three county restaurants deserving of our five-out-of-five top mark: the others being another fine-dining emporium, Mr Underhills, in Ludlow; and The Green Cafe, in Ludlow, which offers exquisite, well-sourced food at bargain basement prices.

Forget the Michelin Guide, its decision is just plain potty. Holland is a star in his own right.

ADDRESS

La Becasse, 17 Corve Street, Ludlow, SY8 1DA

Telephone: 01584 872 325

Web: www.labecasse.co.uk