Menu du Terroir 2008 Results

Winners

Restaurant Category: Ad-Lib

Hotel Category: Ocean Restaurant at the Atlantic Hotel

Pub Category: Castle Green Gastro Pub

Café and tea rooms: Gardener’s Tearoom

EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO LOCAL PRODUCE - MENU DU TERROIR WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Ad-Lib Restaurant has won the Menu du Terroir 2008

with one of the highest ever recorded scores.

The mainly free range and organic menu scored 99.5% beating stiff competition from the Mary Rose and the

Green Olive who were also in the Restaurant Category. 

Ad-Lib’s menu featured carpaccio of Jersey beef with homemade biltong stick, pavé of turbot and organic

rhubarb crumble.

The Gardener’s Tearoom at Ransom’s Garden Centre

won the Café Category for the second year running, while one of last year’s runners up, the Ocean Restaurant at the Atlantic Hotel triumphed in the Hotel Category.  The Pub Category was also won for the second time by the Castle Green Gastro Pub, which was previously awarded top prize in this category in 2005.

Twenty six venues, from hotels to tearooms, battled it out to see who could create the best menu using at least 80% seasonal Jersey produce.  The 2008 competition, organised by Genuine Jersey, was launched in May. Mystery judges, comprising restaurateurs, chefs and food critics, visited the twenty six venues during a six week period.

This year competition was particularly tough in the Restaurant Category.  Runners up, the Mary Rose scored 94.5% while the Green Olive scored 93.5%.  Both were awarded judges’ commendations.

Ken Syvret, chairman of the Genuine Jersey, said:  “The Menu du Terroir is all about promoting Jersey produce so that diners can enjoy the exceptional quality and excellent taste of products available locally. 

“This year’s winner, Ad-Lib not only created a varied and interesting menu using Jersey produce but showed real dedication to the ethos of the competition by sourcing predominately organic and free range local ingredients.  I’m delighted by their efforts. ”

During the competition, members of the public were invited to post online reviews of their favourite Menu du Terroir experience for a chance to win a bottle of champagne.  The prize went to George and Jean Baird for their excellent and detailed review of the Green Olive Restaurant.  (Click here to read the review)

The awards for this year’s Menu du Terroir, which is organised in association with Victor Hugo Wines and Laurent-Perrier Champagne, were presented at the Jersey War Tunnels on Monday 14th July.

2008 Participating venues