New seasonal tasting menu launched at Seaham Hall - here's what to expect

The revolutionary, romantic poet is perhaps the most famous former resident of this landmark white house, and his passion for theatre and poetry is still in motion at Seaham Hall today.

Built in the 1790s by Sir Ralph Milbanke, 6th Baronet, whose daughter had an ill-fated marriage to Byron, Seaham Hall went on to become a home for the mega-rich Londonderrys before housing injured soldiers in the Great War and becoming a hospital for much of the 20th century.

Fast forward to 2022 and it is, of course, a five star hotel and spa which attracts plenty of awards and visitors to this secluded corner of Seaham.

And there’s much to draw people here, whether it’s a stay in its bold, luxury rooms and suites, a dip in the spa – or a meal in one of its two restaurants.

While Ozone has a pan-Asian theme that works perfectly with the spa offering at Serenity Spa, The Dining Room in the main house has its own decadent, distinct character.

It recently launched a new tasting menu and here’s what to expect.

The Food

While the Sunderland and Seaham dining scene has diversified greatly in recent years, with more choice than ever before, tasting menus are still few and far between – and Seaham Hall’s is arguably one of the finest you’ll find in the area.

Head chef Damian Broom has been at the helm of the kitchen since 2017 and he brought with him a real passion for utilising local produce to best effect.

As such, the tasting menu changes daily depending on the best of the ingredients available.

It’s more of a manageable tasting menu than most at five courses – with an optional sixth cheese course if you can manage to shoehorn it in.

After a round of snacks – plump oysters and sourdough with a butter so delicious we could have devoured it as a dip – we started with our first course of Mackerel.

It was a pretty as a picture dish, all pink hues and greens served on a satisfyingly chunky dish. The delicate flavour of the North Sea mackerel was lifted with Yuzu Kosho which gave it a real Asian kick whilst a fermented pumpkin juice added notes of autumn. It was a beautiful medley of flavours that really got our tastebuds dancing.

Next up, the Maitake dish was a real triumph. Its rich aroma whetted our appetites for one of the best dishes I’ve had in a long time. It was such a creative use of the humble mushroom, which was grilled and glazed in a rich, heady beer with a chestnut puree that was seasonal perfection.

Back to the North Sea’s rich larder, we had a Sea Bass course next – line caught Whitby sea bass with roasted artichoke, artichoke puree, preserved lemon and red wine sauce, which was again a great example of flavour fusion.

Sticking with the Autumn theme, a Venison course was a beautifully-pink slab of Highlands venison, served with a warm and hearty pear, parsley root, cabbage and a super peppery poivrade sauce.

We found enough room for the additional cheese course – and I’m glad we did.

The gloriously-mature Isle of Mull cheese was moreish enough to eat on its own, but the ember baked apple pie with Granny Smith’s reduction was a perfectly-tart accompaniment.

Sweet tooths will also be satisfied with the final course of a smooth as silk salted caramel tart with preserved blackcurrants and salted almonds.

Wine pairing

You can choose to upgrade your tasting menu with a wine pairing option

The food is already a talking point, but introducing each with a paired wine really adds to the theatre of the evening – whilst obviously heightening the flavours of each dish.

Ours was served by restaurant manager Connor who was really knowledgeable of the brands and the vineyards.

Make sure to ask to see the wine cellar, too. It’s a great slice of Seaham Hall history with its ideal smuggling location near the cliffs – legend has it a tunnel leads directly there – and subsequent links to Prohibition and even Al Capone.

It’s also one of only six UK locations where the exclusive Spey Royal Choice Whisky is available in person. The others being Royal residences, no less.

The setting

A couple of years ago the restaurant had a rebrand, changing the name from Byron’s to The Dining Room, to soften its imposing grandeur and make it a more accessible fine dining restaurant.

Although the sparkling 14carat gold chandeliers, huge windows overlooking the hotel’s trademark Vortex water sculpture and fine features remain, a more nature-inspired aesthetic has been added with bark features, wooden tables and plump tartan seats to sink into.

The servers’ uniforms reflects the theme with tartan waistcoats and a playlist that’s chilled and eclectic – it’s fancy, but not intimidatingly formal.

Prices and times

The Seaham Hall tasting menu, which changes daily, is served Wednesday to Sunday from 6.30pm to 9pm, last table 8.30pm.

It’s priced £65pp for the five-course tasting menu. Wine pairing is an additional £60pp.

The Dining Room restaurant is open daily for hotel residents and non-residents for its other evening menus.