Antoines represents the very best of a distant era where formality is the norm, waiters wear ties and aprons and serve, with silver-service flourishes, classically prepared dishes at tables with starched white cloths and napkins. The menu offers French-inspired haute cuisine, a style of cooking which chef-patron Tony Astle (pictured) mastered in his youth. It is based on the tried and true techniques of the age, a cuisine where complex sauces are as important as the meat and fish, where offal is celebrated and where portions are substantial. Particularly notable is Astle’s Nostalgia menu from which you can choose treats such as a gorgeous French onion soup with its coat of baked cheese or indulge in succulent roast duck with extravagant Grand Marnier sauce.

IN BRIEF Traditional cooking at its best in a beautiful villa