A FOOD critic has published a rave review of a Herefordshire restaurant in a national newspaper.

Journalist William Sitwell, for the Telegraph, said that Native at the Netherwood Estate on the border with Worcestershire was "properly fabulous" in his recent review.

"Native reminds me of one of those impressive restaurants with rooms that you only used to get in France, with a menu firmly linked to the land, impeccably staffed, and which adhered to the original settlement of Michelin," he wrote.

Mr Sitwell tried "a taste from the farm", which was some nibbles of local hams, pies, tacos and bread, as well as angelica leche de tigre, renegeration risotto, Ryeland mutton, the currant bush, the marrowmel and petit fours.

He described the angelica leche de tigre as Chalk Stream trout dressed in oil and scattered in chopped onion, "like a delicate breeze over a hedgerow in summer".

Moving onto the risotto, he said this was a "masterclass in texture with local grains and a whole crisp nettle on top."

He said the mutton was the finest he had ever tasted. "I felt like running to the abattoir, standing in front of the lambs and screaming, "No, wait. They'll taste better in a few months!"", he said.

He praised the desserts as "striking, witty, sweet, naughty and moreish".

Native took the place of the former Pensons restaurant earlier this year and showcases a “diligent, hyper-sustainable menu style”.

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Chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes and business partner Imogen Davis announced their plans to open the restaurant in April, with investment from Hestia Hospitality led by Andrew Fishwick.

Mr Fishwick said at the time of the announcement: “I am thrilled that Native is the first project that Hestia is announcing, with more plans in the pipeline. I have known Ivan and Imogen since the very beginning of Native, and have admired and supported them throughout, so to bring them into the Hestia fold is both a personal and professional delight.”

As well as enjoying the food, Mr Sitwell has praised the restaurant's staff. He wrote in his Telegraph review: "There's a brilliant manager in Frenchman John Lacombe, whose CV reads like a restaurant addict's bucket list, and who ushers guests and dishes with the finesse of a famous conjurer."