Sometimes a dish is so good that it remains in your memory forever, either for the occasion, the company or the food itself.

Quite a number of years ago, to celebrate a ‘big’ birthday (I fail to recognize which one!), I was fortunate enough to dine at The Dining Room, a Reigate based restaurant owned by Tony Tobin. What really stuck in my mind about the meal (apart from the fact that my husband had a broken nose and was sporting a black eye, following a game of rugby that afternoon!) was the starter of scallops served with a beautiful tomato based sauce. I had never eaten scallops before, so I didn’t know what to expect.

They were truly delicious and I’ve remembered them ever since. I can’t actually remember the rest of the meal- just the scallops.

For one reason or another the opportunity to return to The Dining Room has never arisen.

My opportunity to have some of Tony Tobin’s scallops was presented to me at the Oxted Food and Drink Festival. Although there were some other gluten free choices available, there was no other choice for me! I wanted to see whether they lived up to my memory.

They were seared to perfection and were served with tiny potato cakes and delicate stir-fried vegetables. It was sublime. The scallops were so tender, they could almost melt in your mouth and the potato cakes and vegetables added a great contrast of textures.

If you ever visit The Dining Room in Reigate, order the scallops, you wont be disappointed!

tonytobinrestaurants.co.uk/