Let’s be honest: when you think of Esher, you either think of trippy stairs or the races. Starling is a whole new (better) reason to put this quiet little Surrey town on the map. This is Head chef Nick Beardshaw’s stunning debut, after shooting to culinary fame for his appearance in the Great British Menu where he seduced judges with an inventive, playful take on seasonal British food. But let me set the scene before we get to the main event – spoiler alert Nick’s cooking is unsurprisingly sensational.

The restaurant is nestled at the end of a quint yet non-descript high-street which consists of a staggering number of kitchen shops. I think we counted 5. But the only kitchen I was really interested in was the open kitchen at Starling.

I call it a kitchen… stage is probably more apt. There was one commis chef who seemed to spend the full service solely making perfect quenelles with his spoon. The team work together seamlessly – as one organism, and it’s a pure pleasure to watch their artistry. The dining is intimate – with only 40 covers, and the space manages to feel both spacious and cosy. Like you may be eating at someone’s house, if their house was a fancy Michelin starred restaurant.

Like the good old days when everyone would get dressed up to go to the theatre, people are dressed up, sitting up, looking up – and there is a sense of everyone feeling delighted to be there, which creates a lovely atmosphere. Rolling with the theatre metaphor, there is definitely something theatrical about eating here – the service is warm yet refined, the plating is inventive and beautiful, and the food is a feast for the senses. Starling is the full package.

Now let’s talk food. This was the best meal I have eaten all year – and I have eaten far and wide. If you go on a Sunday you can have the most elevated Sunday roast of your life. We started with some ‘snacks’. Snack is a hilariously under-stated word for what this was. This is a far cry from the world of mini-cheddars. But in this one word you can get a sense of the chef’s approach: playful yet sophisticated, creative yet low-key. Said snacks consisted of a crumpet and a chicken nugget. The crumpet is a contradiction of light dense dough topped with truffle and aged parmesan. Delectable. The chicken nugget is marriage material: crispy and glazed in an addictive hot honey sauce.

Next up – the pigs head terrine was scary in title but delicious in the eating. The ‘Moon Shaped Pool’ was on another planet – and possibly the best thing I have ever consumed. This is the dish chef created for the Great British Menu, and this is the scene stealer. Cod cheek, green thai curry sauce, various other intriguing morsels all topped with Exmoor caviar. I won’t ruin the surprise when it comes to the plating, but let’s just say the reveal didn’t disappoint. I urge you to come to this restaurant simply to try this dish.

There were many other magical (I don’t use that word lightly) moments in this meal, not to mention the Girl With the Balloon – a Banksy homage far more delectable than the original. A heady concoction of chocolate, cheesecake, raspberry and olive oil… But I’d rather not give away any more spoilers. Do yourself a favour and take your mother here for her birthday.