I much prefer the Michelin restaurants outside of London because they are the perfect excuse to take a day trip out to enjoy what the English countryside has to offer, and their meals are generally very value for money without being too theatrical or pompous. Just good ol' fresh ingredients, cooked really well and served in decent portions that would keep the men happy.
Date of Visit: 31 May 2014
First up is Holbeck Ghyll, the Michelin restaurant in a small hotel of the same name seated atop a hill with lush and tranquil surroundings. It's the perfect kind of place for a getaway and to have the full experience of warm British hospitality. It's also the one place that I confidently recommend to friends who are making a trip down to the Lake District, because I know the quality of their food and hospitality is consistently good. If I were having my future wedding in the UK this would definitely be a top contender but too bad I have no such budget for that haha. Okay enough talking, time to share the good stuff!
The winding road leading up to the hotel grounds
Outdoor garden sets that offer a wonderful view of the hills and lakes
Summer is the best time to go because of how much more sunshine you get. I was here previously during Easter but it was considerably gloomier and colder and it didn't make for good photographs.
There were plenty of flowering trees that littered the ground with pretty petals
My family and I arrived early and decided to have a pre-lunch trek around the grounds. A good decision because the lunch was really filling.
Came across these nonchalant sheep who finally looked up after countless calls but who then subsequently decided I might be food and walked steadily towards me with that stare. Of course I then ran towards my father absolutely horrified. I definitely did not know what I was dealing with.
I can't recall why we had free bubbly (we had to e-mail in advance to claim it) but their welcome tray of thick truffle cream dip with biscuit batons and olives are such a treat. I love how they have a separate room for welcoming guests (hotel & restaurant ones) before leading them to the dining room or hotel rooms. They also have a resident golden retriever that they sometimes let into the welcome room! Perfect for dog lovers :)
The main dining room – understated with typical British countryside flair, letting the food and outdoor scenery stand out.
Warm and smooth mushroom soup to start our meal – very comforting.
This looked like a scene right out of a movie, and was part of the view we got from our table which was by the bay window.
The menu – A pity they did not offer a set menu option, but we were happy to just have a main and dessert each since the portions were so generous!
Main one: Cumbrian lamb with puy lentils, swede purée and haggis beignets
I love that the lamb was cooked to perfection, and that I got to try haggis in little deep fried beignets (for the uninitiated, haggis consists of sheep innards mixed with spices). It was not too bad in small portions, and was actually quite a good addition to complete this dish. I wished there was more swede purée because it was so good, but other than that this dish was amazing and the portion of vegetables hidden below the meat was cooked to just the right softness.
9/10
Main two: Aberdeen Angus beef with truffle pomme purée and wild mushrooms
My meat-lover brother had this dish and it was a very generous serving. He was very satisfied with it and finished everything on the plate, which is always a good sign. Can't go wrong with this combination!
9/10
Main three: Goosnargh duck with pickled beetroot and choucroute
My favourite has to be the potato choucroute. The meat was cooked well and the generous serving of fresh vegetables completed this dish. If only it had more choucroutes though!
8/10
Dessert one: Vanilla poached pineapple, coconut sorbet, passionfruit jelly and banana beignets
The coconut sorbet pairing here wasn't exactly a winner, and in this case the individual parts were better than the sum of them all. Nonetheless an interesting combination of flavours and the banana beignets were my favourite because they reminded me of an Asian snack (goreng pisang i.e. deep fried sweet bananas) which was a nice touch! Also appreciated the different textures here.
8/10
Dessert two: Crème Brûlée with apple sorbet, poached apple and cider sauce
I love that the crème brûlée was paired with the green apple sorbet so this dessert was kept light and refreshing yet rich and creamy at the same time. My new favourite spin on this classic dessert. They also had this the previous time I went, so I suppose it's a constant in their menu!
10/10
We then adjourned outdoors for English tea with chocolate truffles to end off our satisfying meal
Lovely interiors of the hotel
Thank you Holbeck Ghyll for yet another lovely visit!
No comments:
Post a Comment