Restaurants

[Nickslikk2112]

As regular readers of this column may know, I like to go out and partake of a Michelin starred restaurant meal every year. Mainly it coincides with Mrs S's birthday, so I just stick to the 1* level, but did treat her to a 2* meal at Midsummer House one year.

With this being my 60th Birthday year I had long decided that we would go to L'Enclume in Cartmel, thanks to seeing it on The Trip. It was then a 2* place but has since gained a third star - and an inflation busting (creating?) price increase.

The village of Cartmel is a lovely little place and boasts two Michelin starred restaurants - Rogan and Co is the other, L'Enclume's little brother - and a nice Priory, but that is by-the-by.

It appears that food is the draw for Cartmel, we were walking to the restaurant, when one of the staff - who looked disconcertingly like Kavus Torabi - wished us a good meal before we'd got there, an unpretentious building.

At table there is an envelope waiting for you with the night's menu. We opened it straight away to see what we'd be getting, 15 courses worth I think it was. Now none of the courses is huge and the first three were more amuse-bouches, but all still well constructed and worthy bites. The Fritter of Duroc pig and smoked eel was a sublime couple of mouthfulls and beautiful to look at, they must pay an army of tweezer chefs to decorate the dishes. I could go through and describe all in detail, but I have neither the words or the time. It was the first time I've had Cuttlefish though.

The service runs like clockwork and is more ruthlessly efficient than the Spanish Inquisition. Mrs S's napkin slipped to the floor at least three times and before she could pick it up a fresh one had been brought out to her. Magic.

A pitfall of tasting menus is the matched wine flight. A gross rip-off. L'Enclume has three levels, from the "How Much?" to the "You're avin' a Giraffe!!!!" Of course I selected the middle one, purely because it was from the Jura and I have never had one before. It's a dry white wine which is quite like a sherry and was a bang on match for the mushroom dish it was served with.

I would heartily recommend saving up your pennies and paying a visit. It will never be good value, but as a taste experience it's worth it.

[captainkurtz]

I also went in April - and loved it. 

I think I'm done with Michelin star restaurants for a good while, though - been indulging over the last few years and as great as they've all been, I'm not quite sure if they're worthy of the cost.

[Nickslikk2112]

I also went in April - and loved it. 

Noticed your review on Trip Advisor

I think I'm done with Michelin star restaurants for a good while, though - been indulging over the last few years and as great as they've all been, I'm not quite sure if they're worthy of the cost.

We're going to try upping our rate as we've only being doing one a year and there's been a couple of repeats in there - The Kitchin and Midsummer House - but we look out for ones in areas we'd like to visit and which either have rooms or a convenient Premier Inn nearby.

[Nickslikk2112]

Back from treating Mrs S to a Gourmet Break for her upcoming 61st birthday.

We went to Northcote up in the Ribble valley in Lancashire, part of the world we haven't been to before. The restaurant is in the care of Lisa Goodwin Allen who we see a lot on the old TV so we thought we sample her wares.

Thursday was the Gourmet menu, a five course tasting menu. It was all very good, nothing that I'd say was outstanding - although the way these chefs can make Tomatoes taste like, well, Tomatoes never ceases to amaze me - but the mushroom canapé was seriously good as was the liquorice ice-cream with the blackcurrant and chocolate dessert.

Friday night we ate from the a la carte menu. Really enjoyed my roast Veal sweetbreads starter, with hen of the woods mushrooms, who'd have thought a baby cow's pancreas would taste so good?

The main of Quail pithivier was also superb, like a Beef Wellington, but with quail breast stuffed with Duck liver paté and encased in pastry what could be bad with that, loved the Turnip gratin too - and I hate Turnip!

As the dessert selection had my previous night's and the other choices not being my scene I had the cheese board with a selection of seven cheeses. One sheep's milk, two hard cheeses, two soft cheeses and two blue cheeses. Normally you get a smidgeon of each, it may not sound much, but there was a good ounce of each cheese, so I probably ate a bout half a pound of the stuff, with a 30 year old Tawny Port too

Mrs S would go back. So would I.

[Slim]

We had Afternoon Tea at Belvoir Castle this afternoon. Not really a restaurant, just a tea room there. Nice place though. Just the usual sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and little cakes.

I always apply the cream first.

[The Picnic Wasp]

We had Afternoon Tea at Belvoir Castle this afternoon. Not really a restaurant, just a tea room there. Nice place though. Just the usual sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and little cakes.

I always apply the cream first.

I've never understood the Devon or Cornwall thing. I would always split the scone and apply one or the other to each cut face on a random basis before gluing them together again.

[Slim]

Madness to apply jam to a bare scone surface. There must be an interface. You might as well put raspberry jam straight onto toast with no butter, or put the butter on top.

Surely only a lunatic would do that.

[Fishy]

I hate butter with jam or marmalade.. it's the same as chips with cheese and curry sauce .. I mean why??? Leave the chips alone...

[David L]

Madness to apply jam to a bare scone surface. There must be an interface. You might as well put raspberry jam straight onto toast with no butter, or put the butter on top.

Surely only a lunatic would do that.

I'm a lunatic. Never liked butter (or margarine) so jam/marmite: marmalade etc. directly on the toast for me

[Nickslikk2112]

No buts, on toast there's got to be butter, never marge and preferably no jam or marmalade either.

And to blow apart my Northern credentials, CHIPS DO NOT GO WITH GRAVY!

[David L]

We are booked to visit Michelin Guide featured Mon Restaurant in Ciutadella tomorrow. I think we will both be trying the tasting menu. Looking forward to it

https://www.monrestaurantfonda.com/en/our-dishes-mon

[David L]

We are booked to visit Michelin Guide featured Mon Restaurant in Ciutadella tomorrow. I think we will both be trying the tasting menu. Looking forward to it

https://www.monrestaurantfonda.com/en/our-dishes-mon

Absolutely superb tasting menu by Michelin-star chef Felip Llufriu.

Kicked off with an amuse bouche of endive fritter, parmesan lollipop and egg soufflé foam with iberico ham crumble.

Entrées:

Almond soup with sobrassada and figs

Prawn tartare with crispy pigs trotters

Small bread with steak tartare (presented as a burger in miniature brioche bun)

(accompanied with gluten-free Menorcan bread with Menorcan olive oil, salt and butter)

Fish course:

Stingray with lemon hollandaise and fish roe

Meat course:

Suckling pig with apple

Dessert:

Hibiscus sorbet, raspberry cheesecake and pink pepper ice-cream with pomegranate

Chicory cream tart, carob sauce and black tea ice cream

Finished with a chocolate petit fours

All washed down with a bottle of Cote de Provence rosé. A wonderful two and a half hours of gastronomic delights!

[Slim]

Really nice time at Amalfi White this afternoon, celebrating my stepdaughter's 31st birthday with her mum and boyfriend.

I had their ravioli to start - really lovely, dipped in breadcrumbs and fried. Nice and crisp with a tomato sauce. Then a pretty traditional chicken dinner. Also had a couple of cocktails but I'll write about that in the appropriate thread.

[Nickslikk2112]

Had a Gourmet Getaway the last couple of nights, up in North Yorkshire.

Last night at the Michelin starred Black Swan in Oldstead. Been there before and it was just as good second time around, in fact it has reawakened my liking for tasting menus. Highlight was the Hogget dish , with a Hogget tartare then braised hogget a creamy turnip sauce, could have eaten a bucket of it.

Monday night we ate where we were stopping - The Abbey Inn at Byland Abbey - which is all part of the same empire. Just a regular three course thing including a ludicrously expensive, but ludicrously good and difficult to eat burger.

Well worth a splurge.

[David L]

In Hampshire (Milford On Sea) for the weekend and had a lovely meal at Super Brothers Arms, New Milton last night.
It's a little tapas cocktail wine bar. The food was superb. Our selection included: meatballs, ribs, pork belly on a chorizo chickpea stew, chicken and pepper skewers, halloumi and a side of 'dirty fries'. Beforehand we were concerned that the portion-size may have left us wanting (it's happened before with tapas), we had no need to worry, portions were excellent and served with plenty of fresh crusty bread. Even had a decent bottle of beer in Ringwood's Boondoggle.
I'm sure we'll return