Holbeck Ghyll Restaurant Review

I have always considered Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel and Restaurant to be one of the best venues in the Lake District. It has been awarded a Michelin star every year for the past 10 years and is also one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Stars like Tom Cruise and Rene Zellweger, along with footballers and other famous faces have all dined and stayed here. So, you can imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to experience fine dining in the evening at this top class hotel and restaurant!

I arrived at the impressive Victorian house for dinner, late on a sunny afternoon and I could not believe the stunning views of Lake Windermere and the Langdale Fells, as the dusk cast shadows over them. They were breathtaking, extremely romantic and one of the great views of the world!

My colleague and I had a warm welcome, as we came into the magnificent entrance hall where there was a log fire burning. The friendly restaurant manager took us through to one of the elegantly furnished and relaxing lounges, with incredible views of the lake. Whilst we looked over the sumptuous choices on the menu, we were given a selection of lovely canapés to whet our appetites. These included beautifully prepared olives, very tasty breadsticks and a mouth watering truffle cream cheese to dip them in.

We were led through to the magnificent oak panelled restaurant, to be seated by the window, to enjoy the stunning views. There was also a fabulous outdoor terrace restaurant for use on warmer days. We were offered a selection of freshly baked breads that consisted of white, wholemeal, raisin, walnut and apple, along with a very tasty amuse-bouche.

For dinner, Holbeck Ghyll offers both an a la carte menu and a specially selected gourmet menu. On this occasion, my colleague and myself opted for the Gourmet menu, which consisted of 6 delicious courses!

To begin with we had hand-dived scallops, cooked to perfection, with spiced cauliflower, apple and raisin puree.

This was followed by the best guinea fowl I have ever tasted, which was served with leek and D'Agen with Hazelnut.

For the fish course we had the freshest tian of crab, which was complemented with avocado and pink grapefruit.

The main course was a traditional local dish of Cumbrian lamb in an herb crumb, which was very tender and just melted in your mouth. It was served with black olive gnocchi, confit peppers and aubergine.

Dessert was a mille-feuille of raspberries, raspberry sorbet, crème vanilla raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries, which certainly freshened the palate.

Last, but not least, we had a selection of British and French cheeses presented in a circle from mild to strong, each one a real taste sensation.

To complement our meal, the charming sommelier at Holbeck Ghyll helped us choose a selection of fine wines that was perfect for each dish and he did his job fantastically. We enjoyed all the different tastes that accompanied each of the delicious food courses.

We retired to the lounge, for a cafetiere of coffee, served with chocolate truffles to discuss what it was that made Holbeck Ghyll so good? We came to the conclusion that whilst the food and service was fantastic and affordable, the atmosphere relaxed and informal, what sets it apart from the rest, is that Holbeck Ghyll managed to make us feel like we were in our own luxurious home!

Holbeck Ghyll is a marvellous place. We had a great time!

Review written by Mark Prada