Tag: #finedining

Lovely dinner at Ees Wyke Country House, Sawrey

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What do you consider a perfect meal? For me it’s who I am having the meal with, mouth-watering food, good-service and pleasant decor / surroundings. Ees Wyke’s restaurant ticked all this boxes.

Location:

Ees Wyke restaurant is located in a classic English dinning room of an elegant Georgian house Ees Wyke Country House in Cumbria, near the small village of Sawrey and less than 3 miles from the town of Hawkshead. It is set on high ground overlooking and adjacent to Esthwaite Water and providing spectacular views to the Langdale Pikes and Grizedale Forest. It offers a perfect base not only for a delicious food but also for exploring the wonders of the Lake District. Additional bonus is that Ees Wyke’s dining room provides breathtaking views over Esthwaite Water to Coniston Old Man to the Langdale Pikes. Simply stunning!

The menu:

The menu is created daily by Ees Wyke’s current owner – Richard Lee who purchased it over 15 years ago and he is also in-house Head Chef. The choices on the menu are limited in order to ensure quality so you can rest assured that whatever you select will be tasty and satisfying. All dishes use only the very best of local produce from top local suppliers and Richard prides himself in the relationships he built with them over the years. If you like to have some wine with your meal then Ees Wyke’s wine list offers a wide range of wines from the “New World” to French classics. They are all reasonably priced and sourced based on their ratings.

Prior to the dinner, guests can have a drink, in one of two spacial lounges, on the veranda or in a garden. When the dinner is served, you will be escorted to your table by a friendly waitress – Angela.

As we were staying in Ees Wyke, we booked our dinner for 7:30p.m. When we entered the dinning room, there was already some other guests seated who were also eager to discover Richard’s cooking based on the typical English dishes with a French influence. They were loyal dinners who returned to Ees Wyke on their travels to Lake District after discovering the restaurant a couple of years ago. As soon as we sat down, our waitress welcomed us and we received some complimentary freshly baked bread and butter.

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For our starter, we both decided to have some pork and apricot terrine with pistachio nuts served with roasted vegetable chutney on toast. What an impressive combination! It was urban, elegant and had that pleasurable chunkiness of pistachios added.
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Next, it was time for our mains. As I love seafood, I decided to have a fillet of salmon with mint and cucumber wrapped in puff pastry bedded on some lobster sauce and served with a side of seasonal vegetables – carrots & broccoli.

My husband had noisettes of local lamb pan fried and served with a wine, mint and garlic gravy. Both dishes were excellent and we cleared our plates in no time.

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Lastly, it was time for my favorite course of any meal – dessert. I decided to have my best-loved sticky-toffee pudding which was served with hot butterscotch sauce. It was delectable and I would happily have eaten another one if that was an option.
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My husband had a cheese board which included 4 regional cheeses:

  • Crook (a soft blue veined cheese),
  • Crofton (unpressed cows and goats milk cheese from Carlisle),
  • Eden Chieftain (A creamy, close textured mature cheddar style cheese),
  • Eden valley Brie by the Appleby Creamery using local milk.

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They were presented beautifully with some crackers, celery and grapes. It’s always great trying local produce and this just convinced us that the British cheese is amongst the best in the world!

Overall experience: 

We both loved our dinner at Ees Wyke Country House and Richard somehow managed to combine home cooking with top French professional standards and influence. All dishes were well thought of and included the best local ingredients to bring up the most aromatic flavors of each course on offer. I would happily dine here anytime especially when I consider how affordable the dinner was – at £37.99 for 3-course dinner, it’s a bargain! You should definitely visit. I promise – you will not regret it.

Website:

For more information and to book visit their website.

Address:

Near Sawrey
Ambleside
Cumbria
LA22 0JZ
England

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Our stay at Ees Wyke Country House, Sawrey

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As our stay-cation in the magnificent Lake District continued, we carried on discovering glacial ribbon lakes, rugged fell mountains and some lovely hiking places in Cumbria. After a long day hiking around White Moss Walks and Stock Ghyll Force fall, we came across a hidden gem when we stopped for a night in a lovely Ees Wyke Country House.

Location:

Ees Wyke Country House is perfectly located in Cumbria, near a small village of Sawrey and less than 3 miles from the town of Hawkshead. It is set on high ground overlooking and adjacent to Esthwaite Water and providing spectacular views to the Langdale Pikes and Grizedale Forest. You will be pleased to discover that Ees Wyke Country House was once the holiday home of Beatrix Potter – an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist. It offers a perfect base for exploring the wonders of the Lake District with Hill Top being only a 4-minute walk away. It is also just a 30-min walk from the head of Lake Windermere, England’s largest natural lake. If you are an adventure seeker then you can walk on the tree tops at Go Ape Grizedale which is a short drive away.
Alternatively, if like me, long walks are more appealing then I would suggest taking a lovely walk along the Windermere shoreline and Rawlinson Nab recommended by Richard Lee – Ees Wyke Country House’s owner and on-site chef. He used to take it with his late wife – Margaret and I would suggest you to experience it when you stay here.

Facilities:

According to the Ees Wyke Country House’s website: ‘Ees Wyke was built as a Lake District retreat for a Lancashire mill owner in 1742′. It has remained a private home until it was converted into a guest house with some famous visitors such as above mentioned Beatrix Potter, visiting on several occasions. Ees Wyke’s current owner purchased this elegant Georgian house over 15 years ago and as he has a wealth of experience in hotel management since he took it over Ees Wyke has won multiple awards which are proudly displayed in the lounge and dining areas.

Guests can have a drink, read a book or relax in one of two spacious lounges, on the veranda or in a garden. Breakfast and dinner are served in the dinning room.

The breakfast at Ees Wyke Country House has received an AA award and is simply spectacular. It is sourced from local ingredients i.e. sausages and dry cured bacon are from the local butcher or you can try a Loch Fyne kipper or poached Finnan haddock. You can also try some continental breakfast including a selection of cereals, freshly squeezed juices, compotes, porridge and freshly baked croissants. Guests can also book for a freshly prepared 3-course dinner with a daily changing menu. The choices were limited in order to ensure quality and the dishes we selected were mouth-watering and we cleared our plates in no time.

Rooms: 

Ees Wyke Country House is a small boutique hotel with only 9 rooms. We stayed in the ‘blue’ room situated on the 1st floor providing breathtaking views of Esthwaite Waters and the fells beyond.

It had a traditional and classy decor with a mix of antique and contemporary furniture. It provided us with all the homely comforts you require whilst being away from home – satellite TV, selection of tea and coffee, work desk, and a comfortable king-sized bed. Complimentary sherry was an adorable thought and we appreciated it after a full day walk.

Our en-suite bathroom had a classic decor. Penhaligon toiletries, and soft fluffy towels were provided.

Overall experience: 

I could continue and write 1000s of words about how Ees Wyke Country House is worth your custom, about how it’s owner Richard somehow manages to combine home cooking with top French professional standards of cooking, about how the breakfast is hands down the best I’ve had in the North West and how Angela (the front of house) entertained us with the stories and advise on the best local walks and attraction. I could write all this, but none of it matters, the Ees Wyke Country House is simply excellent and the view from its rooms is world class – simply breathtaking. This soul-soothing scenery is definitely something I would love to wake up to everyday…

Lastly, if you are planning a trip to the Lake District then you should definitely book a room in this classic country house. You will not regret it. Both me and my husband loved it here and being looked after by Richard and Angela seemed like we were staying in some relatives house. I would love to return here soon and have already mentioned to my husband that we should travel here for my birthday in May.

Website:

For more information and to book visit their website.

Address:

Near Sawrey
Ambleside
Cumbria
LA22 0JZ
England

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Our stay at Rothay Manor Hotel, Ambleside

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As our stay-cation in the UK continued we traveled to the magnificent Lake District. I love hiking and discovering new places so I was super excited to visit this popular vacation destination, known for its glacial ribbon lakes, rugged fell mountains and historic literary associations. Whilst in a popular market town of Ambleside, we stayed at the luxury Rothay Manor Hotel & Fine dining. 

Location:

Rothay Manor Hotel & Fine Dining is perfectly located in Cumbria, in the picturesque village of Ambleside which marks the head of Lake Windermere, England’s largest natural lake which is only 450 yards away. It is just a short few minutes walk from the town center which has now become a major tourist resort with shops, restaurants and a cinema. In addition, it offers a perfect base for exploring the wonders of the Lake District. I was pleased to discover that the hotel put some proposed itineraries of local walks which you can easily access by scanning a QR code whilst in reception. We took a couple of the recommended walks and they offered breath-taking views. If walking is not your thing then you can hire mountain bikes or Segways or have some fun at GoApe adventure.

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Rooms:

Rothay Manor Hotel & Fine Dining is a Grade II Listed house built in 1825 with landscaped garden and period features. Guests can relax in a spacious lounge which is also perfect for a drink or two after a day discovering the Lakes.

All rooms are named after local falls – we stayed in a superior room situated on the 1st floor which was named after famous local waterfall – Tom Gill. Our room was spacious and had it’s own balcony overlooking the gardens to the fells beyond. It had a stylish and classy decor. Our room provided the homely comforts you require whilst being away from home – satellite TV, in-room safe, mini-fridge, selection of fairtrade tea and coffee, work desk, a couple of armchairs to rest on and a comfortable bed.

Our en-suite bathroom had a modern decor with both shower and bath. Some large, fluffy towels and bathrobes as well as the luxurious Noble Isle toiletries were provided.

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Restaurant:

Rothay Manor Hotel has a fine dining restaurant which was awarded 3 AA rosettes. It offers modern British cuisine. Its Head Chef – Daniel McGeorge creates memorable dining experiences using only the best fresh, seasonal ingredients. His passion for great food is reflected with 2 tasting menus plus a la carte menu available daily. All of the menus can be adapted to accommodate your dietary requirements.

We decided to have a 5-course tasting menu. To start with, we had some Scottish Langoustine with carrot, yuzu, timut pepper, shiso. The dish had creative flavors and was delectable. Secondly, we had some Norfolk quail breast, leg, onion, girolle and pine. It was juicy and succulent.

Next, we had some monkfish with sweetcorn, red pepper, sea kale, XO and coriander. I love seafood and the dish was simply luscious. For our final course, we had some Cumbrian Dexter beef sirloin, tongue, bone marrow, aubergine, sea beet and nasturtium. The dish was flavorful and my husband’s favorite dish from our dining experience at the Rothay Manor’s restaurant.

Finally, we had a cheeseboard to share. It had a great selection of some local cheese served with artisan crackers, honey, olives and chutney. It was appetizing.

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Overall experience:

Rothay Manor Hotel & Fine Dining offers a perfect base for anyone travelling to the Lake District. I also discovered that its management team put together special interest short breaks on offer i.e. for art collectors and walking holidays enthusiast so make sure that you check their seasonal offering.

Rothay Manor’s Fine Dining restaurant is a must-have to add to your list if you are in the area and I am sure you will enjoy all dishes on the menu – I certainly did and I will definitely return here again to experience some other dishes.

Lastly, all staff members we came across made us feel welcomed and were professional which is always appreciated when you are away.

Website:

For more information and to book visit their website.

Address:

Rothay Manor Hotel
Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0EH

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Dinner at Kahani, London, United Kingdom

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My husband loves Indian cuisine, so this week we decided to experience Kahani – an exclusive, Michelin star, fine-dining Indian restaurant in central London.

Location:
Kahani is located opposite of the iconic Cadogan Hall, besides being on the doorsteps of luxurious boutiques and department stores such as Harvey Nichols and Harrods in Chelsea, London. It is easily reachable by public transport and is within very close proximity to Slone Square tube station whilst Knightsbridge station is only a short walk away.

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Atmosphere:
Kahani’s décor is simply stunning – the restaurant is both modern and chic with the earth tones of green, red and brown as well as a reoccurring theme of the Hamsa hand (symbolizing the Hand of God) visible throughout the venue.
The restaurant is perfect for an intimate dinner date where you can start with a drink or two at the bar followed by sharing some amazing Indian cuisine. Large groups can also be accommodated as the restaurant sits up to 90 and has a separate, private dining area above the kitchen. The service was faultless so I would also consider it as a venue for business lunches or dinner as I am sure it would leave your colleagues or clients impressed.

The menu:
Indian cuisine has been established in the UK for over 200 years with the first British curry house being opened in 1809. The restaurant’s Head Chef – Peter Joseph was raised in Chennai in India and his objective was to bring a fresh approach to Indian cuisine, starting with naming his restaurant ‘Kahani’ as it means ‘story’ in Hindi to combining the traditional take on Indian cooking with his experience in British kitchens and adding his signature modern twist. He achieved that by creating an artistic menu combining the best seasonal and traditional British ingredients with Indian spices and culinary techniques.
We decided to be adventurous and asked the chef to prepare some of his signature dishes to share. We started with a selection of starters. They were all full of flavour, but we absolutely loved these 3:
• Soft shell crunchy crab with Mangalorean spices, kachumber and smoked tomato chutney;
• Octopus and calamari chaat served with some kasoondi mustard, sweet potato and grapefruit;
• Smoked Malabar prawns marinated with fresh turmeric, coconut, curry leaves.

Our starters were not only presented beautifully but they were tasty and original. My personal favourite was octopus and camari chaat – the combination of seafood with some sweet potatoes and grapefruit was simply perfect as it was both refreshing and flavoursome.

Next, it was time for our mains, we were again positively surprised by a chef with his modern take on a butter chicken and Kerala Fish Curry based on Halibut simmered with shallots, turmeric, tamarind and coconut. Our mains were served with some rice and nan bread which were all scrumptious.
Lastly, we decided to order a dessert platter to share. My sweet tooth was definitely satisfied as all of the desserts featured were mouth-watering.

Overall experience:
Kahani is a hidden gem in a busy Chelsea. It is the best Indian restaurant I’ve visited so far in London and it offers great traditional Indian cuisine with a modern, British twist. I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to experience Peter Joseph’s signature blend of spices and flavour pairings. He will take you on a journey and paint a story of an incredible Indian cuisine. Menu has a lot to offer so if you would like to experience the best Indian cuisine has to offer then you should definitely visit.

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Website:
For more information and to book visit:
https://www.kahanidining.com/

Address:
1 Wilbraham Pl
Belgravia
London SW1X 9AE

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline