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CASTLE DAIRY by Carl Housbey
Whilst carrying out background research for one of my previous articles I discovered that around 18 million people visit The Lake District each year , and I wonder how many of them drive straight past Kendal on the bypass in their rush to get to the South Lakes without considering what is available in the town .
I have to be the first to hold my hand up , and admit that I was one of those people until I took part in the Cannonball Chef Awards 2017 . One of our many stops that year was Castle Dairy , where we sampled the excellent food created by Chris O ’ Callaghan and his team , and presented them with an award . So , I think it is about time I tell you what you ’ ve been missing .
The building which originates from the 14th century had been used as a restaurant for several years , unfortunately like much of the town it was devastated by the floods of 2015 . However , 18 months and a few million pounds later the restaurant reopened with a shiny new state of the art kitchen and a new Chef , Chris O ’ Callaghan . Chris previously worked at many high end restaurants including several Michelin starred establishments so he certainly knows his craft .
When dining here you can either choose the main restaurant which is divided up into several cosy intimate areas , or up to four of you can sit in the kitchen at the Chefs Table , which is what I was lucky enough to do on this occasion . Whichever you opt for you can be sure of the same excellent food , and high standard of friendly service from the whole team .
The menus change on a regular basis to take full advantage of the best available local ingredients , and there is plenty of choice to tantalise your tastebuds whether you are an omnivore like me , a vegetarian , or even a vegan . I couldn ’ t decide what to have as it all sounded delicious so I took the easy option by having a bit of everything in the form of a 12 course tasting menu . There is not enough space available to tell you about all of the dishes , so I will just pick out a few and you will have to go to experience the rest yourself .
We started off with several delightful snacks and a glass of Champagne before tucking in to a superb Beef Tartare that had been topped with grated Smoked Eel . This was followed by generously cut slivers of Beetroot Cured Salmon served with gingerbread , and a horseradish ice cream , absolutely delicious and one of my favourite courses of the night . Next was a dish containing various textures of Celeriac including a rich velouté which complemented the accompanying Confit Chicken perfectly .
All of the dishes we had showcased the fine lakeland produce , none more so than the perfectly cooked loin of venison that was so tender it almost melted in the mouth , as did the soft succulent Cumbrian Ham inside our next dish which was a brioche pie topped with a slice of air dried ham that rivals anything you could get from Spain .
Two of the most famous items from the region are Sticky Toffee Pudding and Kendal Mint Cake , both of which Chris uses to great effect in his desserts . His light as a feather interpretation of Sticky Toffee Pudding works particularly well with the matched glass of Pedro Ximenez that recreates the rich sauce of the original . Our final dish of Kendal Mint Cake and Chocolate is possibly his signature dessert and always reminds me of an After Eight , and who can resist one or two those after dinner ? Not me .
The whole evening was excellent and such good value for money that it simply can ’ t be missed . However , the restaurant is currently closed for two weeks to allow the team to take a well-earned break , and will reopen on 3rd October , so I strongly suggest you take this opportunity to reserve a table by clicking on www . castledairy . co . uk or by telephone on 01539 814756 before the other 17,999,999 people beat you to it .
Why not follow me on Twitter @ carlhousbey to see what else I get up to .
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