Cumbriafoodie

FARLAM HALL – Another Jewel for Cumbria

What is it ? – A very laid back 500 year old country house hotel a short drive from the Border city of Carlisle. The Michelin starred Restaurant `Cedar tree` is the hotel Restaurant. What`s Cooking ? – Classical modernised French with Indian influences , stunning cooking techniques using Cumbrian sourced produce where possible and meticulous attention…

AULIS Phuket – Worth a 6,000 mile journey ?

What is it ? – A 15 seat Chefs table experience at the stunning ultra luxury Iniala Beach house Hotel , Chef Simon Rogan`s first Restaurant in Thailand. What`s Cooking ? – A showcase of Native Thai / Asian ingredients carefully selected from specialist farmers and growers. Who`s Cooking ? – 3 Michelin starred Chef Simon Rogan…

The EPICURIAN Menu at the Ritz

What is it ? – A World famous luxury London hotel offering the greatest and the grandest dining experience in the U.K. (You`ll probably gather from that statement that the Restaurant is my favourite place to eat in the UK). Who`s Cooking ? – Executive Chef Mr John Williams oversees his right hand team. Premier…

Poulet en Vessie – Ritz style

Where can I experience this ? – The World famous London Ritz hotel. Who will be Cooking ? – Executive Chef John Williams oversees the team – Premier Sous Chef Spencer Metzger , Deepak Mallya and Pastry Chef Lewis Wilson. What should I expect ? – Classical and traditional cuisine prepared and served at the…

ALEX DILLING at CAFE ROYAL , LONDON

What is it ? – Chef Alex Dillings first solo Restaurant offering a modern approach to French Gastronomy. Where is it ? – The Restaurant sits inside the Hotel Café Royal overlooking Regents street ,right in the heart of London. Bottom right of the photo below. What`s Cooking ? – The finest ingredients on the…

The Old Stamp House – Worlds Best Restaurant 2021/22

What is it ? – According to TripAdvisor its the best Restaurant in the “WORLD” for the last 2 years running….Cant argue with that. Where is it ? – Town centre , Ambleside. Right in the heart of the Lake district National park (A World Heritage site) Whats Cooking ? – Fresh , Prime quality…

ROYAL OSHA – BANGKOK

What is it ? – Royal Osha , a sophisticated Thai fine dining restaurant on Wireless road in Bangkok. What`s Cooking ? – Stylish,Theatrical and Extravagant classical Royal Thai cuisine. Who`s cooking ? – Chef Vichit Mukura , one of Thailands most celebrated Masterchefs specialising in maintaining the traditional concepts of Royal Thai cuisine. What…

`Blue` – Alain Ducasse in Bangkok

What is it ? – A modern Contemporary fine dining Restaurant bearing the name of the World famous superchef Alain Ducasse. The restaurant is situated inside the luxurious `Icon Siam` shopping mall with stunning views overlooking the iconic Chao Phraya river. What`s Cooking ? – Very much Classical French cuisine with a modern approach and a few…

Pied a Terre – London UK

What is it ? – One of London`s most established and longest running Michelin starred Restaurants which has now held a Michelin star for over 30 consecutive years. What`s Cooking ? – Modern French cuisine with Greek influences. Who`s Cooking ? Athens born Asimakis Chaniotis – A young (32) , happy ,very guest friendly and extremely talented…

`Blue`- By Alain Ducasse , Bangkok

MIA, Bangkok – Good times ahead.

What is it ? – A Modern European Restaurant situated in the heart of Bangkok city. What`s Cooking ? – Quirky, fun , fresh and quite complex dishes with an Asian influence. Who`s Cooking ? Chef “Top” Russell (Bangkok young Chef of the year / Topchef Thailand season 2)and his partner in Crime Michelle Goh. Both have a…

The Parkers Arms – A trip here is a MUST.

What is it ? – A country Pub in the heart of the Lancashire countryside. The closest town is Clitheroe (6 miles away) so make sure you`re driving as a Taxi won`t be cheap. We stayed 5 minutes away at Clerk Laithe Lodge which i can highly recommend. (Book here) What`s cooking – There`s something…

The Black Swan – Top Shelf Pub Food.

What is it ? – A magical little 18th century country pub in a sleepy hideaway village in the middle of nowhere. The Black Swan is currently in the Top 50 Gastropubs. What`s Cooking ? – There`s nothing complex in Scotts food and you`ll only find 3 or 4 components to each dish….BUT , you can guarantee…

Forest Side – Michelin dining in Grasmere.

What is it ? – One of the finest country house hotels in the North of England. Luxurious 20 room accommodation with food of the highest standards in the UK. What`s Cooking ? – Well sourced ingredients from throughout the UK with strength from the Cumbria region. Who`s Cooking ? – Chef Paul Leonard previously of The Devonshire…

The Best Khao Soi in Chiang-Mai

Who would ever have thought that a simple bowl of Noodles could be so good that people actually fly all the way to Chiang Mai in Thailand just to eat this. Some greedy people actually fly to Chiang Mai to eat this several times in a few days. Hungry food obsessed loons have even been…

The Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite.

What is it ? – A well established 17th century country pub serving up good quality locally sourced food. What`s Cooking ? – Country pub food using local and well sourced ingredients. We asked for a Tasting menu in advance and Chef was happy to cook for us. Who`s Cooking ? – Chef Alex Beard….

The Greenhouse , London

PLEASE NOTE THAT VERY SADLY THE GREENHOUSE HAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED – HAPPY MEMORIES OF SOME AMAZING FOOD AND CHEF. What is it ? – A well established 2 Michelin starred Restaurant in the Mayfair area of London. Currently a favourite destination for Chefs on their day off. What`s Cooking ? – Haute cuisine / fine…

Ekstedt , Sweden – Food from the fire

What is it ? – A very unique Michelin starred Restaurant in Stockholm , Sweden where the guest can experience their full meal cooked over Scandanavian Wood and Fire. What`s Cooking ? Modern Nordic Food with flavours of Smoke – Seafood , Game and foraged ingredients with a few luxuries thrown in for good measure….

Frantzen – Best of the best ?

What is it ? – A superstar of the restaurant scene and the go to destination choice of most Chefs. 3 Michelin stars and currently number 21 on the Worlds best restaurant list 2019. What`s Cooking ? A Nordic influenced seasonal menu with an Asian twist. Complex and very beautiful small plates of food…

The Ritz

What is it ? – A landmark London hotel offering the greatest and the grandest dining experience in the land. (You`ll probably gather from that statement that it`s my favourite place to eat in the United Kingdom) Who`s Cooking ? – Executive Chef John Williams and his right hand team – Premier Sous Chef…

The Black Bull , Sedbergh.

`The Black Bull` – What is it ? – A 17th Century Coaching Inn with 18 Bedrooms, Bar, and Dining room / Restaurant. Where is it ? – The Black Bull is right in the centre of Sedbergh (Sed-Ber) in Cumbria. Staying here will situate you perfectly for venturing into the Lake District and the…

Cakes and Bubbles by Albert Adria.

What is it ? – Exactly what it says on the label – Stunning innovative cakes and Champagne – Lots of it. For lovers of everything sweet like me it`s a perfect recipe for success. Where is it ? Right in the heart of Piccadilly circus. Just get the tube straight into Piccadilly and it’s…

La Dame de Pic – London

What is it ? – 3 Michelin starred French Chef Anne Sophie Pic has opened her first Restaurant in the UK , La Dame de Pic offering the very best local (UK) seasonal ingredients. Where is it ? – Restaurant La Dame de Pic is inside the Four Seasons Hotel overlooking The Tower of London…

PASTE , Bangkok – Lunch with Chef Bee.

What is it ? – Thai Restaurant in Bangkok city serving intensely flavoured, beautifully presented , modern Thai cuisine. The recipes have been very well researched from Royal Thai archives and ancient family traditions. Paste has 1 Michelin star and Number 28 on the list of Asia`s Top 50 restaurants 2019. Where is it…

Rothay Manor , Ambleside.

What is it ? – A Country house hotel and Restaurant in Ambleside , Cumbria (Right in the centre of the Lake district) 10 minutes walk from the shops and bars. Who`s Cooking ? – Chef Dan Mc George formerly of The Michelin starred Bath Priory. What should I expect ? The hotel is…

The House at Temple Sowerby.

What is it ? – A beautiful little country house and walled Garden (with lots of history) tucked away in a “Blink and you`ll miss it” Cumbrian village. Where is it ? – 5 Miles East of Penrith. Leave the M6 Motorway at junction 40. Who`s Cooking ? – Chef Jack Bradley (Ex Hipping Hall)…

Lerdtip , Bangkok with `Iron Chef` Gigg.

What is it ? – Lerdtip , The flagship Restaurant of Celebrity “Iron Chef of Thailand” Chef Gigg Kamol. The Restaurant has a Michelin star and has 2 branches in Bangkok. Where is it ? – Lat Phrao , The journey from our hotel in Nana Soi 4 was a nightmare and we managed to…

The Ryebeck , Windermere.

What is it ? – A traditional English country house hotel / Restaurant. Where is it ? – Just outside Bowness on Windermere , a very busy tourist town right in the heart of the Lake district. Who`s Cooking ? – Nick Edgar spent 15 years working for Raymond Blanc at 2 Michelin starred Le…

L`Enclume , Cartmel.

What is it ? – Cumbria`s jewel in the crown , 10\10 in the good food guide , 2 Michelin stars and Cumbria life magazine`s Restaurant of the year 2019. Where is it ? – The tiny Cumbrian village of Cartmel in the South lake district….Blink and you`ll miss it. Head Chef – Simon Rogan,…

Nahm – Bangkok best Thai restaurant ?

What is it ? – A Restaurant specializing in authentic Thai cuisine and back to basics traditional cooking techniques using the freshest ingredients possible. Currently ranked at number 22 in Asia (10th last year) , Number 49 in Worlds best Restaurants list 2018 and 1 Star in the 2018 Michelin guide. Where is it ?…

TAST Catala – A taste of Spain in Manchester.

What is it – A taste of Catalonian cuisine in the form of a modernized twist on Tapas style food. Where is it ? – Manchester City Centre. Head Chef – Consultant is Paco Perez , 2 Michelin starred Chef from restaurant Miramar on the east coast of Spain. What should I expect ?…

Restaurant MCR – Aiden Byrne.

What is it – Restaurant MCR (previously Manchester House) – a busy , modern city centre restaurant . Where is it ? – Spinningfields , Manchester city centre. Head Chef – Aiden Byrne (Ex head Chef of the Dorchester , Tom Aikens , Roscoff , Church Green , Hillbark , Adlards) What should I expect…

Bo.Lan, Bangkok – As authentic as it gets.

What is it ?– A Restaurant serving authentic Thai food currently at number 37 on Asia`s top 50 Restaurants list. Where is it ? – Bangkok city centre down a quiet soi (street). It`s really easy to get there so just take the Skytrain to Thong lor BTS station and it`s a 5 minute walk…

Mizu – Pan Asian food in the Lakes.

What is it ?- A stunning £10 million Asian Restaurant and Spa extension to the existing Lodore falls hotel. Where is it ? – Borrowdale valley , near Keswick , right in the heart of the English Lake district. Head Chef – Kasun Jayasooriya from Sri Lanka spent 10 years working in Tokyo. He hopes…

Tom Yam – Cooking Thailands national Soup.

Tom Yam / Tom Yum , an extremely popular Asian soup originating from Thailand and Laos. It`s such a success that variations of the original recipe have adapted and spread to neighbouring Asian countries and also throughout the world. The soup is characterized by its distinct typical hot and sour Thai flavours and when completed…

The Pentonbridge Inn – Cumbria.

Pentonbridge sits on the very edge of the Scottish Borders about 20 minutes North of Carlisle. The inn, surrounded by 360 degrees of flat moorland is well off the beaten track and basically there`s a couple of houses and not a lot else. The closest town (Longtown) is several miles away and so The Pentonbridge…

The Ritz , London – High end delights.

We`re in London , it`s Sunday lunchtime and as always there`s only the one choice for us…. The Ritz. As always , it`s the 12.30 arrival ,the usual window table and the first diners to be seated in the dining room. Our first course arrived at 1pm and our Petits fours arrived at 5.30 pm….

Bibendum , London – As good as they say it is ?

There are those that say that Bibendum is so good that it will be be the next 3 star restaurant whilst most other diners agree that it`s quite an accurately placed 2 star. I booked in to eat the food of Chef Claude Bosi and to see for myself how the food rated on…

Restaurant 1863 , Ullswater.

1863 Bistro and Bar sits in the Cumbrian village of Pooley Bridge on the fringes of Ullswater (it`s not a Lake) . The property was originally the village Blacksmiths shop , later becoming the Pooley Bridge post office. Only recently (2016) it was transformed into what it is today – 1863 Bistro and Bar with…

Summer at the Samling , Windermere.

We went to the Samling to celebrate our Wedding anniversary with a quick 4 course set Sunday lunch menu. Don’t ask me how we ended up on Tasting menus with Wine pairing , a 4 hour lunch and a tour of the Wine cellar. All in all it was a fantastic afternoon amongst…

Rogan & Co , Cartmel Village.

I head back down to the delightful village of Cartmel for lunch at Chef Simon Rogan’s restaurant, Rogan & Co , little sister of the wonderful L`Enlcume (5 minutes’ walk away). Newly appointed Chef Tom Barnes joined the L`Enclume team in 2011 and went on to win the Roux Scholarship 2 years later in 2014….

Temple Sowerby house

Cumbria , once again turning out these little delights for the destination food traveller. Thanks to social media and our very own Taste Cumbria foodie magazine i`ve managed to add yet another wonderful restaurant to my list “Temple Sowerby House” . One hour drive from home and 10 minutes off the M6 motorway and i`m…

Restaurant Mark Greenaway – Edinburgh.

We were only up in Edinburgh for a quick 2 night break so a quickfire plan needed put together. I decided to book somewhere totally new and contacted Chef Mark Greenaway to try out his restaurant in the city centre. There`s a couple of good cocktail bars close by (The Dome and Panda and sons…

Askham Hall , Lowther Estates.

It`s taken me far too long to get myself over to Askham hall and after staying there for a night I really can`t wait to return again. For those wanting a hidden escape in a romantic little Cumbrian village then this is definitely the place to head to. The 13th century hotel (formerly the family home…

The Old Stamp House – Ambleside

Chef Ryan Blackburn really impressed me on the last series of Professional Masterchef and as soon as I got the opportunity i had to go and see what his Ambleside kitchen was turning out. I found Ryans food to be creative , accurately cooked and I really did enjoy it. Why have I taken so…

Castle Dairy , Kendal – Tucked away cooking wonderful food.

I wouldn`t mind betting that virtually none of you have ever heard of Castle Dairy in Kendal , Cumbria`s South Lakes. I keep on repeating myself on here and so i`ll say it once again – “Yet another hidden Lake district gem appears on my radar” . Really good restaurants are popping up all over…

Taillevent Paris v Taillevent London

Being a total old school classic cuisine freak I jumped at the chance of dining at Restaurant Taillevent during my visit to Paris. For lovers of highly skilled traditional “proper” French cooking then this is definitely the place to go. A formal service encompassing classic cooking techniques and ingredients , super rich Cream , Butter…

Alain Ducasse , LONDON.

A pre Xmas meal at the 3 Michelin starred `Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester` hotel in London. A stunning hotel and an amazing looking restaurant. The service was classic and extremely attentive, top of the tree faultless. Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet worked in the restaurant under Executive chef Jocelyn Herland and took over the kitchens after…

“Meat Fruit” – Making a Heston favourite at home.

Originally posted on Cumbriafoodie:
Mandarin “Meat fruit” filled with a surprise Chicken liver parfait Reblogged from 2011 – I`ve reblogged this post as it`s head and shoulders above my other posts as the most popular one on Cumbriafoodie. Seems like Heston has spread his wings worldwide as I have requests and messages from Australia ,…

Osha – Bangkok

We return once again to one of our favourite Bangkok restaurants to enjoy the wonderful cooking of Thai Chef Purida Theeraphong. During this visit we enjoyed it so much that we had to return to eat again a few days later. The food here is traditional Thai but with a new modern approach and stunning…

Restaurant `Suhring` , Bangkok

Whenever i`m travelling in the `land of smiles` the furthest thing from my mind is eating Western food. In my book that`s a cardinal sin. When in Thailand , it should always be Thai food morning, noon and night and never anything else. Don`t go asking me how I ended up in a German Restaurant…

My Thai Green Curry , it`s as close as it gets.

Anyone who has ever visited Thailand will know that the difference between a Green Curry (Gaeng Kiew Wan) in Thailand and one in the West is like comparing Black to White , there`s simply no comparison. Our Western version just doesn`t have the textures or the aromatics of the Oriental one by a long mile. The…

The Ritz Restaurant – Again.

Back once again to my favourite UK restaurant , the London Ritz. My preferred 12.30 arrival on Sunday lunchtime is normally perfectly timed just as the curtain opens for the show. Sat on the same “nosey” table every visit with a welcome glass of chilled bubbly to set the scene. In the background the Pianist tinkles away and never…

Atsushi Tanaka , Paris – Something a bit different in the city.

Japanese Chef Atshushi Tanaka seems ever so slightly out of place in his Parisienne `Restaurant A.T`. Just over the road there`s the World famous , classic French Restaurant `Tour d`Argent` and just around the corner there`s Notre Dame Cathedral. Right in the middle of this Parisian Latin Quarter area Tanaka opened his restaurant in 2014 serving up…

The House on Sathorn , Bangkok

The House on Sathorn sits amongst the modern day giants of Bangkok city almost as though it has been teleported there by time travel. It actually took 3 years to renovate and transform the 127 year old former Russian embassy into what it is today. Obviously such a stunning project requires the best Chef possible and so the…

A Weekend in Valencia , Spain.

There`s nothing better for the soul than to jet away for a pampering weekend full of sun, excitement , fabulous Wines and superb food experiences. I`d never visited Valencia before so this was a great opportunity to take in this wonderful city and to spend a few days touring the region , meeting the Restaurateurs…

Michael Wignall at Obsession17 , Northcote.

I was very blessed to receive an invite to Northcote Manor on the first evening of their annual Obsession event for 2017. This year Obsession17 would run for 17 consecutive nights and host menus from top chefs throughout the World. The Chefs all cook for one night each and create a menu of their desire ,…

Sharrow Bay , minus the Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Back once again to eat at a great Cumbrian culinary institution. Sharrow Bay country house hotel on the banks of Ullswater sits in the heart of our wonderful Lake district.Time stops still at Sharrow , it always has and with only an extremely narrow lane accessing the hotel , the silence and peace are totally golden…

Gilpin Hotel – One word `Perfection`

Cumbria is firmly rooted in history as an important part of the World Spice trade. Gingerbread, Whitehaven Rum and spicy Cumberland Sausage all have intriguing connections stretching back to the 1600s. Gilpin Hotel (built as a family home in 1901) offers its diners unusual menus from two very different restaurants using the very best…

Best food of 2016

Here`s a few of my more memorable food treats throughout 2016. Hopefully next year will be equally as good. A Xmas trip to my favourite city of Bangkok. 44 visits and it just keeps getting better and better. Late night Chicken noodle Soup on the street for 50 Baht ( £1 ) Another Thai classic…

The Kitchin , Edinburgh.

I had , in the past made a couple of attempts to get a table at The Kitchin in Leith , Edinburgh but it was always so popular that the restaurant was totally booked up weeks in advance. This time I made sure that I got in there bright and early and booked myself the…

Linthwaite Hotel , Big plans and big smiles.

Linthwaite country house hotel perches itself upon high ground looking out over England’s longest `Mere`, Windermere (remember, it`s a `Mere`, not a lake). My visit to Linthwaite coincided with the onset of a late Lake District Autumn, the leaves were just starting to fall and the colours under a low setting sun were straight out…

A return to Castle Terrace.

Another trip to the wonderful city of Edinburgh and as always I head straight to my number one place to dine , Castle Terrace with the extremely talented Chef Dominic Jack. It was very sad to see the restaurant losing their Michelin star in October 2015. To be perfectly honest I was fully expecting them…

Michelin Star for the Samling.

Michelin announced their awards for the 2017 guide yesterday and the results were superb for the Cumbrian dining scene with 3 new Michelin Stars for The Samling , Forest side and Gilpin hotel. Chef Nick Edgar has only been cooking at the Samling for a few months now after a 15 year stint at Raymond Blancs Le Manoir. Nick has…

Forest side – All systems GO.

This was my second visit to dine at The Forest side in Grasmere. This time I had just married my sweetheart a day earlier and so we decided to make it into something special and booked in for an overnight package. That way meant that we could also drink and experience the drinks flight with…

The House of Tides , Newcastle.

Kenny Atkinson opened up the House of Tides on the Newcastle Quayside in 2014 and very quickly gained his first Michelin star in 2015. Good quality and well sourced ingredients that are well matched up and then very accurately cooked and presented with no gimmicks is what it`s all about here. This was my second experience…

The Raby Hunt – Golf pro to wonderful Chef

It`s taken me quite a while to get over to eat at The Raby Hunt near Darlington but i`ve finally managed to get my backside over there to sample the delights of `self trained` Chef James Close. The restaurant is pretty isolated and only has the two rooms so if you`re planning to…

The Grand Hotel – York.

Apparently the Grand hotel is the finest place to stay in the city of York. It has a fine dining restaurant terribly named “Hudsons” ( After the 1800`s railway developer ) that certainly sits up there with the best places to eat in the area. I booked in for dinner after seeing some of Chef Craig…

Hidden Treasures in YORK.

This was my very first trip to the beautiful city of York. …even though it was on an extremely soul destroying 4 day Electrical regulations course. I think that the most powerful sales pitch for me was discovering Chef Joshua Overingtons previous employers. The Waterside at Bray , Tom Kerridges Hand and flowers and Restaurant Ledoyen in Paris….

Epicure , Le Bristol in Paris

Restaurant `Epicure` at Le Hotel Bristol was our last meal of the Parisian weekend trip. I had always wanted to dine here as their ALC menu read so well but sadly was so crazily priced that I had chosen to eat elsewhere. My top dining buddy The Finediningexplorer organised the Paris weekender and so we decided to…

The London Ritz , Finest in the Land.

Once again the London Ritz proves too much of a temptation for me , I guess that i`m hooked on the place and can never visit the big city without heading off there to eat. It holds everything that appeals to me about my passion for gastronomy. The dining room is as grand as it…

“Culinary Theft” at Chez L`Ami Louis , PARIS

O…M…G….Where do I start about this place ? I`m sitting here trying to find a way to describe how I feel about my meal at the Parisian Bistro Chez L`ami Louis . Well if you`re a guy and you`ve experienced a good hard kick between the legs then that`s something similar to how you`ll feel when you get the bill…

Ledoyen , PARIS – Choose very wisely.

I won`t go into glorious detail about the current Parisian restaurant scene at the moment as it`s a whirlwind of jumping Toques that`s a seemingly impossible task to keep track upon. Today I`m eating at Le Pavilion Restaurant Ledoyen in Paris. Superchef Yannick Alleno is the current star of the show here and has been cooking…

The Water Library , Bangkok.

The Water Library in Bangkok – Normally the first thing that would hit you upon entering into a restaurant is their display of Wines. Here, unusually it`s Water , lots of it stunningly displayed in a floor to ceiling `library`. Focusing on their primary product I`m actually wondering what a Water tasters notes would read…

Le Cinq , George V, Paris , Best of the Best.

I`m supposed to be a food freak and yet I can`t believe that it`s taken me so long to get over to eat in Paris , the Mecca for lovers of fine dining and the birthplace of gastronomy. My trusty dining partner and ultimate food geek friend Finediningexplorer contacted me and basically issued the orders…

Forest Side , The Lake Districts multi million pound hotel opens.

My first experience at Forest side was a year ago. I popped in on my way past to see chef Kev Tickle. I was expecting a sample of freshly baked Bread with his latest Cheese discovery. Instead i walked into a mudbath full of contractors and civil work. Exactly a year later and after almost…

Gaggan , Bangkok – Number 1 in Asia.

WOW , So Gaggan pulls it off once again. An Indian restaurant sat surrounded by thousands and thousands of Thai food outlets in the huge city of Bangkok. Of course that`s just the small picture. On a larger scale Gaggan Anand has managed to bag the top position for the second year running….The Best restaurant in the whole of Asia…

” Eat Me ” in BANGKOK …No thanks.

Apparently this is one of the best restaurants in the whole of Asia. Infact I`ll go as far to say that in last weeks food awards , “Eat Me in Bangkok ” ( No sniggering at the back please ) was awarded 23rd on the list of `Asia`s Best Restaurants 2016 `. Of all the hundreds of thousands…

The Samling set their bar at top level.

When something happens in Cumbria it really doesn`t take long to get around the houses. Recently though it`s taken just that wee bit longer than usual due to half the roads and bridges being out of service as a result of the flooding . News reached me on the West coast of Cumbria pretty quickly that The…

Wat Damnak , Siem Reap , No1 in Cambodia.

My main reason for visiting Siem Reap was the same as most of the tourists in the region, the stunning 9th century temples of Angkor Wat.The whole area was a mass of historical and archaeological sites. Pretty breathtaking scenery so that’s why I`ve added a few non foodie photos to this post. If the scenes look familiar then…

Osha , Bangkok….One to watch.

I stumbled across Osha totally by accident whilst browsing through a Bangkok lifestyle magazine in my hotel lobby. Three photos of the impressive looking food they were cooking there was enough for me to book in for lunch the next day. The company started trading in San Francisco in 1997 and has now expanded to…

Sharrow Bay hotel – The Diamond years menu.

Here we go for a little trip back in time to the Golden years of the Sharrow Bay country house hotel on the banks of Ullswater.I can actually hold my hand up and tell you …. I bought the t-shirt , I was there. I`m staring blankly at the screen right now working out exactly when it was….ermmmm…..Oh crap,…

Miller Howe , A country house in Windermere.

My first visit to Miller Howe was way back about 30 years ago when “Celebrity chefs” were just emerging into the public eye. Housewives favourite John Tovey was the chef and owner of Miller Howe at the time and my dining experience there really wasn`t a good one. My only recollection of the food on that…

Susi Diaz, “La Finca” Restaurant , Alicante , Spain

3 generations of cooking skills have been passed down to Michelin starred Chef Susi Díaz , owner and chef of La Finca Restaurant in Elx, near Alicante. Susi has been running the restaurant for 30 years tweaking and developing classical dishes into what they have become today. The menu here features Citrus fruits, herbs, and flowers grown in her…

Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond.

A quick road trip over from our overnight stay in Edinburgh to Loch Lomond for lunch at `Martin Wishart at Cameron house`. Head chef Graeme Cheevers has been running the restaurant kitchen here for a few years now and the restaurant is a proud holder of a Michelin star.The restaurant has three menus running at the moment. A 6…

Castle Terrace – Edinburghs finest.

Finally, I manage to return to Edinburghs finest restaurant ,Castle Terrace to eat the superb cuisine of the amazing chef Dominic Jack. It`s been a while since my previous visit so I was pretty excited to be spending the weekend in the city and prioritised Castle terrace as my number one choice of places to dine. The restaurant showcases…

The Witchery by the castle – Edinburgh , Scotland.

The Witchery is situated in an ideal location and sits directly beside the Castle at the top of Edinburghs Royal mile. The hotel and restaurant are immaculate and have managed to keep their unspoiled character since the place was built in the 16th century. The locals say that it`s one of the cities best kept secrets…

The Red Denia Prawn….Best in the World ?

Quietly sipping on my Apple Gin & Tonic and feeling like a beached Whale after 31 courses , my thoughts of sleeping on the bed for a few hours were totally quashed by the waving arms of Chef Quique Dacosta. “Hurry up , come on , we need to hurry I have something I want…

Quique Dacosta – 3 stars in Denia , Spain..

Quique Dacosta , one of a very special breed of premier chefs from the category of “ There`s Chefs…..and then there`s Chefs”. I was extremely blessed to spend the weekend with Quique and his teams at his flagship restaurant in Denia and also his 3 other busy establishments in Valencia – El Poblet , Mercatbar…

Issaya Siamese Club Bangkok , Stunning Thai food in a beautiful restaurant.

Issaya Siamese club , currently sits at number 39 on the list of `Best restaurants in Asia 2015`. I`ve been to Bangkok many times and this was my first visit to Issaya.Suitably impressed i`ll certainly be back for more as soon as possible. My stay in Bangkok was only a quickie before heading off to Chiang…

The Inn at Ravenglass , Seafood heaven.

In the tiny village of Ravenglass on the West coast of Cumbria , Spring is finally in the air. The Winter months haven`t been too bad this year but there`s been many days when the fishing boats can`t even get out out to sea. Nice to know that the Chef at ” The Inn at Ravenglass” ,Craig Niven has still…

Mr Coopers House and Garden, Manchester.

I reckon I must be the last of the Northern `foodies` to try Mr Coopers house and Garden restaurant. Some greedy Gannets like number one food blogger Hungry Hoss have dined here on multiple occasions in the 18 months that the restaurant has been open. Cory, my daughter needed to be in Manchester for a…

A quick foodie fix in Bangkok… “Again”.

I have already blogged about these two Bangkok restaurants before so this time i`ll cut out the chit chat and just present some up to date photos of the current food that they`re doing here. The first stop during my Asian Xmas break was the restaurant Sra Bua by kiin kiin.This high end restaurant is…

Lake Road Kitchen – 125 day old Beef.

Since my first visit to Lake road kitchen in Ambleside a couple of months ago there`s been a very special piece of Beef hanging in the fridge with my name all over it. I was so tempted to return earlier to try it but a reservation had been entered into the restaurant diary on the…

THE LONDON RITZ – A very special Sunday lunch to finish off 2014.

The final restaurant of my pre Xmas foodie trip to London and my official festive wind down was well underway and the last blog post of 2014. I always save the best to last and after an amazing year of worldwide travels my final UK meal of 2014 was saved for my very favourite restaurant in…

FERA – At Claridges , London.

It was a cold December Saturday night in London and my first ever trip to Claridges for dinner. I was accompanied by a couple of my foodie friends ( David from the Critical couple blog and Kevin Finediningexplorer ).I `was` going to leave my camera at the hotel and have a blog free evening but seeing as though it`s surgically attached to my…

HEDONE , London – The`Carte Blanche` menu

Chef Mikael Jonsson runs his London Chiswick restaurant Hedone with total precision and passion for the sourcing and cooking of the very best of ingredients . It was a return visit for me after being so impressed during my initial trip a year ago. I dined at the Michelin starred Hedone during game season last year so if…

Lake Road Kitchen – Another Diamond for the Cumbrian collection.

At the time of writing Lake road kitchen has only been open for 20 weeks and finally i got around to eating dinner there last weekend. The tom tom drums were beating out the message within days of the restaurant opening but i held out for weeks waiting for them to settle in and…

La Verticale , Hanoi – Vietnam meets France.

This trip to Vietnam was only a flying visit for 4 days , basically to have a little look around Hanoi , relax , eat and weigh myself down with a travel bag crammed to the max with Coffee beans. Hanoi is the city to head to for lovers of Coffee and Cafe culture and…

18 Courses at Restaurant “BoLan” – Bangkoks best Thai food experience.

I`ve written about BoLan before and it also appears on my blog so I wont go into too much detail again .All I`ll say is that if you`re wanting to eat the very best Thai food in Bangkok then head here , simple as that. I recently had the pleasure to experience a BoLan 18 course Thai menu and this was…

The Rib Room at the Landmark hotel , Bangkok.

Whenever i visit Asia , i always like to start and finish my holiday with a few days in Bangkok city. I`ve been fortunate enough to squeeze in more than 35 visits now over the last 10 years and i`m beginning to feel totally at home there. Being a creature of habit i always stay…

Rogan & Company – Late Summer Tasting menu.

A last minute request to work the weekend ended up spoiling my well made plans so a quick message down to Cartmel and i was smiling again. I managed to get booked in for a last minute Friday lunch slot and a marvellous late summer tasting menu cooked by head chef Kev Tickle. I`ve already blogged…

Restaurant “Urban” – Hotel Istana , Kuala Lumpur.

I stopped over for a few days in Kuala Lumpur on my way to Singapore recently and i`m so glad that i did. The hotel that i booked was called `The Istana ` and was pretty well situated in the city centre. The shopping malls , Petronas twin towers and night life were all nearby so…

Rogan & Co – Summer Tasting menu introduced.

This was my second trip to Rogan & Co in the village of Cartmel , Cumbria. Chef Kevin Tickle has now settled into place and after much staff discussion a new Tasting menu has been introduced. This consists of 8 courses for £65 ( plus a few little extra taster courses) and will be changing…

DAL PESCATORE , ITALY – Use your camera if you dare.

Following on from dinner at Osteria Francescana on the Saturday evening we thought it would be a good idea to stop off for a nice traditional Italian Sunday lunch on our way back to Milan airport. Unfortunate news for our wallets however, the 3 Michelin starred Dal Pescatore Santini happened to be on our…

The Cottage in the Wood ( 2 )

A Tuesday evening return trip to `The Cottage in the Wood` , Braithwaite in the heart of the English Lake district. I decided to go for the a la carte this time as the Summer Tasting menu was still running from my last visit in April. Warm welcomes and friendly smiles all around set the standard…

“Let`s do Frogs” – Dinner at Osteria Francescana.

I remember a crazy day quite a while ago , a bit of a mad moment when i made a 350 mile trip down to London and back home again just to eat lunch at Marco Pierre Whites restaurant in Knightsbridge. Since then i`ve obviously grown older and much dafter and regularly make the same journey…

Janice Wong – 2am Dessert bar ,Singapore.

For those of you like myself who crave the sweeter things in life then this is the place for you. I had two reasons to go to Singapore. One was to eat at Waku Ghin and the other was to eat every dessert at Janice Wongs 2am dessert bar. I contacted Janice before my trip and…

WAKU GHIN – Singapore , A long journey to eat dinner.

Restaurant Waku Ghin , Number 7 on the list of Asia`s best restaurants , Number 50 in the World 2014 and the Singapore base of Japanese chef Tetsuya Wakuda, a bit of a shining star of Japanese cuisine and media. The only reason I went to Singapore was to eat here so i was expecting…

Koffmann – An evening of the classics.

My latest trip to London was a bit of a last minute job so i really didn`t have much time to think about where i was eating. My friend David from The CriticalCouple blog suggested that we should do a London classic – Pierre Koffmann at the Berkeley ,old school at its very best. Koffmann is…

Sunday “Dinner” By Heston Blumenthal

This was my second visit to `Dinner` by Heston Blumenthal. My first time was just a short while after opening and now 3 years later on the restaurant currently boasts 2 Michelin stars. Dinner is situated within The Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge so it`s absolutely simple to get to by tube ( Knightsbridge station on the…

Andrew Wong – A Taste of China.

I normally manage to fit in 3 or 4 trips down to London every year to keep up with the capitals foodie scene.Problem is though i always tend to be a bit of a creature of habit and stick to the places that i know best. On this visit my foodie friend Kevin( finediningexplorer ) managed to drag me away…

The Cottage in the Wood – A perfect lovers escape.

It`s really hard to believe that there`s an amazing secret little hideaway hotel sat virtually on my doorstep and during all the years that i`ve been into food, i still haven`t managed to eat at The Cottage in the Wood. I`ve travelled all over the world to search for and to eat amazing food and yet a 25 minute drive in the…

Rogan & Co in Cartmel – Chef Kevin Tickle cooks a Spring Lunch.

I`ve been back and forward to Cartmel for over ten years to eat at Simon Rogans Lenclume restaurant. Strangely enough i`ve never actually experienced the food at Simons other restaurant in the village, Rogan & Co. as I`ve just headed to the flagship to eat instead. Recently Rogan & Co has unergone a total…

Fab Friday lunches in town.

My day to day job generates no complaints at all as my hours are based over a four and a half day week. Fair enough , getting out of bed at 5.30am every morning has its downsides but finishing for the weekend on a friday lunchtime makes up for the sleepy starts . Recently,…

Xmas in Asia

I guess i`m simply a homeboy at heart.I`ve spent every xmas at home since I was born …I love it. Xmas day with the family and then my best meal of the year at Mum n dads on Boxing day , cold Turkey , chips , eggs , chutneys and half a dozen slices of…

An amazing 18 Course Lunch at The Ritz.

The final London meal of 2013 had me returning once again to my old favourite , The Ritz hotel for a little treat before the Xmas madness kicked off. I had booked myself a table for myself which would allow me the opportunity to be at one with my thoughts and reminisce about the ups and downs…

HEDONE – Ssshhhh , genius at work.

Next Easter i`ll be making the long journey all the way to Singapore to eat at Restaurant `Waku Ghin`. I was so impressed after reading several blog posts that i ended up day dreaming about the food there every day and so i eventually emailed them to make a reservation.I only wanted a table for…

Restaurant `Nahm`, The Oriental city`s finest.

I won`t babble on about Nahm when i`ve done it a couple of times at length on here already. The most important thing is to actually see what you`re going to get to eat whilst you`re there so just take a quick look at the pics below. Anyone wanting more detail about the…

Making the very best of Natures seasonal bounty.

I forage for it , i cook it , i style it , i photograph it and then finally i can eat it .If the truth be known then the latter is probably my favourite part of the exercise. The whole process can be a pain in the butt and takes a full day of…

Bo.lan – Bangkoks best traditional Thai dining experience.

Another visit to Bangkok and another wonderful little exciting adventure into the amazing cuisine that this city has to offer. Restaurant Bo.lan opened in 2009 and now sits comfortably at number 3 in Bangkok .It is also ranked number 36 in Asias top 100 restaurant experiences so definitely one for the traveller to add to…

Restaurant Massana , Girona and the dish of a lifetime.

Foodie travellers on their journey to Girona will no doubt be heading over to eat at the Worlds number one restaurant 2013, El Celler de Can Roca. Once they`ve had that culinary experience then what else is on offer in the area ? Well Barcelona is the obvious place to head to but that`s about…

The Best Restaurant in the World ?

El Celler de Can Roca , Girona.The “ Worlds best restaurant 2013 “…..quite an accomplishment and an even greater reputation to keep hold of once you`ve earned it. An establishment that`s virtually impossible to just `slip in` for a meal there unless you`ve pre- secured your table ” one year ” in advance.If you…

Rocambolesc , Girona …. Could this be the Worlds best ice cream shop ?

Visitors to Girona will notice the sheer amount of Gelateria and ice cream parlours dotted all around the city. They`re beautiful little set ups decked out in traditional yesteryear styling and dotted every few paces in and around the old town and the citys main shopping streets of the Santa Clara area. I also observed…

SoLITA, Manchester and a “Light Bite” with the “Hungry Hoss”

A quick overnight stop off en route to Manchester Airport and the obvious choice where to dine had to be the blokey blokes food mecca….SoLITA in Manchesters Northern quarter…Once again. My 3 dining companions were the Legendary Manchester food blogger The Hungry Hoss , SoLITA owner and stand up comic Franco Sotgiu and my 16 year…

Tarantella…… and Tarantula bites ???

It seems only right that i should be mentioning nice eating places that are on my own doorstep so let me introduce our local Italian restaurant, Tarantella to all the Cumbrians out there who haven`t yet experienced it. Formerly known as Cheers wine bar it now goes under Tarantella on the high street of Cockermouth…

Cumbriafoodie and Lenclume make the Wall Street Journal

I had a fun morning last week down at Lenclume in the Cumbrian village of Cartmel with Simons Rogans head chef Mark Birchall. We were putting a recipe together for the cover of The Wall street journal weekend magazine. Mark was doing the hard work whilst I just snapped away and then scoffed the results.What I enjoyed most was…

Bangkok – From 5 stars to the street, Everything`s good here.

“Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin” – Bit of a strange name but definitely a restaurant to add to the list of anyone visiting Bangkok. Translated it simply means “Lotus Pond” and ” Come and eat ” .It certainly isn`t traditional Thai cuisine the likes of what you would eat in most of Thailands restaurants but…

Fluffy Bunny Sundae – would you like a Flake with that sir ?

I`m sure that many of you have been through the countryside at this time of year wondering what that delightfully sweet scented smell that dominates the woodland air was. The aroma is actually Wild Garlic ( Ramsons ) flowers coming into full bloom and a sure fire signal that summer has arrived. Wild Garlic…

A little “Taste of Midsummer” – Chef Daniel Cliffords wonderful food.

This was the second of our two dinners in Cambridge and one i`d been looking forward to for quite some time. ” A Taste of Midsummer ” . A 10 course menu at Daniel Cliffords 2 Michelin Starred restaurant Midsummer house on Midsummer common. The Good food guide 2013 also ranks Midsummer highly and gives it a…

Alimentum , Cambridge – Chef Mark Poyntons “Menu Surprise” and “The Madness of The Laird”.

The Cambridge weekender had finally arrived and it was something i`d been looking forward to for a number of years.For one reason or another my previous years visits had ended up being side-stepped.My dining compadre ” The Laird ” was even more excited than i, as not only was food involved but also his number…

Herdwick – A grand day ont Joe Relphs Yew Tree farm…. Yis Aye.

“Good stuff comes in Laal parcels“….they`ve stolen my best one liner.That`s exactly what i keep telling people….well it`s my excuse anyways ha ha. The farm people are actually talking Sheep, Herdwick ones which are naturally quite a small breed.I was invited over to Yew tree farm in the Borrowdale valley recently to spend an afternoon…

The George and Dragon with The Lowthers , Penrith.

The George and Dragon is another one of those little ” tucked away diamonds ” i keep going on about. A comforting weekend escape on the verges of the Lake District within a ten minute drive from the M6 motorway .Once you`re through the door then you`ll be shutting yourselves away from the outside world…

SoLITA – Manchester and a big case of “Men v Food”

It was a lads `Big night out` in Manchester .The weekend had arrived , the city was buzzing with party people and our holiday heads were firmly on. We had an early morning flight to catch from Manchester airport but that was pushed into the background in favour of some of Britains best comfort food…

Lenclume – 19 Course Sunday lunch.

As you all know , I`ve spent the last 10 years eating at Lenclume and i think by now everyone knows its “just down the road” and “on my doorstep” so i won`t go rubbing it in yet again. This was a totally random booking made on Twitter whilst half drunk in Wetherspoons on a…

The London Ritz – ” What ?…. Again ” ?

By Fortnums clock it`s Twenty past twelve on a cold London Sunday lunchtime.Time to warm things up with a wee trip to our favourite palace of the Pamper treatment. Within five minutes of sitting into the same seats and at the same table as always, the Ritz resident Pianist flowed straight into “From Russia with…

Marcus Wareing ” Chefs Menu ” at Londons Berkeley Hotel.

Another food orientated trip to London and yet another jolly to Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley for “an experience”. Both my dining buddy “The Laird” and i absolutely love the pamper treatment and that`s why we keep on returning over and over again to both MW and The Ritz. We both know that it just…

Simon Rogan at ” The French ” , The Midland Hotel , Manchester.

Mr Rogan makes the move into Manchesters Midland hotel and Tuesday 12th March will see the doors opening to a very exciting start to the fine dining scene and fingers crossed the Michelin stars back into the city again. I was fortunate enough to be invited down yesterday to a preview of what the…

Roti Chai – Indian Street food in London.

Well folks , after that last photographic disaster on my 7 Park Place dinner ( see my last post ) I think you`ll agree that a quick visit to `Doctor` Paul winch furness has sorted out a few of my problems. Paul runs courses every few months in and around London and takes up to 10 people on…

7 Park Place – William Drabbles Tasting menu 2013.

It was a return trip to William Drabble at 7 Park place and the first stop on another London foodie weekender. We chose Chefs Tasting menu again as it had totally hit the mark on our first visit ( see here ). I`ve known Chef William for a number of years now, he`s a great…

Glasgows Ubiquitous Chip restaurant.

This was my second trip to the Ubiquitous Chip and boy had i been looking forward to it. I love this place as it just has a magical buzz as soon as you`re through the front door. My first visit was a total delight and ever since then i was screaming out for more.As…

Restaurant Martin Wishart on Loch Lomond.

The Scottish weekender had fired off to an amazing start with the superb cuisine of Dominic Jack at The Castle Terrace in Edinburgh.All those courses along with matching wines had me knocked out on my hotel bed for the full night. The next morning i had planned a “full Scottish” over at Prestonfield house but…

The Drunken Duck – Ambleside , an escape from life.

THE LEGEND OF THE DRUNKEN DUCK – This unofficial title dates back to Victorian times when a landlady of the Inn found her ducks lying stretched out in the road and concluded that they were dead.Thriftily she began to pluck and prepare them for dinner. The ducks however, were “quick” and not dead. Down in the cellar…

The Greenhouse – Tasting menu, London

This was the first stop of our latest foodie weekender in London and the first time at The Greenhouse restaurant in Mayfair. The Chef here is Arnaud Bignon formerly of The Hotel Bristol in Paris (rather a good addition to his CV there).Hotel Le Bristol has been on my list of places to go for quite a while and whilst i really don`t…

The Ledbury , London…Back we go again for more Truffles and Game.

We all know about The Ledbury by now….and i`m guessing that most of us have visited at one time or another so i won`t go repeating myself yet again. If you like your food rich, full of robust flavours , well cooked and scattered with luxurious ingredients then get yourself down there during game and truffle season…and as you…

LIMA – Amazing Peruvian restaurant in Fitzrovia.

Head down Tottenham court road , turn right and you`ll be in Fitzrovia .It was the first time i`d ventured into the area and i managed to find LIMA restaurant no problem.I had booked in for lunch after seeing the wonderful looking food on a recent Critical couple blog post. ( here )…i simply had to try it…

Xmas Tasting Menu 2012 at The London Ritz

I`ve already written a few blog posts about the amazing food at the London Ritz so i won`t go repeating myself yet again.I`m sticking by my guns in saying that a visit to London wouldn`t be the same if i didnt eat there before leaving….to me it really is that good.The food is totally `my thing` ,…

La Cave a Fromage – Worth a visit.

Our idea to head to La Cave a Fromage for lunch was simply to try something a little different. We normally try and squeeze in 4 restaurants on our London weekenders and because we were dining at Marcus Wareing that same evening we opted for something that would be easy on the stomach and set us up…

A look into my little world of Food, Photography and other titbits.