Northcote, Lancashire – Restaurant Review

By Karl Hornsey

There are several pockets of countryside in the UK that tend to get overlooked, either due to their near neighbours attracting greater attention or because they still are genuinely hidden gems, and the Forest of Bowland has always struck me as one such place. The nearby Dales and Lakes naturally attract the limelight, but among the many reasons to visit such a glorious area has to be to sample an evening of luxury at the Northcote, a hotel and Michelin-star restaurant that boasts some of the finest views in Lancashire.

The Northcote is part of the Stafford Collection of hotels, but as there are only another two in the country (both in London), then it really stands out as one of the gems of the north of England on the culinary and hospitality fronts. On a day on which the temperature barely rose above freezing, we received the warmest of welcomes not only on arrival, but throughout our stay and every single member of staff either in the hotel or restaurant deserves the highest of praise for their friendly manner, knowledge and attention to detail. When first impressions matter so much, this takes on such a high importance, and the owners can be proud of the people they have working for them.

Aged Dairy Cow, “Rossini”, Madeira, Mushroom, Parsley

“Wonderful ingredients”

Northcote boasts 26 rooms, split between the Manor House and the Garden Lodge, with our suite being in the latter, boasting its own outdoor seating area (which sadly the weather put out of action on this occasion) and a wonderfully spacious room in which to relax. Spotlessly clean, with a comfortable seating area, king-size bed and one of the largest bathrooms you could hope for, our suite really did take us into the lap of luxury, with relaxing music already playing as we entered and some outstanding homemade biscuits to add another personal touch to our stay. While we would happily have enjoyed the room all evening, our main reason for visiting Northcote was to sample the five-course gourmet menu, put together by the establishment’s executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen, who will be familiar to viewers of the likes of Saturday Kitchen, MasterChef and Great British Menu.

One of the aims of all of those in the kitchens at Northcote is to showcase local produce and give classic dishes a unique twist. And there’s no doubt from what we sampled that they achieve that goal with every single plate of food, with a range of wonderful ingredients coming together to conjure up an incredible dining experience. So much thought and effort has gone into this menu, all served by the most knowledgeable and passionate staff, and our evening began with ‘Aged Diary Cow’, which was a take on beef tartare, made all the more remarkable by the mushroom tweels that brought the whole dish together.

Slow Cooked Cacklebean Egg, Aged Sour Cream, Artichoke, Flakes

“Remarkable”

From there it was on to Lisa’s take on egg and chips, which of course was nothing like any egg and chips that we had ever tasted before. This one involved a slow-cooked cacklebean egg, with aged sour cream, artichoke and some vinegar flakes that absolutely sung once they reached your tastebuds. Next up was a wild red prawn, with a tempura prawn on the side, served with a lime pickle, mango, red curry and honey yoghurt, which all came together to create something so delicate yet bursting with flavour.

After three astonishing dishes, it was time for the main, which was venison with a whisky maple celeriac, a venison faggot, green apple and a whisky sauce, which for me was the dish of the evening. The venison was pink and perfectly cooked, balanced with the sharpness of the apple and the rich depth of the sauce to provide a memorable winning plate. To finish, a deconstructed tiramisu offered up just the right amount of bitter chocolate and sharp acidic citrus fruits, brought together with a simple ice cream that also helped to cleanse the palate after it had been treated to so many flavours during a truly remarkable evening of decadence and fine dining of the highest quality.

Northcote Road, Langho, Lancashire, England, BB6 8BE
Opening Times:
Wednesday – Sunday
Lunch: 12:00 – 14:00
Five Course Gourmet Menu available at lunch from 12 noon to 1.30pm
Dinner: 18:00 – 20:30
northcote.com