Morecambe - or thereabouts. Anything?

[Harters]

The love of my life is on the chase for a deal at the art deco Midland Hotel. It's two night deal and throws in dinner on the first night. Restaurant menu there doesnt look too bad and may be the best option for Night 2 - unless there's anything close by.

Google throws up nowt. And the only place I know nearish is the Bay Horse at Forton which is not a thrilling experience. Anything else worth considering?

[spanielking]

There really is'nt anything in Morecambe/Lancaster that springs to mind. I have this problem constantly, being my home town. If you don't mind a drive, then you are better served. Try the Redwell Inn, Arkholme, or The Sun Inn Kirkby Lonsdale?

[Harters]

Thanks for the tips.

[MacD]

It may be a bit far - 16 miles or so according to google maps - but the Lunesdale Arms is good. I've not been there for a few years, but the same person is running it. http://www.thelunesdale.co.uk/

[Harters]

I see the restaurant at the Midland gets itself into the 2013 Good Food Guide.

[spanielking]

Jay Rayner liked it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/13/jay-rayner-midland-hotel-review

Edited September 18, 2012 by spanielking (log)

[Harters]

SUN TERRACE RESTAURANT AT THE MIDLAND HOTEL

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside. I do like to be beside the sea.

And you don’t get much closer to the sea than the restaurant at the Midland Hotel. When we’re “out and about”, the Good Food Guide is usually what we rely on for restaurants. But it was by co-incidence that we were here and the hotel restaurant had just made its first appearance in the 2013 edition. We had actually scored a cracking deal on a dinner inclusive overnighter at this renovated Art Deco hotel.

The restaurant has a grand view over Morecambe Bay and it just seemed right to order the local shrimps as a starter. They came in a mini Kilner jar, mixed with warm butter and accompanied by a handful of leaves and a couple of slices of very decent sourdough bread. Pleasant enough, although they seemed to be lacking the subtle spicing that you get in the more traditional potted shrimps.

Underseasoning seems to be a bit of an issue in the kitchen. A slice of onion tart was otherwise fine – good crisp pastry, generous filling. Alongside, a little frisee salad with a tangy mustardy dressing.

A main course of monkfish was generally well crafted. It sat on a bed of vegetables – spinach and fennel – and was topped with a scattering of juicy mussels and crisp samphire. The only let-down here was a nondescript cream sauce which really added nothing but wetness. On the other plate, long braised blade of beef was OK. Nothing to write home about, flavourwise, but certainly OK. There were decent fries (swapped for the advertised mash), carrots and green beans. The latter were in the “very al dente” fashion of a decade ago.

To finish a scoop of mango sorbet was very much second choice, as the kitchen had run out of most of the flavours of the local ice cream that its menu makes much of. Cheese was a good plate, if a little fridge cold. A selection of five British & Irish ones – usual accompaniments of biscuits, celery, chutney and grapes.