L'Enclume

[david goodfellow]

I like trawling the weekend papers its good to see other people putting in a bit of mileage to review a place. The only difference being that they get paid and I don't.

I like the fact that Jasper Gerard appreciates good food and the hard work that goes into producing it, and that he does not slag people off for the sake of it.

His review of L'Enclume is illuminating in as much that it has brought out the detractors in the comments section, perhaps they should club together their taste buds and give the place a revisit

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/6605318/Cumbria-restaurant-guide-LEnclume-Cartmel-Cumbria.html

Anybody else been?

Edited November 24, 2009 by david goodfellow (log)

[Harters]

The review mentions that from next year, "every morsel served will have been cultivated or reared on his nearby farm". Should be interesting to see the impact that might have.

[SaladFingers]

I've been to Howbarrow farm many a time to buy vegetables and as far as I was aware it had and still has a thriving box delivery scheme. I wonder if he has taken over the whole farm or bought a (large) plot.

[Harters]

I hadnt realised it was Howbarrow. I knew the name as it appears on Mansergh Hall's website (I buy most of my meat from them over the internet)which confirms they still do a box scheme

[PS]

Anyone know if L'Enlcume was affected by flooding last week? Both Simon's restaurants are right next to the river in Cartmel, and I know the kitchen had an inundation a couple of years ago (I think).

[Harters]

PS

Unless there was another one, the flood was due to a burst pipe on the first floor. I know cos we were due to go that weekend and got cancelled.

[Polarbear]

Had a great 20 course menu this Summer with some mates, Sime did us proud.

2 stars in Jan. Fingers crossed.

[david goodfellow]

Thinking back to our meal here in March and having tried loads of places up and down the country I agree wholeheartedly

[sped98]

"When El Bulli closes for two years in 2012, L'Enclume will be the world's best restaurant".

WOW What a quote...I would reckon Mr Rogan will be wearing Britains biggest smile after reading this.

http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1983771,00.html

Edited May 13, 2010 by sped98 (log)

[sped98]

Here`s lunch from last week , Lenclume , 11 courses.....click the link.... My link

Edited May 13, 2010 by sped98 (log)

[david goodfellow]

Some visually stunning looking dishes there, and every one is different to what we ate on our last visit. Looks like a return is well in order.

Did it eat as well as it looked?

[hot trotter]

It looks lovely .... We had a cracking meal here in Feb... Lamb sweetbreads with onion and ash were fantastic.. It must surely move up to 2 stars soon...!

[ajnicholls]

My friend, the first time he went, adored the place. A recent trip back there didn't convince him at all. He felt that Simon was running out of ideas.

[sped98]

Special day for me tomorrow.....and a definite Man v Food day....Birthday challenge to try both the new menus at Lenclume.

15 course Meat and fish based menu for lunch....Then...

15 course Vegetarian menu for dinner....WOW , a 30 course treat and a half....With a long walk in between.

Camera at the ready as always and pics to follow

[Harters]

Courage, mon brave.

[sped98]

Well i took the challenge and made it through unscathed... 15 course veggie lunch followed 4 hours later by the 15 course meat and fish...The 2 new menus that started this weekend at Lenclume.

Here`s the link to my photos of the food on flickr , was a really enjoyable treat while the kids were away on holiday.

My linkhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/24726943@N06/sets/72157624628686330/

and while im on here i may as well share the new menus.

Menu 1 - Vegetarian

Burnt cream of english wood mushrooms , spring lisbon , caraway and leek shoot

Roast heirloom tomatoes , our sheeps milk ricotta , garlic mayo , borage flowers

Vegetable broth , Azur star , vegetable dumplings , hogweed and fennel

Vintage potatoes in Onion ashes , lovage and wood sorrel ( The star of the show )

Sugar snax and paris market carrots , Burpees golden and nasturtiums

Partenon courgettes , `gold rush` poached little eggs , marjoram butter

French breakfast radish stew and oyster mushrooms , our greens and sea purslane

Glazed silver beets in Appleby cheshire , hot mustard , perpetual spinach , tarragon

Expearementhol frappe

Buttermilk with strawberry , apricot and sweet cicely

Fig Orb , custard , lavender , wildflower honey

Cherry and walnuts, artichoke , and butterscotch.

AND THE 15 COURSE MEAT AND FISH MENU ....

Cumberland creamed chicken livers , cumberland gel , purple shoots and rye toast.

Grown up yolk from the golden egg,crispy rice, mizuna cress.

Vegetable broth , Azur star, vegetable dumplings, hogweed and fennel

Muncaster crab with tiger tomatoes,mallow and pickled lemon crystal.

Sugar snax and Paris market carrots, ham fat and nasturtiums

Wild cumbrian sea bass and red russian , bay cockles , wild watercress

Sillfield farm pork, sweet white onion, parsley and mugwort

Duck from Goosnargh and duck sweetbread , savoury, Pentland brigg and blueberries.

Gooseberry cream, blackcurrants , yoghurt , pineapple weed

Raspberries , sweet cheese , lemon balm and milk skin.

Crimson red rhubarb , woodruff , spiced oats , apple mint.

Rose cake and lemon thyme , nut custard and celery

Douglas fir shake with spiced apple cake.

[adey73]

got a preference on which you enjoyed more?

[Harters]

Congratulations on getting through both meals.

My immediate reaction is that the menus are "proper descriptions" rather than the rather cutesy plays on words that folk reported last year. I wonder if it represents a shift in emphasis.

[SHEFF]

Just looked at the the link to flickr and have to say thats stunning food....

l'enclume has a little place in my heart and i pray they get wot they deserve this jan.....

P.S comin to see you boys in november.....table for 2 please!

[Prawncrackers]

Wow thanks for sharing those wonderful photos. They really have made my mind up to put L'Enclume to the top of the must-try list. It looks like every course was a stunner, which were your highlights?

Even in the lower light of the evening meal the dishes look so vibrant, great photography. Proof, if it was needed, that you don't need to use flash in a restaurant setting. Just a decent camera & lens & some skilful processing.

[sped98]

Thanks for that "prawn" , my camera isnt anything flash and most of the pics are with a little casio compact , i crop and adjust brightness/contrast on photoshop and not much more to em than that really.Oh and i usually get a nice window seat so i can use available natural light if i can.I guess im very lucky because Cartmel is only an hours drive for me , perfect for a quick fix whan i need one.Ok so heres my fave 3 courses and funnily enough...All veggie Aaaaarrrhghhhhhhh ( must be old age)

Roast Herloom tomatoes , our sheeps milk ricotta, garlic mayo and borage flowers ....Simplicity itself but making the very best of what was ready in Mr Rogans garden.I actually tasted what a tomato should taste like for the first time.

Vintage potatoes in onion ashes , lovage and wood sorrel...Wow was this good ? The base of the dish was a delightful hidden onion puree , so sweet and flavoursome.The crisp potato skins tasting like they were right out of a bonfire oozed smokiness and earthy jacket potato flavour.Tiny perfect vintage potatoes tasted like the best potatoes youll ever eat and as for the onion ash...well talk about unusual...soft dusty powder that exploded with the must unusual flavours on the palate.

And the perfect dessert , Buttermilk cream , vintage strawberries prepared sous vide to pull in their macerating ingredients and the sweet cicely ice cream ( which i think was a liquid nitro job as it was soooo smooth )

The carrot dish had everyone just staring and taking photos ....no one wanted to start spoiling the presentation

And the most unusual ingredient...Dehydrated milk skin ( remember the golden skin on mothers rice pudding) well somehow it seems like it was removed and then dried to a crisp.....Oh now im getting excited again.

My advice......Try veggie.I love my meat and fish but it was really nice to do something different.

[SaladFingers]

How are the new menus priced?

[sped98]

There`s 4 menus saladfingers

Menu 1 - 15 course vegetarian = £80

Menu 2 - 15 course meat and fish = £80

Menu 3 - 8 course mixture of the above , not sure how much this is but ill guess at £55 - 60

and the lunch menu priced at £25

[Prawncrackers]

My advice......Try veggie.I love my meat and fish but it was really nice to do something different.

Sorry, if I'm going to take a 320 mile round journey then I'm going to need some meat! That's what the missus and I did last Friday. Cartmel is a lovely village and the market was on so we left Brum at 8am and got there at 11am to make sure we had time to do some shopping before lunch at L'Enclume. What can I really say about our meal that hasn't already been said in this 10 page thread? Just simply awesome. There were elements in every dish that I'd never tasted before and little twists on things that were familiar but in the end it was simply the gorgeous flavours that won us over. This is confident food cooked and served by wonderfully professional and warm people. The staff made us feel very welcome, I can't wait to go back. For that reason I'm insanely jealous of anyone living within an hour of this place! Here are some pics and short descriptions of what we had:

Duck fat lollies, parsnip and tapioca crisps:

The amuse cleverly mimicked the table decoration. An apple meringue with oyster and seaweed:

Cumberland Sauce jelly, butternut squash, blood sausage

Salt & Vinegar crispy rice and cod yolk (cod roe mousse wrapped in saffron gel), bacon, cream off egg and garlic

My wife was moaning that there wasn't any bread. All the other diners had some with their regular lunches, why can't we? When all a sudden, mmm great bread arrived with creamy butter and Maldon salt

Turnip Root, Shredded leaf and stems, Duck WIngs, Vegetable Juice with Onion and Juniper. Very Japanese in execution even down to the grated turnip. In fact I could recognise a lot of Japanese flourishes in the meal not least with the use of Japanese crockery:

Smoked Artic Charr, pickled Beetroots:

Artichoke flesh and crispy skin, fresh goats cheese, crosnes, farm shoots and calamint:

Dublin Bay Prawns, wild cabbage, carrots, wild chervi, toasted millet:

Vintage Potatoes cooked in chicken fat, flaky crab, crispy chicken skin, three-cornered garlic. My favourite dish of the day, simple flavours exploding in my mouth:

Skate "Belly", Cockles, Coastal Herbs:

Beef Rib hiding under Celeriac,Crispy Oxtail and Alexanders:

Iced Celery and chestnuts, white chocolate and English Truffles. Wife wasn't keen on this one but for me the transition between savoury and sweet was perfection:

Greengage, Honeyed Wine Jelly:

Apple Sorbet, Thyme Custard, Poached Crab Apple and Cobnut Crisp:

To finish, Parkin Cake and Douglas Fir Shakes:

[sped98]

Some beautiful pics there , but all too big to view.

Guess I`m one of the lucky ones that only have to drive an hour ;-)

Could be a nice xmas party idea.