FOOD: Wine and dine at East Lodge restaurant

Discreetly stylish, with an intimate and relaxed atmosphere – East Lodge restaurant offers the very best of modern British cooking in traditional country surroundings. It’s a balance hard to get right, but the four star venue has certainly succeeded. At the East Lodge restaurant there is no posturing; no pretension – just good food with award-winning service. The team of chefs create mouth-watering menus using only the best of seasonal ingredients, locally sourced in Derbyshire’s Peak District and wherever possible from their own kitchen gardens and grounds. The restaurant is open seven days serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and Sunday lunch. The main dining room is as you’d expect in a country manor house – high ceilings, grand décor and tables clothed and equally spread to give diners privacy. Dining in the evening, we ordered three courses from the main menu. To start, I ordered the smoked haddock fishcake with tartare emulsion. Expecting a ‘fine dining sized portion’ I was pleasantly surprised by the generous amount placed in front of me. My partner ordered the smoked salmon pastrami with a fennel and apple salad accompanied with a dill mustard sauce – a good combination of flavours and textures. East Lodge also has an extensive wine list with many wines available by the glass. The knowledgeable waiting staff were keen to offer their recommendations. We followed this with a main course of red wine braised beef cheek, creamed mash, bourguignon garnish and a puff pastry pillow; and the fillet of salmon confit, salmon croquette, French beans and gribiche sauce. Again, much large servings than expected but the taste wasn’t compromised. Delivering exquisite food is the hotel’s main focus. East Lodge Restaurant were awarded 3AA Rosettes in 2012/13 which placed the venue within the top ten per cent of restaurants in the whole of the UK. The restaurant attracts a mix of guests staying upstairs and couples and families from the local area. If like us, you’ve little room for dessert, we’d recommend the varied choice of unusually good sorbet flavours or a tea or coffee served with home-made petit fours. Welcoming, unstuffy and personal, but skilled and efficient: the East Lodge team really care about the enjoyment of your dining experience. Well worth a visit. East Lodge, Derbyshire, DE4 2EF // 01629 734474 // info@eastlodge.com