sugarvine.com
On line dining magazine for the Lake District and Cumbria
(page created 10 March 2006)
| Restaurant: | Blacksmith's Restaurant |
| Comments: | This place is a revelation. Situated in an unpretentious location on the main road through Bigrigg and looking a little rustic, nothing prepares you for the quality of food here. This has got to be one of the best restaurants in Cumbria. It's a small, intimate place, very welcoming and evidently very popular with the locals. Everything on the menu is freshly made from scratch and the bulk of the ingredients are locally sourced. The menu is heavily influenced by local produce with a lot of game and fish. I couldn't believe the amount of effort that must have gone into the menu for such a small restaurant but then the head chef did train at the Connaught. We started with the langoustines and scallops which were very fresh and cooked to perfection. For mains we had the venison and the halibut both of which were superb and cooked perfectly. To finish off we had crème brulee and the traditional South African Malva pudding (an absolute must-have for anyone who's not tried it) both of which were excellent. The wine was very reasonably priced and the service was very friendly and efficient. The only criticism I have is that they don't accept credit or debit cards which I found rather odd in this day and age. All in all a fantastic night out. Highly recommended. |
| Quality of Food: | Outstanding |
| Quality of Service: | Oustanding |
| Ambiance: | Very Good |
| Price: | Modest |
| Date: | 01/03/2006 |
| Recommended by: | DM |