Northcote
Langho, Lancashire
With Lancashire at its most majestic unrolling all around it, where the sweeping Ribble Valley edges into the Forest of Bowland, Northcote is a pastoralist's dream. It's the kind of place that's full of unexpected little corners and terraces, but even if you are only stopping in for lunch or dinner, it exercises a powerful allure. Staff are impeccably professional, and the engine-room of the whole operation is a dynamic kitchen, where Lisa Goodwin-Allen, now executive chef for the Stafford group, has been joined by head chef Liam Rogers (ex-Restaurant Andrew Fairlie and Restaurant Sat Bains). The Northcote style has always been about the celebration of fine Lancashire produce with its roots in regional tradition, but with a potent element of culinary invention lifting it into the realms of the special. The seasonally changing ‘gourmet menu’ offers a comprehensive demonstration: in springtime, it might begin with a serving of chargrilled Yorkshire asparagus complemented by sheep’s curd and sorrel, before moving on to roast quail with sweet turnip, apple, Lancaster bacon and tarragon. The counter-intuitive nature of dishes can be stunning, but there is also a willingness to relax into more familiar territory to great effect – witness ‘aged dairy cow’ with beef-fat ‘hash brown’, young leeks and wild garlic. Fish might mean Orkney scallop with fermented grapes or tempura turbot tail with warm tartare sauce and dill, before dessert heralds the like of Amalfi lemon and honey meringue with yoghurt and the savoury waft of thyme. Also, don’t discount the house cheeseboard (courtesy of the Courtyard Dairy in Austwick). With a chef's table and cookery school as part of the Northcote package, the options seem almost limitless. An imaginative glass selection opens the bidding on a magnificent wine list. Prices are pretty steep, but probably suit the context.
Dining Information:
Accommodation, Private dining room, Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Parking, Electric car charging, Family friendly, Deposit required
Northcote Road, Langho, Lancashire BB6 8BE
01254 240555
