Wining and dining well in a city to be proud of

Lancaster combines charm and a fascinating history with all the facilities necessary for a modern university city which offers easy access to the seaside and the Lake District. Andrew Mosley spends a weekend there

Lancaster combines charm and a fascinating history with all the facilities necessary for a  modern university city which offers easy access to the seaside and the Lake District. Andrew Mosley spends a weekend there

IT’S always a good sign when the locals are proud of where they live. From the receptionists at the wonderful Lancaster House Hotel to Matt the affable barman at the atmospheric Ye Olde John O’Gaunt pub, and everyone we meet inbetween, all have only good words to say about Lancaster.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To be fair, there’s plenty to like. From the 1,000-years-old hilltop Grade-1 listed castle, which looms over the city and the River Lune, to its maritime museum, canal and riverside walks, impressive selection of bars and restaurants, expansive Williamson Park with the incredible Ashton Memorial — worth a visit in itself — cathedral and beautiful architecture, it is difficult to find fault.

The Lancaster House Hotel is a £2.20 bus ride — they run every ten minutes — away from the centre and is surrounded by verdant grounds alongside the university.

Outside it is modern and bright, as are its rooms, though the high-ceilinged reception is designed in the style of an old hall, its huge fireplace sure to make for a cosy relaxation area in winter.

The Sandpiper Health Club has a pool, steam room, sauna and outdoor hot tub with views over the neighbouring allotments, and the Sandeman Bar with a great selection of drinks and food, operates as a good laid-back family-friendly alternative to The Foodworks restaurant.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our early tour around the city, including a drink outside the pleasant Cornerhouse bar, followed by a stint in the hotel spa, put us in the mood for our visit to the restaurant and we weren’t disappointed.

The cuisine, produced under the watchful and expert eye of head chef Damien Ng, is largely British in style and reflects the hotel’s pride in the area’s produce.

My partner went for the pan seared king scallops with chorizo, ratatouille vegetables and parmesan crisps to start and said they were as delicious as the description afforded. I chose the char-grilled baby courgette and Heritage tomatoes, which came with a gorgeous grilled fig and chive infused oil — and unlike as is often the case with many menu descriptions when it comes to jus and oils, you could really taste this and it was fantastic.

For mains, my partner opted for the lamb cannon wrapped in Lancashire air-dried ham and chicken mousseline, which came with minted crushed peas, fondant potato, cauliflower puree, redcurrant and balsamic reduction, and said it was all cooked to perfection, with each ingredient deserving of its place on the plate.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I chose the exceptionally tasty fried spiced cauliflower cakes with sweet chilli yoghurt, rocket and sun-blushed tomatoes and also admired the other vegetarian option — roast pepper, carrot and caramelised red onion filo tart with steamed asparagus, polenta chips and chimichurri sauce — being delivered to a nearby table.

We ordered Savoy cabbage and triple-cooked chunky chips as sides, which only just left room for desserts of baked chocolate fondant — cooked to perfection — with berry compote and clotted cream, and an unctuous Lancashire ginger parkin with rich toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream.

A most pleasant bottle of  medium-bodied Australian Helmsman Chardonnay proved the perfect accompaniment for our meal before we headed back to our contemporary suite overlooking the gardens with its super-king bed, large sofa and chairs. The bathroom featured a free-standing bath, power shower and gorgeous toiletries from The White Company; the Noir range with amber, mandarin and sandalwood.

A great selling point about the hotel is its location within easy reach of the motorways and routes into nearby Glasson Dock, the Lakes, Morecambe, with its spectacular views over the bay, Carnforth, picturesque and genteel Arnside and Grange-over-Sands, all of which we managed to visit on our second day before venturing back into Lancaster for a couple of drinks in the delightful Jailor’s Barrel (I would imagine a good few prisoners enjoyed a final tipple in there before being led up the hill for a spell in HMP Lancaster) and the historic Ye Olde John O’Gaunt — which is named after the castle — whose walls are adorned with pictures which tell of music nights aplenty.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A lively yet relaxing weekend in a city which was particularly busy as Lancaster PRIDE was happening and its host city certainly has plenty to be proud of.

l Lancaster House Hotel, Green Lane, Ellel, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 4GJ, email [email protected], telephone 01524 844 822, visit https://englishlakes.co.uk/lancaster-house

Related topics: