Lancrigg - a review

Whether you're vegetarian, vegan or just like a break from meat and fish from time to time, when you eat out you have probably noticed that the selection of vegetarian options on a pub or restaurant menu is usually limited; typically you'll get a veggie curry, veggie lasagne, mushroom stroganoff and a vegetable stir-fry. They also seem to think that because you don't eat meat, you don't want any protein, so often dishes will come without any pulses, nuts, soya or Quorn; usually the only veggie protein served will be dairy produce or eggs, which is obviously out of the question if you're vegan. However, Lancrigg Country House Hotel offers those dining in its Green Valley Restaurant a completely different experience and is a real breath of fresh air.

At Lancrigg you can look forward to dishes inspired by all corners of the globe, which use fresh - and where possible local ingredients - and are well balanced; they truly understand the needs of vegetarian diners and can cater well for anyone who is vegan or who has a particular food allergy.

While our table was being prepared we waited in their homely lounge and perused the wine menu. All their wines and beers are organically produced and we chose a bottle of their house white - a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. There was certainly a good choice on their food menu, but I opted for bruschetta to start. Now these bruschetta weren't like the disappointing ones that many Italian restaurants serve with a thin scraping of topping; they were loaded with fresh chopped tomato, peppers, basil and dressing, and were bursting with flavour. To follow I chose falafel, which were served with roast new potatoes, a piquant tomato sauce and steamed green vegetables. Unlike the typical chickpea falafel - though this option was available as a starter - they were based on cashews, apple and lemon, which was a winning combination. The sauce complemented the falafel well and the veg was cooked to perfection. Although the new potatoes were salted, which isn't to my taste, I appreciate that this helps them to crisp up during roasting. Unfortunately we were too full for dessert, though the chocolate and toffee nut sundae or the espresso chocolate mousse did both sound tempting, so when we visit again I'll know to forgo the starter to save room for something sweet.

A must for anyone who likes vegetarian food and definitely somewhere we'll return.

Attribution:
Photo of Lancrigg Hotel by Elfrieda Waren via Wikimedia Commons