Time to check out The Forest Side, one of the Lake District’s Michelin Star restaurants.
As we drove up towards The Forest Side, it was easy to see what a totally magical spot this was. Surrounded by lush forest with rolling hills and mountains in the distance, it’s like something out of a fairy-tale. It’s also just a stone’s throw from the historic village of Grasmere with its Wordsworth connections. This was as charming as I’d hoped The Lake District would be.
The Forest Side is a high-end hotel and restaurant, and as with many others in region, is perfect for those seeking a luxurious getaway. You can hike and explore the great outdoors in the daytimes, then kick back and relax in chic surroundings in the evenings. Rather than a sprawling hotel building, it’s one large self-contained house. There’s a reception, bar, large lounge area and restaurant downstairs, then bedrooms on the upper floors. Our room was large and had a lovely four-poster bed with canopy and an enormous bathroom with one of the biggest baths I’ve seen. Oh and stunning view out to the gardens and surrounding countryside!
The restaurant is the BIG draw at The Forest Side. Receiving an elusive Michelin Star last year, Kevin Tickle’s creative approach to food is reason to visit in itself. His passion for the Lake District’s landscape, and love of local ingredients really shines through in the menu. 90% of the ingredients are sourced within 10 miles of the restaurant, and a huge chunk of those are grown right on the doorstop in the Forest Side’s adjoining gardens.
There are several menus on offer, and as super-foodies we couldn’t resist but go for The Grand ‘Un – the full 10-course tasting menu with wine pairings. We’d be venturing through courses based on potatoes, venison, beetroot, cod, raspberry and even gooseberry! I couldn’t wait to dive in.
Before the first course arrived, we were treated to a few canapés, which already delighted in both appearance and taste! There was black pudding like I’d never tasted, a mini croquette and a pine emulsion, which brought all the flavours of the forest to our mouths. Meanwhile, the Parma ham and summer truffle was pure indulgence. A great start to the upcoming feast.
While I’d hate to spoil the experience for anyone heading to The Forest Side soon by revealing every intricate detail, I wanted to share a few of my favourite courses.
I’m a big fan of the humble potato. I saw an episode of Masterchef recently where the chef showcased how many amazing things you can do with potatoes – it can be a star rather than a side! The first course at The Forest Side did exactly that. The heritage potato was served with a white chocolate emulsion, charcoal and mint. There were pops of saltiness, then minty flavours with a rich smoky undertone. It was served with a dry white wine from Syria (a country I never imagined to be producing wine, particularly in the current political climate) which complemented it well.
