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The Yanwath Gate Inn

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Review of Yanwath Gate Inn in Yanwath by Cecilia Campbell

CeciliaC

39 posts

Joined
10/6/2005

Review of Yanwath Gate Inn in Yanwath by Cecilia Campbell
Posted: 27 Sep 06 5:19 AM

Most recent visit: September 22, for dinner.
Telephone: 01768 862386
www.yanwathgate.com

We have a good way of finding out good places to go eat – places we otherwise might not have heard of. We ask the chefs we interview for their favourite restaurants, and this particular pub was the choice of a recent interviewee (once we'd eliminated l'Eclume and The Samling for pecuniary reasons). The tiny village of Yanwath is just south of Penrith (turn west off the A6 at the roundabout at Eamont Bridge). A look at the Gate Inn menu online promised great things; not just your normal gastropub fare, but a lot of unusual stuff, particularly in the seafood department, and particularly the evening menu.

We opted to reserve a table in the pub rather than the dining room, a good choice for laid back people like ourselves; great atmosphere, good music played not too loud, and generally the type of place we like to have our food in. We also found out the fish and shellfish come in daily from a supplier north of the border.

For a starter, I ordered Razor Clams cooked in Noilly Prat, parsley, garlic and cream for a starter. This was the first time I'd ever had these clams, and they were delicious, particularly in this sauce. Martin had Cured Fish 3 Ways (gravlax, soused sardines and tuna tartare), which he really enjoyed as well. Each of the flavours held their own, and made it a very interesting dish. I was particularly glad that the gravlax (Swedish dish, of course), was actually done properly. In other words, the fish is raw at the outset, not slightly smoked with just some dill thrown on, as I have had it a couple of times over here.

My main was Roast Rump of Barley Bridge Fell Hill Lamb with roast aubergine, courgettes, peppered goats cheese and lavender vinaigrette. This was the only course which disappointed – while all the ingredients were beautiful and handled well, it left something to be desired in the flavour department. A bit of zing, something more than the goats cheese to please the palate. It was a bit lame, in other words. Martin's Goosnargh Corn Fed Duck Breast, on the other hand, was gorgeous, marinated in sloe gin & juniper and served with creamed curly kale, fig & elderflower relish. He found the combination of the sweet potato mash, the perfectly cooked (pink) duck and the tangy/sweet sauce really satisfying. So the standard of the two starters and Martin's main was so much higher on flavour than what you normally get in Cumbria, that we felt it would be unfair to grade them down for flavour just based on my lamb.

The staff were attentive and friendly and we felt welcome and comfortable in our corner of the pub. Martin had a look at the dining room, which he liked the look of, a bit quieter than the bar area, if that's what you are looking for.

Rating: total 23

Great atmosphere 5
Home cooked fresh food 5
Plenty of flavour 5
Good value for money 4
Service with a smile 4

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The Yanwath Gate Inn

Review of Yanwa...