Lake Road Kitchen

This was one of the most disappointing dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. At £80 per person, this sits at the lower end of the price range for a one-star Michelin restaurant, but it is still expensive for what was actually delivered. The food was overwhelmingly greasy and salty. What made the experience even more frustrating was the contrast with another one-star Michelin restaurant we’ve visited one day earlier Old Stamp House. There the chef’s passion for sourcing local ingredients was evident. He wrote a letter to each guest to talk about how he sourced all ingredients locally in Cumbrian area, and it translated directly onto the plate. At LRK, by comparison, there was a lot of performative pride without much substance. They made a big deal about their New Zealand salmon. In reality, it just tasted like… good salmon. Dessert did nothing to redeem the meal. It was a ny cheesecake, dense and heavy. If anything, it reinforced how uninspired the menu felt overall. A lighter, more refreshing dessert (an ice cream or something citrus-based) would have been far more appropriate. Two days before our reservation, we received a confirmation email informing us that prices had increased since we booked, but that they would “honour” the original price. Frankly, this didn’t come across as generous. It felt unnecessary and slightly unprofessional, as though we were meant to be grateful for not being charged more. In the end we paid £195 for a meal consisted of four small dishes plus one cheese cake for 2 person. That is simply poor value. Service was also well below Michelin-star expectations. Having to pour our own water might be acceptable in a casual bistro, but not at this level. The interior décor was similarly underwhelming. I genuinely struggle to understand how this holds a Michelin star when compared with other one-star restaurants in the UK. I would simply not recommend it.