I am such a lucky boy - well - 51 year old man! As part of my birthday celebrations, I was fortunate to spend the weekend at a friend's place in Darley near Harrogate. Such a beautiful part of the world with endless walks, incredible scenery and a serene peacefulness, often craved when living in Manchester.
The C Word
A genuine litmus test of places we visit, is the behaviour and reactions of our rescue dog Ari. He is naturally anxious and can sometinmes struggle with the hustle and bustle of the big city. It was never our plan for him to live in such a hectic space however a mix of COVID and the cladding scandal scuppered our best laid plans. So when we arrive at our holiday destination, his demeanour tells a story. His eagerness to get outdoors, his desperation to stay out there and his general love of life says it all. In many ways, he is a lot like me in that respect.
Perfection
Our trip included plenty of R&R, a cracking local pub (serving a perfect pint of Osset Yorkshire Blonde and local lamb), lots of dog walks (of course), a visit to the Whittaker's Gin Distillery (more of which another time) and one of the best meals I have EVER had the pleasure of eating. Experience, setting, situation, occasion and company all play a part in any dining experience (more about this at another time too!) A new venue, my pre-birthday celebrations and - of course - Nancy, meant that it would have to be a total horror show to ruin the day however, this particular meal was nigh on perfect.
Instinct
The Coach House is situated in the grounds of the Middleton Lodge estate, an impressive destination venue hidden away near Scotch Corner. It had been on Nancy's radar for some time and her incredible instinct for exemplary places to dine was once again proven. Seated in the welcoming outdoor dining area, wonderfully sheltered from the intermittent rain, our brief sojourn inside gave a glimpse of the impressive interior.
Criminal
I was immediatley drawn to the ample fish and chips of a nearby table but it seemed almost criminal to order such a plate when visiting here for the first time and on a special occasion. I'm sure it would have been immense however the menu offered SO much more. The homemade foccacia with estate fig leaf balsamic was served to another table but our gut (or stomach) assured us that the bar snacks were unnecessary in this instance and that a starter and main would most definitely suffice - and how right we were.
Satiation
For starters, I was torn between the garden onion soup, Hereford steak tartare and torched mackerel nicose and after much deliberation opted for the latter served with garden beans, soft boiled egg, saute potatoes, fresh red onion, olives and tomatoes. Nancy favoured the Cornish sardines. We were not disappointed by what proved to be sizeable plates. The servings were extremely generous but not to the point of expanding your waistline before you've even had a forkful. Satiation without over emphasised puffing of cheeks and complaints of 'being stuffed' and an inate dread of the size of the main course was not the order of the day.
Breadcrumb everything!
And what a main course. Deliberation again ensued with the fish and chips shouting at me still. In fairness EVERY main deserved consideration but the chalk stream trout, harissa Yorkshire chicken burger and the Wythersone Farm lamb fillet in particular were vying for my attention. However, I am particularly partial to a schnitzel. Everything should be breadcrumbed (or wrapped in a Yorkshire pudding - or both) in my opinion. The accompanying grilled courgette, garden vegetable salsa, mint pickle and pickled leaves were exquisite. Nancy's lamb was delicious, beautifully presented with fried potatoes, gordal olive, anchovy, fermented chilli dressing and gremolata. Triple cooked chips were a necessity, not a luxury and the garden kales and pickles were incredibly light, crisp and refreshing. Being in Black Sheep country, I had to sample their IPA, 2 in fact, with a fabulous Rioja in between.
There was no room for dessert although the walled garden fig leaf and white chocolate cremeux nearly made an appearance. We concluded our visit with a wander around said walled garden and grounds. Post visit, Nancy expressed her concerns that the Coach House may have been a clumsy and disappointing add on to an estate where the wedding venue (there were 2 happening while we there) and rooms were the main attraction. We agreed that nothing could be further from the truth. This really is a destination dining experience. The food, the setting and the staff were all incredible. You HAVE to add this place to your list of 'must visits'.
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