SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel

Could Source be the Lake District’s best restaurant? If not, it’s certainly very high up there, and it’s all thanks to executive chef Ollie Bridgwater, formerly of Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, who has made sure Source has retained its Michelin star, year on year. 

This year, the ten-course tasting menu is executed slightly differently, with a mix of set and guest-selected dishes. It makes sense – it’s the jewel in the crown of Gilpin, a wonderful hotel that’s all about catering to your personal tastes.

The experience starts with a couple of bite-sized appetisers. Berry-red glazed orbs of smooth chicken liver parfait, rich with brandy, circled by dots of blackcurrant gel and horseradish cream on a toasted base of fruity, spiced pain d’epice (or ‘spice cake’ for you non-Francophiles).

Then there’s a crunchy little croustade of beef tartare, perfectly seasoned with miso cream and yuzu ponzu. Oh, and it’s decorated with no less than reindeer moss. Yes, you read that correctly. The delicate fronds are fried to a light crisp, adding a hint of mushroom flavour.

The first set dish is Lake District Game. Air-dried duck slices accompany duck tortellini in a deeply flavoured broth dotted with lovage oil, and a homemade crumpet ready to slather with cultured butter and house-made yeast extract (let’s just call it Marmite, for decorum’s sake). Although this is many levels better than that sticky jar in your cupboard – richer but lighter, with a more intriguing flavour profile. 

We opt for an open lasagna of Orkney scallop. The mollusc is fresh and sweet, bringing a welcome taste of the sea to the Lakes. It’s layered with handmade pasta, celeriac and a Marsala sauce, and topped with a slice of Wiltshire truffle, perched at a jaunty angle, like some kind of dandyish, delicious hat. 

Next, glazed veal sweetbreads. Two words: staggeringly good. They’re well-matched with earthy saffron rice, almond, and jus gras: a deliciously addictive sauce made from the meaty pan juices. 

Cornish turbot is the next chef’s choice, and, my, what a choice. It’s served with razor clams, salsify, roast bone sauce, and a thinly sliced ‘cauliflower mushroom’ – a mind-bending item which looks like cauliflower yet has the texture of ribbon noodles and the taste of mushroom. Lewis Carroll, eat your heart out. 

The tender breast of Cumbrian partridge is a lighter piece of game, contrasted with a rich jus and scattered with toasted hazelnuts. Accompaniments of Jerusalem artichoke, pear and truffle complement it perfectly.

Our final savoury selection is the buttery pan-fried Cornish monkfish, with cauliflower purée, deeply roasted cauliflower, and a velvety smoked sake sauce. More substantial than the typical tasting menu small plate, it’s laid out like a work of art and tastes rich, light, smooth and earthy, all at the same time. 

A palate-cleansing pre-dessert of kefir follows, whipped with the lightest hint of creamy blue cheese and rippled with raspberry kombucha. A crumbly topping of freeze-dried raspberries and caramelised macadamia nuts makes for a fantastic lead into dessert territory.

The dreamy Hakodate rice pudding combines cream, miso and sake, and hides them beneath an incredibly moreish disc of sesame brittle. It’s another dish that causes you to ponder the propriety of licking your plate in a fine dining establishment.

There’s also a cube of sour cherry-centred Manjari hazelnut chocolate served with sweet, dark Pedro Ximénez sherry – a crowd-pleasing classic. The luxurious chocolate comes with a nicely contrasting quenelle of vanilla ice cream and a crisp chocolate tuile.

Finally, a set of outstanding petit fours: Dark, rich chocolate mousse on a biscuit base and a mini yuzu meringue pie to finish. 

Ollie Bridgwater’s latest menu is a whirlwind of elevated flavours and ideas. In terms of sourcing and inspiration, this is a glorious celebration of the British Isles, with a special focus on what makes the Lake District so unique. If you want to try some of the most exciting dishes in the North, head to the Source.