The Lamb Inn

After a long walk on Valentine’s Day, my partner and I stopped in on the way home, looking like scruffs and taking a chance. The staff squeezed us in, and the place was warm, with a roaring fire and a friendly atmosphere. The menu was a little limited, but the dishes on offer looked delicious, and sometimes it’s better to specialize. I had the rack of lamb and my missus had the duck. Both were cracking and perfectly done, with really flavoursome dauphinoise potatoes. The portions left me satisfied with room for dessert, maybe that was deliberate. The dessert list was class, and I couldn’t resist the bread and butter pudding. It was listed with ice cream, which seemed mad, but they happily swapped it for the only acceptable accompaniment, custard. It was warm and buttery, with a hint of nutmeg. Staff checked in and were friendly without being pushy. I’d definitely recommend it. Two courses and a couple of drinks each came to about £80, which I thought was great value for the quality and atmosphere.

The food was excellent, though a bit pricey. It’d be well worth it for a special occasion, but over £100 for three of us, for a main, dessert, and one drink each, is more than I’d want to spend regularly. The building is old and probably difficult to adapt. It was a bit tricky with a wheelchair, and the toilets seemed to be up steps, though I didn’t ask about that.

We’re already talking about coming back next spring for another night and a meal. The team at the Lamb made our New Year stay feel easy from the start, with faultless management and genuinely accommodating staff. Our room was spotless and comfortable, with a king-size bed and quality linen. The inn has a really homely feel, especially with the log burner going. We enjoyed the wine and ale selection and the evening menu, and breakfast was well worth the wait. We chose it the night before, which worked best for us. Compliments to everyone in the kitchen.

The staff were welcoming and seemed lovely, though when they asked how the food was, we didn’t feel very interested in our answers. I could probably have spoken up more clearly, but didn’t want to spoil things for the other diners. We’d been looking forward to a hearty meal at The Lamb Inn after it was recommended to us. The menu sounded good, but both dishes were bland and didn’t feel like much of a feast. I was disappointed by the chicken medley, and my partner found the pork belly with pulled pork and mash the blandest meal he’d had over the holidays. We’ve eaten out five times, and this was also the priciest meal, with the smallest portions. Other people seemed to enjoy their food, and I’ve read good reviews, so perhaps we were unlucky that night. We left nearly seventy pounds poorer and still unsatisfied. Luckily there’s a Morrison’s nearby, so we could get biscuits. We’d eaten very well over Christmas, but this was the worst meal. Sorry, but we can’t recommend this restaurant.