Could this be West Cumbria’s best kept food secret?
The Old Posting House at Deanscales is championing local, fresh and seasonal produce and has an ambitious chef who has stamped his style on a glorious menu – which he delivers with aplomb.
The 400-year-old inn is tucked away in the village near Cockermouth (and campervans welcome in its car park by prior arrangement) and when we arrived, was busy with locals and tourists – including a huddle of cyclists at the bar. It’s got a great vibe and nothing is too much trouble for the staff.
One family from the North East, who stay in Cockermouth twice a year, said they always booked a meal at the Old Posting House.
If you know, you know, but this pub needs to stop whispering about its food and start shouting – it really should be on everyone’s must-visit list. If you love food, you’ll love it.
Cumbria Crack was invited to sample the menu and so we rocked up on Friday night.
Now, the menu appear short at first glance – but take a big appetite. There are no half measures here.
Our starters were hickory smoked pork belly and oak smoked Loch Duart salmon. Both melted in your mouth and artfully arranged on the plate – think bistro-style rather than traditional pub grub.
This was followed by heritage braised beef and ale pie. And make no mistake, this was not a pastry lid tossed artfully on a spoonful of filling. This was the most unapologetic pie that has ever graced our table.
Slab does not do it justice as a description – think the size of a Whitehaven brick, with tender pieces of beef, delicious gravy and the thinnest, crispiest pie crust encasing it.
Accompanied by very chunky Jenga chips (crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle – no mean feat), my husband who is a pie aficionado (I’m apparently not allowed to say pie eater), judged it among the best he has encountered.
We also tried the Westmorland mallard from the specials board – perfectly cooked, it was accompanied by potato Dauphinose – a tricky potato dish I tend to shy away from it as you tend to find crunchy potato halfway through it, but not at the Old Posting House.
The pub sources its meat from Basecamp North Lakes, near Penrith, and the quality shines through.
On to desserts – it would be rude not to – and the lemon cheesecake sang, but the actual star of the plate was the raspberry sorbet alongside it. If you’re an ice cream/sorbet fan, you have to try it.
Sticky toffee pudding was the husband’s choice – and again, he’s eaten a fair few of them in his time – and he declared it was up there with Cartmel.
And if you’re gluten free, this might be the place for you. We heard one chap at a table near us exclaim ‘I’ve never had so much choice’ when the waitress explained his gluten free options.
They’ve got big plans for the Old Posting House – now is the time to book a table so you can say you were there first!
REVIEW: Nicole Regan
