George & Dragon
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Charles Lowther
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The George and Dragon, an 18th century coaching inn, is situated in a quiet village of Clifton on the edge of the Lake District, just five minutes drive from Penrith in Cumbria. What makes it so special is that the food served there comes direct from the Lowther Estate - the owners family estate, which has been producing food for more than 800 years. The head chef, who trained with the North East's Terry Laybourne, changes his menu every month, transforming the seasonal produce into simple, honest and delicious dishes.
Following extensive refurbishment and restoration by the new owner, it reopened in September 2008 and was soon shortlisted for Pub Design of the Year 2009 Awards by the Publican Trade magazine (winner to be announced in March 09).
Comfy sofas, bare wooden tables, open log fires and a beautiful outdoor courtyard make it a pretty special place to stop by for a bite to eat, have a pint of one of the local ales or relax and soak in the informal and friendly atmosphere and enjoy a really special night out. Throughout the pub and restaurant, archive images and photographs tell the story of the Estate's unique heritage.
Or you could stop overnight too. Ten bedrooms have just been refurbished, each one unique and individually designed.
Visit our website: www.georgeanddragon…
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Good Pub Guide Recommended
Cyclists, walkers with their dogs and families are all made welcome in this carefully restored 18th-c coaching inn. There's a relaxed reception room with leather chairs around a low table in front of an open fire, bright rugs on flagstones, a table in a private nook to one side of the reception desk (just right for a group of six) and a comfortable bed for Porter, the patterdale terrier. Through some wrought-iron gates is the main bar area with more cheerful rugs on flagstones, assorted wooden farmhouse chairs and tables, grey panelling topped with yellow-painted walls, photographs of the Lowther Estate and of the family with hunting dogs, various sheep and fell pictures and some high bar stools by the panelled bar counter. Hawkshead Bitter, Lancaster Amber and a guest such as Cumberland Corby Blonde on handpump and 15 wines by the glass from a well chosen list. A further room with another open fire is similarly furnished. The sizeable restaurant to the left of the entrance is made up of four open-plan rooms: plenty of old pews and church chairs around tables set for dining, a woodburning stove, and a contemporary open kitchen. Outside, there are tables on the decoratively paved front entrance, with more in a high-walled enclosed courtyard, and a herb garden.
Good Pub Guide Food
Using rare-breed meat, vegetables and fruit and roe and red deer all from the Lowther Estate of which this pub is part the inventive food might include lunchtime sandwiches, popular twice-baked cheese soufflé, wild rabbit hash with a fried duck egg, wild mushroom and wild garlic risotto, shorthorn beefburger with triple-cooked potatoes, beer-battered fish of the day, parmesan-crusted chicken with marinated tomato and basil aioli, and specials such as wild boar carpaccio with pear and truffle oil, and wild trout with baby fennel, almonds and hollandaise.
Reader Comments
the fonz
Tuesday 17 August 2010 9:31:37 pm
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