The Apple Pie and other United Kingdom Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: The Apple Pie

The best thing about The Apple Pie is its Bath Buns. A deliciously sticky, fruity, teacake type of bun that is quite immense - one is large enough for two to share. Famous and well sought after by those who know, the shop is often sold out of them by 3pm, so make sure you get in early enough. Other bakeries in the Lake District do a version of the Bath Bun, but none compare with those of The Apple Pie.
The bakery also has extensive tearooms taking up part of the front of the shop, all of upstairs and an area out the back too. And at most times it's always full!

Favorite Dish: Bath Buns

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Theme: Local

Directions: Ambleside, Cumbria (in The Lake District). It's the first shop on the right as you come in to town from the Grasmere direction, just past the quiant little house-on-a-bridge (Bridge House).
Website: http://www.amblesideonline.co.uk/display/applepie/applemain.html

Restaurant Name: The Chocolate House

The name says it all! This establishment serves only chocolate! Cakes, gateaux, cheesecakes and even chocolate toasted sandwiches, washed down by hot or cold chocolate drinks in a variety of imaginative flavours!
The old stone building is so higgledy piggledy that the plates are in danger of sliding off the tables and you're always banging your head on roof beams!
Downstairs is a shop selling... chocolate!
A great place to come for a treat when you're feeling a bit naughty.

Favorite Dish: Chocolate, whate else?

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Branthwaite Brow, Kendal, Cumbria
Directions: Branthwaite Brow is one of Kendal's old traditional shopping streets. The Chocolate House is towards the bottom.
Website: http://www.chocolatehouse1657.co.uk/

Restaurant Name: The Glasshouse

The name pertains partly to the fact that the building has a lot of glass and partly to the fact that it belongs to the adjacent glass blowing studio.
This Italian-themed restaurant serves excellent food, though that standard comes at a price and the Glasshouse is by no means cheap. A good option is to try the "two courses" lunchtime menu, which doesn't work out too bad. Throw in the fact that they serve De Koninck beer from Antwerp and you know you're in for a treat.

Favorite Dish: Parsnip & Spinach soup
Sweet Potato and Spinach curry with aromatic rice
Bolleck of De Koninck - pure nectar!!
I can never manage desert here, not because I'm full but beacuse the food is sooo good, I just feel I've had enough!

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: Ambleside, Cumbria
Directions: Just behind Bridge Cottage, on the other side of the stream.

Restaurant Name: Bryn Tyrch

The first ever truly vegetarian pub/restaurant that I visited. This was a real rarity in those days (1990), and there still aren't many 100% veggie pubs around. Bryn Tyrch's menu was a breath of fresh air and even today offers a different variety of vegetarian food than you'll find in many places (I notice from their recent menus that they now serve fish and a modicum of meat, but their menu remains largely vegetarian).
I don't know if it's the same today but the outdoor eating area was strangely "across the road" from the pub (see pic and ignore naff 1990's hairstyles), making meal deliveries interesting at times.

Favorite Dish: Tempura vegatables with spicy dips
Broccoli, Cauliflower & Stilton Nut Crumble

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Theme: Vegan/Vegetarian

Directions: capel Curig to Betys-y-coed road, nearer to Capel Curig.
Website: http://www.bryntyrch-hotel.com/index.html

Restaurant Name: The Lion Inn

A pub rather than a restaurant and serving 'Pub Grub' rather than 'Noveau Cuisine' - but VT really should have a section for great pubs/bars!
A 16th century Inn set high on the North Yorkshire Moors (1325 feet - the highest point in the Yorkshire Moors) on the remote road from Castleton to Hutton-Le-Hole. It's extremely popular despite it's remoteness, and has a clientel made up of hikers, bikers and day-trippers, as well as those who travel up from Teesside just to visit this pub. Inside is all stone and oak, with a roaring fire in one of the rooms. Out back is a Restaurant (serving more stylish meals, though you can still choose from the Bar menu), and the bedrooms. Opposite the pub is a quite large B&B establishment too, and the pub also offers camping facilities (quite basic).

Favorite Dish: Any of the vegetarian dishes (there are about 6 to choose from). Last time we had Blue Stilton Pasta Bake and a Spinach and Walnut Lasagne, followed by the old favourites of Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake and Pecan Pie. Also recommended is the Cherries in Brandy, which is delicious!

Don't forget too the great range of hand-pulled cask ales stocked here, including Theakston's Old Peculier, Bitter and 'Cool Cask', and also Morlands Old Speckled Hen.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Directions: On an unclassified road between Castleton & Hutton-Le-Hole high in the North Yorks Moors National Park.
Website: http://www.lionblakey.co.uk