[United Kingdom: Cartmel] 3* L'Enclume by Simon Rogan

Rating: 4.25/5

After visiting Roganic in Hong Kong many times, I finally made it to 3* L'Enclume - Simon Rogan’s flagship restaurant in the picturesque village of Cartmel in England’s Lake District! Housed in a beautifully restored 13th-century former blacksmith’s forge, the dining room blends rustic charm with refined minimalism - retaining stone walls and remnants of the original furnace and anvil. I prefer the tables in the greenhouse which overlooks the garden with plenty of natural light.

The restaurant sources much of its produce from Rogan’s own nearby farm, emphasizing hyper-seasonal ingredients and preservation techniques. The farm-to-table menu transforms humble ingredients into imaginative and creative dishes that highlight modern British cuisine at its finest. The flavors were on the salty side though especially when compared to Roganic Hong Kong. Service is warm, knowledgeable, and seamlessly attentive - we loved the discreet and choreographed teamwork behind the scenes. A benchmark for modern British fine dining and well worth the special journey to Cartmel!

Our menu:

Boltardy beetroot, salted mackerel and sunflower seed tart / Juices infused with nasturtium

Fritter of Duroc pig and smoked eel / Lovage and fermented sweetcorn

Corra Linn pudding caramelised in birch sap / Stout vinegar, aged Corra Linn

Cornish lobster with pine shoots / Horseradish emulsion, Cherry Belle radish and rosehip

Ibis celeriac roasted in yeast oil / Buttermilk, smoked pike perch roe

Spring leaves and raw Orkney scallop / Fermented vegetable and aromatic herbs

Red King Edward potatoes cooked in chicken fat / Crisp skin, pickled shallot, Doddington

Seaweed custard, Maldon oyster, Cobra beans / Beef tendon broth and bone marrow

Sweet Belle turnips with cuttlefish / Ham fat, anise hyssop

West Coast Skate with dulse and grilled mussels / Purple Azur kohlrabi, coastal vegetables and elderflower

Pork from Gaythorne Hall farm, grilled and glazed over binchotan / Rubino spinach, ramson, black apple

Frozen Tunworth cheese / Buckwheat, Champagne rhubarb and lemon thyme

Malwina strawberry with lemon verbena / Wraysholme yoghurt, sweet herbs, flowers

“Anvil” Caramel mousse with our miso, apple and spruce

Marigold, woodruff, tart, mint stones

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