This is a review of the “Pheasant” (sometimes known as the ‘Pheasant Inn’ as this is what it used to be called) which is a well-known restaurant and hotel near Cockermouth and Keswick in Cumbria. However, my reviews also do include a degree of my life history, because I like to entertain, and because I like to write! I am confident that the majority of readers will enjoy what I have to say :o)

More information about the Pheasant can be found at their website - www.the-pheasant.co.uk where you can see some pictures and go on a virtual tour, and see a sample menu. You can aso find out about the surrounding area, and things to do while you are staying there. I would certainly recommend visiting the Pencil Museum (sounds awful, but it is good), and the Cars of the Stars museum in Keswick, and the Sheep and Wool Centre which is just down the road.

This review is about my personal experiences of the Pheasant. However, I do feel that any words I can say will not do it justice, and it really is a place worth visiting if you are in the Lake District. Please note, you can visit the Pheasant for lunches, morning coffees and afternoon teas as well as for evening meals and staying the night. My experiences focus on dinner, bed and breakfast.

Hubby and I met in our first year at university….we lived down the same corridor in our halls of residence. Initially I didn’t think much of him (don’t worry, he does know this) and it was January 2000 when we first spoke, in our local haunt “The Railway” (I could often be found passed out on the floor in there – the bar staff were used to me). On 14th February we were chatting on Yahoo Messenger (despite me being in room B6, and him in B12), and he invited me along to share a Valentines bottle of JD with him. A drunken water fight ensued and the rest is history (as they say!)

We had a fantastic honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, it was the longest time we’d spent together since Uni. But after getting back, it was hubby going back to Bridlington, and me staying in Essex. It wasn’t ideal, by any means. It was not the start to married life that most people have. If you want to know more about why this was the case, an how we ended up here, you might like to read - http://www.ciao.co.uk/Everything_that_starts_with_W__Review_5620099

***Our second anniversary – and going to the Pheasant***

Last year we decided to go to the Pheasant for dinner on the day as something special. We had tried to go before (and since), but had not booked far enough in advance. We pass the turn off to the Pheasant so frequently….in fact every time we venture out to Keswick, Penrith, or out of the county! We had heard from various people that it is an excellent restaurant, and we certainly weren’t disappointed.

The meal started with a pre-starter (something the chef was experimenting with), followed by a starter (I had the warm pigeon salad), soup or fish (think I had a mushroom soup), main course (duck with chocolate), and dessert. It was a stunning meal (certainly in my top 10 of meals I’ve ever had), although perhaps a few too many flavours in the main course (that’s the food critic in me speaking). The high level of cuisine is reflecting in the Pheasant’s AA rosette. We washed our meal down with a nice bottle of red wine, followed by drinks (soft drinks for hubby as he had to drive home). The whole meal including drinks came to £95. Yes, expensive, but still excellent value. It was worth it just for the treatment – being treated as valued customers – not something you seem to get in most restaurants.

***Booking***

---Arrival and settling in---

The bedroom itself was nice, but I was particularly impressed with the bathroom which was huge. Bigger than ours at home. I always notice the pictures on the walls in hotels, and was impressed by the seven pictures in our room – views of the Lake District. There was a big bouquet of flowers waiting for us, sent by the in-laws to the hotel.

When the bar opened at 5:30pm, hubby sent me to get a bottle of wine. I opted for a Spanish Rose for £18 – not the cheapest, but certainly not one of the most expensive. The barman brought it out to us in the garden with a cooler, and glasses of tap water (which I’d requested).

At 6:30pm we returned to our room and both had baths – we would have shared one, but I was a bit disappointed that there was no bubble bath or rubber duck (I’m sure I could have asked). I enjoyed my bath (even though I don’t really like baths) because it was just so deep, and much bigger than a normal bath. When I got out I put on the Pheasant bathrobe (very comfy), and watched Coronation Street on the flat-screen TV as I dried my hair and got dressed. It’s not a place where you need to be dressed up, but most people are fairly smart.

We went downstairs to the lounge where hubby had a whiskey, and I had a glass of wine. We were given complimentary canapés – breadsticks, olives and mushrooms, and nuts, and ordered our dinner – we opted for the four course at £33.95 per person.

As a starter I had scallops on cauliflower puree. Hubby had Gressingham duck with pineapple chutney. Both were served with salad, and both were fantastic.

Main course I chose the trio of Wild Boar - belly, sausage and steak. The wild boar cracking was the best crackling I’ve ever tasted. The sausage was very meaty, but went well with the creamy mashed potato, and red cabbage. Now I’m not really a cabbage fan, but I did enjoy this cabbage – and hubby is determined to replicate it at home.

With our meals we drank a bottle of Chilean red – again, not the cheapest at £25. I really did enjoy it though – normally with wine I’m glugging it down, but I really savoured the flavour of this one. We also had a jug of water – I like it in a restaurant where you don’t have to ask for water, that it’s just there!

---After dinner---
We retired to the lounge where hubby had coffee (I’m not a big hot drinks person), and chocolates.

Then it was time for drinks in the bar where hubby discovered to his delight that there was a choice of 55 whiskeys! I stuck to a brandy followed by a Baileys, while hubby sampled a couple of the whiskeys – which range in price from £3 to £6.50 a shot, in age from 8 to 25 years, and from 37.5 to 61.9%. This is a whisky lover’s haven. Hubby had quite a chat with the barman and told him that they should really advertise the whiskey choice more on the website.

We went up to bed at about 11am, to find that the hotel staff had been rearranging our bed covers, which I found a bit unnecessary.

***The night***

Breakfast in the Pheasant is served from 7:30am until 9:45am. We had a fairly early start (for a day off work anyway!) and went down at 8:30am. Hubby had a bowl of cornflakes and coffee, while I rehydrated myself with the fresh orange juice. There was the usual selection of cereals, grapefruit (etc), fruit juices, and porridge available on request.

In my opinion, the pheasant really is a lovely place both to eat and to stay. If you are a tourist it is in an excellent location for sightseeing in Keswick and Cockermouth (and you can even venture to see hubby and I in Workington if you so desire).
It’s the sort of place that if I wrote poetry, that I would be inspired to write. I did attempt with hubby in the garden, but got as far as “The grass is green, and so is the chimney as it is covered in leaves” – so perhaps don’t think I have a talent for it!