- Overall 1
- Food 2
- Service 1
- Ambience 3
We came to this restaurant two years ago and had a memorable meal. If you walk away with memories that start with the bread you had as part of the starter—rich with seeds, deliciously soft, and raised by a salty, unctuous quenelle of butter—then there's a reason to return. We didn't know that the Black Bull had struggled to keep staff in the kitchen.
Our visit was to celebrate my wife's birthday, which was still a couple of weeks away. We were surprised when the waiting staff questioned the timing of the celebration. I guess the Black Bull only offers a 'qualified' birthday meal on the actual day.
Our meal began with the Bread & Seasoned Cultured Butter, Maple Pea Hummus & Crackers and the Crispy Howgill Herdwick Lamb & Black Garlic. I was reminded of my first visit, which started with the Herdwick Lamb. However, I had forgotten the portion was just two crispy-coated inch-square cubes with a dollop of black garlic. It was decent. However, the bread, a highlight of our first visit, was a disappointment—plain white slices with a few seeds scattered on top, a far cry from what we had experienced before.
My wife had British White Beef, while I had Venison Loin for my main dish. Here, the meal dropped off in terms of standards and taste. The beef had quite a bit of gristle. That she left so much showed how little consideration the kitchen had made in selecting these two small beef rounds—in a main costing more than £30. Later, the waiter said all meat of this sort had some gristle. I suggest there should be no waste when you get this sort of cut and size. For me, my venison was cooked well enough but pretty tasteless. I expected a little gaminess but got nothing from it. If I tasted blind, I doubt I could have told you I was even eating venison.
We closed the meal with dessert, but my wife's choice—a lemon posset—was not as expected and left untouched. Yet, it appeared on the bill with an automatic 10% service charge. Overall, the meal was dismal.
