Checking Out - The Castle Green Hotel Kendal

Upon arrival at the Castle Green you can appreciate the 14 acres of beautiful woodlands and country in which the hotel is situated. We passed the hotel’s pub – Alexander’s - on the way up: a traditional pub offering food and guest local ales with stunning views of the area.
The hotel foyer has a slightly corporate feel but this dissipates when you enter the classic and tasteful lounge area leading on to the restaurant with panoramic views of the countryside.

Bedrooms

We were given an executive suite for the night with such big windows that the room was still bright on a September evening. The room’s open lounge area comprised of king-size bed, 2-seater sofa, coffee table, desk and large plasma screen television along with a tea and coffee tray. The bathroom was sumptuous, clean and well stocked with the usual shampoos and bath products although a little small especially in comparison to the huge room.
Overall the room was spacious, light, comfortable and luxurious feeling and was certainly somewhere you would want to spend your time.

Restaurant

We had an early dinner at 7.30pm and the restaurant was pretty subdued aside from some rather difficult guests who were too hot or too cold and who later insisted on ‘no round biscuits’ with their cheese. The staff dealt with these requests and others in an efficient but friendly and accommodating manner which was highly commendable.
The sun was setting as we were being seated and my guest warned that it would be unprofessional to take pictures of the view during dinner however it would not be easy to forget the absolutely stunning purples, deep reds and salmon pinks of the sky that evening. The design of the hotel is wholly sympathetic to these surroundings, with large windows that span the entire length of the restaurant taking advantage of the beautiful countryside and those fantastic sunsets which you just don’t see often enough in the city. The décor was appropriate for a countryside retreat – classic without being old-fashioned and stylish without being too avant-garde – with clean lines, soft comfortable seating, crisp elegant tablecloths and stylish wooden floors. The modern addition of a ‘theatre window’ allows diners to view the kitchen, and Chef Justin Woods welcomes guests to take a closer look at what he and his team get up to and ask him any questions they might have.

The service was impeccable from start to finish with staff helping towards creating the warm atmosphere of the restaurant. We opted for the Cumbrian Tasting Menu which offers five courses of locally sourced and produced cuisine at an extremely reasonable £30. The restaurant boasts an extensive and unique wine list from which we had the task of selecting a fantastic light unoaked Chardonnay.
The first course was a selection of locally smoked produce including Chicken, Duck, Trout, Salmon and Cheese presented beautifully on a slate with pickled vegetables and delicate slices of bread. The chicken had less of the intense smokiness of the other offerings however the flavours and textures worked very well together. Particularly of note was the trout, reminiscent of charcoal Mediterranean grills and summer barbecues.
Second up was Celeriac Soup with Chive Oil in which you could actually taste the chive cutting through the buttery rich soup. This added finesse to the dish: soup can often feel a bit more ‘comfort food’ than fine dining; and I appreciated how the Chef injected new life into this humble root vegetable.
The main course was various styles of locally bred pork - fillet, loin, cheek, belly, and trotter; the different components served with potato, spinach, pea puree and apple puree. Each was complimented by its carefully chosen accompaniment, the dish was presentable and contemporary and to dust off an old cliché – the trotter melted in the mouth. The crackling was a little tough-going on the teeth but the overall meal could not be faulted.
Next was a cheese platter whose damson chutney was outstanding, sourced 18 miles from Kendal, followed by the dessert which I cannot recommend highly enough. I was very pleasantly surprised by the Kendal Mint cake parfait and Gingerbread and butter pudding as I am not usually a dessert enthusiast. The course instantly extinguished the memories I had of Kendal Mint cake from childhood: of unwanted gifts from day-tripping relatives, a chore rather than a treat. Instead this fresh, dazzling snowball of parfait with hunks of sweet mint cake harmonized with the hot slice of bread and butter layered pudding memorably. Needless to say, I cleared the plate.
Overall the dinner was inventive and modern with close attention to detail: unforgettable and unique. Executive Chef Justin who I had the opportunity to meet and speak with is a bright and passionate man whose experimentation, presentation and implementation have paid off; resulting in an exciting and successful menu he can be proud of.

I can highly recommend the Castle Green as a weekend break destination, holiday or stopover. The hotel has a warm atmosphere throughout with an agreeable balance of professionalism and friendliness while The Greenhouse restaurant offers the best of local produce prepared to a high standard in a surprisingly creative and modern way.

Cumbrian Tasting Menu

A slate of locally smoked produce:
Chicken, Duck, Trout, Salmon, Cheese
Served with pickled vegetables, Staff of Life breads
All smoked at Cartmel Valley Smokehouse, 15 miles from Kendal
Bread from Staff of Life Bakery, Kendal

Organic celeriac soup, chive oil
Celeriac from Howbarrow Organics, 15 miles from Kendal

Various styles of Maurice Wharton’s pork
Fillet, loin, cheek, belly, trotter
Black Brow Farm, Wigton, 48 miles from Kendal

Cumbrian cheeses, homemade biscuits, damson chutney
Cheeses from Thornby Moor, 50 miles from Kendal
Damson chutney from Hawkshead Relish, 18 miles from Kendal

Gingerbread and butter pudding, Kendal Mint Cake parfait
Gingerbread from Plumgarths Farm shop
Romney’s Kendal Mint cake
Both in Kendal

Useful Information

Best Western Castle Green Hotel in Kendal, Castle Green Lane, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 6RG
Call reception on 01539 734000
www.castlegreen.co.uk