29/11/2006
Vinny Holden

It is a once a year event that I am treated to an expensive restaurant, and at the Fisherman's lodge the expense was well spent.I read many reviews of this restaurant before I chose to go and all of them were positive, i.e. chef of the year North East England, Best restaurant in the North East and so on. The anticipation was so high, that as we were driven by the taxi to lodge under the moist laiden leaves of the wooded overgrowth, I really didn't want to be dissapointed. I arrived with my wife and we were greated by a dickensian figure who guided the two of us into the lounge area for a drink. It is there that another waiter came in with a welcoming smile, and a bit of cheeky-ness that made us feel at home. Menu was basically class. I'll admit I'm no expert in pallet department, but I can tell you that it tasted as if it was the first food I'd eaten for 40 days. It was so pure that I just wanted another 3 plates of the same thing. However, we controlled ourselves to the traditional starter, main and dessert, followed by the obligatory Brandy's at the end. Atmosphere wise, it was a bit quiet - although we did go on a Tuesday and there was only us and two other people (one of which was South African and was arrogantly complaining that the South African wine was't good enough). Our wine was good by the way. All in all the lodge is fantastic, and I wish I was rich enough to go everyday. Instead, I just walk the dog past it everyday and wait in anticipation for my treat next year.

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