FOOD REVIEW: Losehill House Hotel & Spa, Edale Road, Hope
A WALKERS' retreat may not be the obvious setting for an unforgettable meal, no matter how spectacular the setting.
But what started life as a hostel for Edwardian ramblers is now a luxurious country house spa in the heart of the Peak District - and anyone who books a table there is guaranteed a night to remember.
Losehill House Hotel is one of the area's best kept secrets: a classic arts & crafts gem tucked away at the end of a leafy lane between Castleton and Hope.
The scenery is breathtaking, the welcome is warm and the food is sublime, whether you've spent the day walking, working, or simply relaxing in the spa.
The man behind this small slice of English perfection is chartered accountant Paul Roden, a former director of Thistle Hotels, who stumbled across Losehill House while looking for a place to develop his own business.
"It didn't sound an appealing proposition; I didn't know the Hope Valley," he says. "But I just came down one Wednesday morning and fell in love with it. I couldn't believe this place was here."
The original hostel had been bought by a property developer in 2003 and beautifully restored. But few people knew of its existence and non-residents were not allowed in.
Paul and wife Kathryn simply upgraded the rooms, turned the pool into a spa with hot tub and sauna, and opened up the old lounge to create a striking new restaurant with glorious views of the Hope Valley on three sides.
Head chef Darren Goodwin - formerly of Bakewell's Rutland Hotel, Prospect restaurant and the East Lodge at Rowsley - was drafted in to polish up the menu and the new concept was born.
Within 12 months, trade had doubled and the hotel was voted number one in the Peak District on the influential TripAdvisor website. Word began to spread - recent guests have included TV explorer Ben Fogle and musician David Gray - and now the hotel is earning a reputation as a destination restaurant too, with the award of its first AA rosette.
"It's a fantastic place; beautiful," says Darren. "I've been here from the beginning and it's a potential lifelong interest.
"You bring people here and they can't believe it. But once people come and see it, they tend to come back."
The menu is what he describes as 'modern country house style', using locally sourced meat and vegetables. The daily changing table d'hote is 30 per head, with a choice of five dishes per course and a couple of supplements for those with extravagant taste.
It's worth rolling up in time to enjoy a stroll around the grounds before sinking into a sumptuous leather sofa in the stylish bar lounge.
We choose a bottle of house red (Casanova Chilean cabernet sauvignon, 13.50) and peruse the dinner menu while tucking into canaps: anchovy pastries, cheesy choux balls and marinated olives.
Service is good, friendly but efficient, and we're soon ushered into the restaurant where evening sunlight streams through the roof lights.Wrought iron furniture and starched white napery give the room a colonial feel and a single flower and tealight on each table allow the stupendous views to take centre stage.
Fresh-baked rolls - white, granary or orange and rosemary - set the scene for starters.
Seared shark steak is tender and delicious, on a casserole of cannellini beans, with frise lettuce. But the star turn is a wonderfully meaty terrine of pressed belly pork and black pudding with caramelised red onions, smooching up to a trio of sexy asparagus spears .
Fillet of White Peak beef sounds tempting, but carries a 6 supplement; we go for salmon and lamb.
The fish steak is thick, succulent and an eclectic mix of styles: lightly roasted in Cajun spices, with accompanying Mediterranean vegetables and a sundried tomato beurre blanc.
My lamb rump is a tad overdone, certainly not 'cooked pink' as promised, but I'm struggling to find another black mark. It's been marinated in garlic and rosemary and the flavour is tremendous, nicely complemented by subtle mustard mash, baby sweetcorn, unusual roasted beetroot and rosemary-infused madeira jus.
Dessert is equally inspired. Basil and lemon mousse is earthy and sharp, sandwiched alongside a rich raspberry version in flaky millefeuille. It leaves my companion unsure, but I think it's sensational. And I'm no less enthusiastic about my iced vanilla parfait, topped with a wafer of almond praline and finished with poached strawberries in syrup.
We retire to the elegant drawing room for a caftire of coffee, and can't resist the petit fours: pistachio fudge, almond macaroons and cocoa-covered cubes of orange turkish delight.
Verdict: The perfect country house retreat where the food is as good as the view.
Open: Daily for light lunches, spa days, afternoon tea and evening dinner. Private dining room available for small parties.
Losehill House Hotel & Spa, Edale Road, Hope (01433) 622501; www.losehillhouse.co.uk
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Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
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