The Duke of Portland, Lach Dennis

I was excited about going here as the owners are of the superb Belle Epoque, Knutsford and I dont mind splashing out if the food is good. I went on a quiet night which accentuated the dull, ambiguous ambience of the interior. The juxtaposition of the mass of overpowering olive green and cheap looking 'Euro' posters in cheap frames coupled with the dim lighting meant our dining area was a bit depressing ! These guys should look at the interior of the Bunning and Price Pubs, the Bears Paw at warmingham or even The Frozen Mop in Mobberley to see how it should be done. The toilets here were equally unimpressive. The food was fairly good, if somewhat dated - maybe it was supposed to be retro and the portions certainly were - very nouvelle cuisine !! I will say that the quality of the food was good actually and above average - taking into consideration, the stale, hard bread and overcooked stiff chips. The lamb was almost sublime though as was the construction of the dish and its ingredients. I feel this establishment struggles with its identity and what it is attempting to be. Is it a Restaurant with a bar? Is it a gastropub? Is it neither? The menu jumps between several styles without trully capturing any. There is a degree of integrity in the dishes but I am not sure the Duke of Portland is paying more than lipservice to local ingredients as it claims on the website. The process needs to be followed through right to the kitchen with love and attention to detail. The best thing here was the staff, who were friendly, efficient and attentive which was lovely. In summary, this place ultimately disappoints and does not quite deliver or achieve its goals. In light of the pedigree of the family who owns this business, the Duke of Portland experience is an anticlimax at best. I hope it improves here and I will try again later in the Spring or early summer. My mark is 6 1/2 / 10.

31 Mar 2010 17:04