Cook and Barker Inn, Newton on the Moor

we visited Cook and Barker Inn after hearing good reports, i myself am a chef and famously very hard to please when eating out, so my partner was thrilled to have a new recommendation for us to try.

upon arrival we were reasonably happy with the ambience, and some good choices on the menu, i chose seared scallops with black pudding and pea puree, my partner the pork and chicken liver terrine.

the scallops were excellent, beautifully presented and cooked, one of the best starters i have ever had, whilst the terrine was not far behind.

however, all was lost with the main course, of which we both chose mixed grill platter, and requested medium cooked steak. the steak was well done, lamb chop resembled wood and the liver was hard enough to break windows, there were some nice elements, gammon, bacon and sausage were pleasant enough, but any restaurant that prides itself on the quality of its local produce should not be serving meat cooked like that.

after leaving half of the meal as it was almost inedible ( and i have my own teeth!), i asked for the dessert menu, asked if they were home made and was told no, they are bought in, and politely declined.

if you are going to run a high class restaurant, then you need to ensure your entire menu fits the profile, and the standard of cooking does justice to the products you use.

on a lighter note, service was good and drinks reasonably priced, but if you are a foody, you may be disappointed.