Address: Northcote Road, Langho, Blackburn.

Phone number: 01254 240555.

Lancashire Telegraph review by Michael Short from Saturday July 31, 2010

Northcote, in Langho, is one of only two Michelin-starred restaurants in the North West, so where better to take my wife for a surprise 30th birthday meal?

In a wonderful country manor setting with welcoming staff, it oozes class from the moment you enter the doors.

We were invited to recline on luxurious leather sofas, enjoying a few canapés that the gods would be proud of.

Then the sommelier popped in to talk wine with us. All very friendly.

Oozing class ourselves, we plumped for cider.

We also plumped for a set gourmet menu (at £55 per person), a five-course dream created by head chef Lisa Allen for the BBC2 programme Great British Menu.

Then it was through to the small, intimate and stylish restaurant to enjoy the fruits of her labours.

First up was wild rabbit and leek turnover with piccalilli, a melt-in-the-mouth delight and a sign of things to come.

It was followed with a crisp wild Morecambe Bay sea bass with shrimp toastie, sitting in a full-flavoured yet delicate tomato and broad bean consomme and topped with samphire.

The Forager’s soup that followed — made with bittercress, nettle, chervil and wild garlic and served with goats cheese gnocchi — was again a perfect, subtle blend of fresh ingredients.

Then the main — lamb, crushed peas and woodland mushrooms with an English onion and sweetbread fritter — and it was a delight.

So many flavours and textures but all perfectly complemented.

Finally, strawberries, meringue, creamy panna cotta, jelly and Quiggins’ Kendal Mint Cake water ice with spearmint shavings rounded off our feast.

It wasn’t cheap, but then again perfection rarely is.

Add your comments or rate Northcote below.