When Cumbria Crack heard about Michelin-starred chef Ryan Blackburn’s latest venture in Ambleside, we just knew we had to give it a try.
The Schelly, in the former Greggs bakery (insert your own steak bake joke here) above his flagship The Old Stamp House, has recently opened and promises ‘fine dining without the faff’.
It only has 24 seats for walk-in guests and it is cosy.
A more relaxed version of Michelin starred The Old Stamp House, the intimate venue is sort of laid back – although not that laid back enough that you can hang around. We arrived at noon and were told that we had to leave the table by 1.30pm.
We probably could have stayed for longer if we’d opted for the stool seating overlooking the street, but frankly, I’m too old and clumsy to be clambering up high stools.
We were first in and handed the menu and wine list. The menu is a ‘small plates’ affair and you are encouraged to order a selection of dishes.
For someone like me, who freaks out about tapas (how much do you order? How much is too much? What do you get when? Far too many decisions to be made) this was a bit overwhelming.
The staff were really welcoming but we didn’t get much guidance – I think it’s because we were first through the door – but as other customers came in, the lovely staff were in full flow and we overheard great explanations and a real steer of the menu.
Dishes arrive whenever they are ready, and if you order something that the kitchen knows go well together, they will turn up at your table at the same time. Some of the dishes do take a little longer to prepare.
Designed to be shared, the menu is unbelievable. It took all our self control not to order one of everything.
We chose the focaccia with harissa spiced whipped Curthwaits curd to start – four bouncy and light chunks of bread and the curd was dreamy, lightly spiced and a delicious accompaniment.
When our next dishes – Potted shrimp, curried cauliflower and Mushrooms found around the woods of Ambleside – turned up, they were in fact veloutes – think very extravagant soups I suppose – and perfect for dipping (so perfect that we asked for extra bread).
The potted shrimp was creamy and textured in flavour. The mushroom dish was possibly my highlight of our time at The Schelly. Deep and powerful, it is everything I love about this kind of cookery.
We opted for the Dallum Estate roe deer loin, hispi cabbage and Maderia sauce to share for our ‘main’. Melt in the mouth meat, crispy cabbage and a sauce you could drink with a spoon. What’s not to like?
Our desserts were baked cheesecake & macerated raspberries and Sticky toffee madeleines & Chantilly cream.
The cheesecake was sublime, with the right amount of tartness from the raspberries and was an ideal size.
But the madeleines are worth a trip to The Schelly alone, according to the other half.
The madeleines are made to order so took a little longer to arrive than the cheesecake – we probably could have squeezed in another dish – but are definitely worth the wait.
More of a DIY dish – and perfect for sharing – the perfectly formed mini madeleines are accompanied by a bowl of sticky toffee sauce and a bowl of cream. Heaven.
There was lots more on the menu that tempted our tastebuds – from Cartmel Valley Cumberland sausage and egg yolk, ceviche of chalk stream trout to Yew Tree Farm Herdwick hogget and whole lemon sole – but there comes a time when you have to admit you couldn’t possibly.
It’s as good as anything we’ve eaten in a Michelin starred restaurant – this is almost a create your own tasting menu – and we could imagine happily spending an entire afternoon in there sampling the entire menu with a glass of wine or two.
The surroundings are a treat but can be a little off-putting. Two people in walking gear came in and asked if they were dressed smartly enough (and were warmly greeted – there’s no dress code and everyone is welcome).
It felt a little out of my comfort zone when we arrived – It’s not a style of dining I’ve had much experience of – but by the time we left, we were already planning our next trip to Ambleside as there’s still so much to try at The Schelly.
Prices range from £4 to £28 (and that’s a whole lemon sole) for each plate.
