Despite openings in London and as far away as Hong Kong, L'Enclume in Cumbria remains Simon Rogan's flagship restaurant. And despite the idyll of the place and the country house feel of the restaurant itself, the cuisine bears the stamp of his inimitable modernism.

Located in one of the most scenic parts of Britain in a secluded stone-walled building which also features a number of rooms for staying guests, L’Enclume blends contemporary methods with timeless elegance. Food arrives in the form of tasting menus of small dishes – which can include the intriguing 'carrot sacks' with brawn, juniper, fried cake and cress, or other carefully thought up ingredients like goat's milk mousse, cockle butter and burnt pear.

Amid the invention, Simon takes care not to lose sight of the familiar. Potted trout is served with radish, dill and rye toast, and while miniature potatoes might come rolled in onion ash, it’s the flavour that we’ll recognise. Meat can take the form of a duck 'sweetbread' or the pairing of hake and chicken skin, while rare foraged herbs and vegetation from Simon's own farm – a huge feat in itself – are used expertly.

There’s a great wine list chosen to help diners on their quest for 'interaction with the food'. Two pricing options are available and vegetarians and vegans are well looked after.

The Good Food Guide continues to award L'Enclume with a perfect 10/10, which along with its five AA rosettes and three Michelin stars (which it finally won in 2022), cements its status as one of – if not the – best eateries in the country.