Lamb really ought to taste of itself, rather than just a vehicle for sauces and garnishes, however well executed. I wonder, with all these draconian hygene regulations in force, whether meat is hung for long enough these days. We finished this excellent meal by sharing a very good pear tarte tatin. I knew this would be good, because we had enjoyed some breathtakingly light but delicious cakes with our tea earlier in the day. The Lygon Arms clearly has a formidable team of pastry chefs.
Desserts vary in price either side of seven pounds.
The service was both efficient and very friendly - the wine waiter was young, enthusiastic and very French. A glass of the noble rotted Chateau Liot 1989 Stg 6.00, was a perfect match for the darkly caramelised tatin. The wine list is just about adequate to match the quality and variety of the cuisine. It's rather safe and didn't seem to me to reflect the personal interests or enthusiasms of a really keen cellar-builder. Country house hotels can be rather overbearing and oppressive, with manners that seem a bit put on and affected.