Dining out: The Lamp, High Street, Bridlington: Light up dreary winter evenings at The Lamp

At a passing glance this 
superb restaurant is easily overlooked as just another pub, which could be a dangerously regrettable presumption, if 
especially good food is what you seek.

The Lamp is a grade II listed building and, as such, you might expect a truly unique dining 
experience.

As we stepped off High Street for the restaurant’s cosy surroundings, my partner and I prepared to get comfortable in one of The Lamp’s two dining areas, the first of which you will see as you open the front door.

The second room is tucked away in the back and is narrower than the first.

The management have done well to make use of the admittedly limited space available to them, meaning the resulting
atmosphere is in no way cramped, but in fact, very homely.

Leading us through to the second dining room, our friendly waitress pointed out the 
specials board to us, which 
really took my fancy.

I was so tempted to go with the medallions of venison with black pudding mash, but instead opted for the belly pork from the normal menu.

And my partner, who is normally quite critical of vegetarian options offered by many restaurants, was actually very impressed by The Lamp’s. She committed herself to polenta cake, topped with goats cheese and balsamic syrup with honey roast root vegetables.

But we first decided to tease our palates with what was probably the very best fried brie I’ve ever tasted. The batter was incredibly light and thin, which made breaking through to the gooey centre less of a chore.

I washed it down with a pint of Birra Moretti, a versatile Italian lager which I chose from a range of other beers and ales including another personal favourite,Black Sheep.

The main courses arrived in good time and we were taken aback by the superb presentation of our food.

To accompany this came a dish of vegetables which were cooked to perfection. Carrots, potatoes, beetroot and green beans – crunchy, delicious and plentiful.

The belly pork was sat atop a bed of beautiful mashed potato and was encrusted with a devilishly indulgent crackling, all resting in a generous helping of onion gravy and topped with crisped parsnip shavings.

My co-diner also praised her dish and I was particularly impressed with the goats cheese which was strong but not overpowering.

Having eaten everything on our plates I was surprised we were agreeing to look at the dessert menu.

I decided I still had room for the crème brûlée and my partner went for a melt-in-your- mouth chocolate mousse.

To sum up, our venture to The Lamp was one I very much hope to repeat again.

It stands out in Bridlington in terms of service, location, and, ultimately, food. You will be hard pressed to find anywhere else that offers this standard of hospitality and cuisine.

It certainly isn’t the cheapest, but you get plenty for your money – perfect for capping off a day in Bridlington’s historic Old Town.

OVERALL RATING: 9