The Ilex brasserie, Holker Hall

May is surely the loveliest month of the year. It is a month of new beginnings, with Mother Nature putting on a spectacular show. 

The bluebell woods around the area are poetically beautiful at the moment, blossom abounds and everywhere trees are coming gloriously into leaf. 

Where better to head at such a pretty time of year than to one of the most beautiful gardens in the area: Holker Hall.

 I set off last Thursday to have a stroll around and marvel at the magnolias - but I got waylaid entirely by one of Holker's hitherto less well-known trees: the Ilex. 

Ilex trees overlook the lovely courtyard at Holker - and it is the Ilex which gives its name to the new brasserie which has recently opened. 

The Ilex is a joint venture between the Holker Group, chaired by Lucy Cavendish, and upmarket catering company Rowley's, which among its many ventures also runs the catering at Cartmel racecourse. 

Formerly the Burlington Room, the Ilex takes up one wing of the courtyard complex. Inside, it is both large and cosy, elegant and unstuffy, smart and comfortable - and very inviting indeed. 

Pale pink walls and old white woodwork complement the furniture; and artwork by various members of the Cavendish family adorn the walls. It's all very restful and very chic. 

Table settings are very stylish, with fresh flowers from the estate. The only jarring note is the paper napkins (albeit very good quality ones). 

My friend and I shared some home-made chicken liver pate with red onion chutney, salad and artisan breads. The smooth pate was delicious and a really good texture. I particularly liked the smoked paprika butter which came with the bread (along with a plain butter). 

It was a very warm and sunny day, so for my main I chose dressed crab with devilled mayonnaise and dressed leaves for £13.95, while my companion went for minted shoulder of Cumbrian lamb with a pea, mint and potato purée, fondant carrots and mint gravy at £16.95. 

Both were excellent. The lamb fell from the bone and the potato purée was stunning (I dug in to both). 

My crab was light, tangy and delicious. A couple of soft boiled quails' eggs and perhaps some juicy tomatoes would have elevated the dish. We finished by sharing a chocolate plant pot, a quirky and pretty pud, with a chocolate pot shell containing a rich ganache, accompanied by chocolate soil, fresh raspberries and honeycomb. 

Something cold and creamy - or perhaps a sorbet - was all that was missing to make this decadent pud even more enjoyable. 

Service throughout was spot on, impressively so for a place open just a few weeks. The manager, a charming man called Tony, clearly knows what he is doing. 

We lingered over a glass of wine in the courtyard, and I left feeling delighted that the area has such a superb new place to eat. 

I was very impressed... so impressed, that I was back on Sunday, this time with my husband in tow. 

I wanted to see how the Ilex performed on a busy weekend. I also wanted to try out their Sunday roast, which a member of staff had told me was excellent when I had been there a few days earlier. 

The brasserie was buzzing - as all good brasseries should be - when we arrived a shade after 1pm. The Ilex has had what is known as a soft launch.

 So soft, that there is as yet no signage (it definitely needs some - and particularly from the roads outside Holker Hall); but word is clearly getting around of this lovely place to eat. 

Like me, Gordon loved the place. Busier than on the Thursday, it was just as inviting. Other diners we spoke to (we knew a chap from Ulverston) were full of praise - and it's no wonder. 

At my recommendation, Gordon tried the chicken liver pate and was as impressed as I had been. We both chose roast beef for mains at £12.95. Masses of succulent and pink beef, stunningly good roast potatoes, huge Yorkshires and lots of perfectly al dente veg. There were also generous helpings of horseradish and subtle gravy. 

It was all delicious, if a bit too much. The staff kindly wrapped the leftover meat up for us - giving our two dogs a very special treat upon our return. 

Gordon ordered a glass of house Merlot with his beef. When asked if he wanted a "one-seventy-five or two-fifty" glass, he went for the latter. "This wine's lovely," he declared as he quaffed. "And so cheap!" "Cheap?" I enquired. "Yes, it's only £2.50." 

I had to explain to the poor love that "two-fifty" referred to millilitres, not price. But he took it in good part - and ordered another glass of it anyway. 

We shared a lovely light lemon posset with home-made shortbread and popping candy for our pudding - and the bill came to a very reasonable £55.

 Everything about this place is impressive: the management and staff, the surroundings, the atmosphere and the food. It is seriously superb. The Ilex brasserie: so good, I reviewed it twice.

By LOUISE ALLONBY 

Food 5 

Service 5 

Atmosphere 5 

Value 5

Pros 

Beautiful decor and surroundings 

Excellent service 

Top notch food

Cons 

Needs road signage 

Loos are shared with the cafe 

Paper napkins