PuddleDucks Tea Rooms - A Tasteem Review

The wonderfully named PuddleDucks is in the quiet hamlet of Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire.

It’s one of those places that is usually deserted unless the sun is shining and then suddenly becomes insanely busy with tourists.

There’s little to do or see in Dunsop Bridge short of a river that flows through the village centre that is open to all including dogs.

That is generally our reason to visit, that and the peace and tranquillity.

There was some vintage car show or something going on during our visit and the owner of the vintage red escort (as viewed) took offence to me trying to park next to his mate with the green one.

Short of starting a fight and his bulbous corpulent wife refusing to budge, stanchly standing in the way with arms crossed we reluctantly moved our vehicle elsewhere.

This is no reflection on PuddleDucks which we had previously stopped at several years back.

I remember we had no cash, they didn't take cards due to them being in the back of beyond and had to pay with a direct bank transfer on trust.

Yes, parts of the UK are still like this, stuck in the nineties somewhere. This visit they had discovered the internet, debit cards, had progressed into the current century technology-wise and all was well and happy.

This is more like a coffee and cake stop-off but they have a few, what you would call basic meals.

The specials board revealed Cheese and Onion Pie which @bingbabe sprang upon at £7.95, while I opted for the Cornish Pastie with Beans at £4.95.

If this isn’t local food, then what is?

You can sit inside but as the weather was warm, we decided to sit out and reluctantly share our food with the local wasps.

They were particularly hassling that day, and I saw several people yelling screaming and flapping their hands around like maniacs.

When the food arrived it was worse, and it was a case of ingesting what you see quickly or get mauled by persistent flying yellow and black insects.

The Pastie and Beans was a little bland and so I asked for some sauce to spice things up and received the smallest portion in the world.

Credit to the owners, they handed me the bottle when I asked for some more.

That stuff on the Beans plate was some kind of chutney and helped a lot with the blandness. It filled a gap, but I would not order this dish again.

@bingbabe received her Pie with a plate full of salad.

This another of these, ‘no chips establishments’ which seem to be growing in popularity.

I think she enjoyed it but my taste of the Cheese Pie was not so positive. It was a little dry in my mind, with too much pastry and not enough filling.

The toilets are accessible, I mean very accessible but only if you turn left.

If you visit Dunsop Bridge there’s little choice when it comes to food. Besides the local pub (there’s always one per village), you would be out of luck if you are after a bite to eat.

I can’t wholeheartedly say PuddleDucks is a fine eatery with tasty food, but neither is it particularly bad.

Maybe I should have just stuck with the cakes, they looked decent.

---

Restaurant Information

PuddleDucks Tea Rooms

Dunsop Bridge, Clitheroe BB7 3BB, UK

---

PuddleDucks Tea Rooms - A Tasteem Review
This post participated in the Tasteem contest Local Dishes

What is Tasteem?