The Pavilion Bistro

Elbut Lane, Birtle, Bury

Situated in the Lancastrian countryside village of Birtle is The Pavilion Bistro, a refined restaurant and bar which serves traditional British cuisine with a contemporary twist. Set amongst stunning scenery, The Pavilion is situated in its own picturesque grounds, which feature a waterfall and a seven acre lake, ideal for a tranquil walk before or after your meal. There’s also a bowling green which you can gaze across from the outdoor dining terrace.

Inside, the restaurant’s centre piece is a tree adorned with miniature gin bottles and cocktail glasses, hanging from the leaves in the way that baubles fill a Christmas tree. It’s sophisticated yet casual, formal yet unpretentious.

The Pavilion’s ethos is focused around seasonal, home-cooked fare produced by traditional methods of cooking. Seasonal, local produce make up the majority of the extensive menu. Breakfast is served from 10am until noon and thereafter there are complete daytime and evening menus. There’s also a Blackboard menu, which changes monthly, offering two courses for £16 or three for £18 at certain times on certain days.

The Blackboard menu is well worth doing, especially on a Sunday when you can have a roast dinner for your main course, but I was fancying something lighter this particular lunchtime. The regular daytime menu features hot and cold sandwiches, salads and a few comfort favourites including fish and chips, cheese and onion pie and steak frites.

I had the Cheese Savoury Sandwich. I know, I thought it might be a little bit boring too. Thankfully, it wasn’t. It was grated smoked applewood cheese mixed with mayonnaise, diced red pepper, diced red onion and cucumber served on six fingers of brown bread (or white, the choice is there).

Grated cheese is far superior to slices on a sandwich; it seems to alter both the taste and the texture completely, making it far easier to digest. The onions, peppers and cucumber added a satisfying crunch. I didn’t think I could enjoy something as basic as a cheese sandwich so much, proving that that lunch doesn’t need to be fancy in order for it to be enjoyable. It was served with a bowl of fries, making it complete, although the limp salad could have been livened up a bit more. Served on a long wooden board with a gingham paper napkin, it looked like a mini picnic and was a quirk which suited the venue.

Cheese Savoury Sandwich

My dining companion had the cod fillet sandwich: two big pieces of ‘freshly caught Atlantic cod’, battered, with homemade tartar sauce in a brioche bun. It too was accompanied by a bowl of fries and some extra tartar sauce because, let’s be honest, you can never have too much, can you? There was an impressive amount of fish and the batter was delightfully crispy, although I think the bun could have done with a bit of lettuce on it.

Warm Fillet of Cod Sandwich

Desserts are written on the specials board, so must change regularly. There was a fine selection, including a couple that had been supplied by Whitefield-based patisserie, Slattery’s. I had honey comb cheesecake, an individual no-bake cheesecake (the superior form) topped with chocolate and honey comb malt balls with swirls of caramel running through the middle of it - tasty, light and just enough. Although I’m not sure it was worth £6, given that I’d only paid £8 for my generous sandwich and fries.

Honeycomb Cheesecake

I can’t complain about the service being slow, but it wasn’t the fastest either. We weren’t in a rush, so it didn’t matter, but I was glad we were at dessert stage before the big party at the next table came in, as the acoustics don’t lend themselves way to a huddle of noisy children.

Still, I was thoroughly impressed with the food and, overall, the atmosphere. I spotted a couple of tables behind us being laid for afternoon tea, complete with draping table cloths and champagne glasses. The afternoon tea menu looks promising, so I’m planning to return later in the year to give it a go.

Debbie Higgins, the Bistro Manager at the Pavillion, claims ‘we feel we have got the balance right with casual dining that is not ‘overly-dressed’ to camouflage quality; instead, we rely on our dishes to speak for themselves, neatly presented in comfortable surroundings’. Mission is most definitely accomplished. I look forward to returning to The Pavilion in the future to dine from a different menu in a different style.

All menus are available at: http://www.pavilionrestaurant.co.uk/index.html

Owen's Restaurant and Bar

Railway Street, Ramsbottom

Owen’s Restaurant and Bar is an elegant and modern restaurant in the charming market town of Ramsbottom. Situated on the aptly named Railway Street, it overlooks the old train station, where you can hop on and off the East Lancashire Railway.

Owen’s has been on my dining wish list for a very long time. I’ve heard nothing but favourable reports about the place. So, once we’d organised a trip on the East Lancs, there was only one thing I knew I had to do once I arrived in Ramsbottom.

On a Thursday lunchtime, we hadn’t booked and we arrived just in the nick of time, nabbing the last table, though there were more spaces available in the bar, where you can also dine, should you wish to. The restaurant has a very modern feel to it, with silvery grey furnishings and comfortable, spacious tables.

By day, they have a lunch menu, which offers three courses for £13.95, which is good value but your choices are very limited. I feel it doesn’t fairly represent the kind of food on offer, so I decided to stick with the a la carte. I love a set price menu as much as the next person, but if it doesn’t offer what you fancy then it’s false economy.

We ordered two starters and had a dip into each. Firstly, we had the pan-fried garlic mushrooms with bacon and stilton cheese. Garlic mushrooms are my go-to when they appear on any menu. They’re one of my all-time favourite starters. For me, you just can’t go wrong with them. That said, some are always better than others, and these were spectacular. They were creamy, cheesy and the crispy bacon really added depth in terms of both flavour and texture. Plus, they were served with warm bread and butter, so you could mop up all the sauce.

Garlic and Stilton Mushrooms

Our other starter was from this month’s specials board: cheese and bacon potato croquettes with garlic mayonnaise. Three huge croquettes, oozing with melted cheese and pieces of bacon were nestled on top of peaked garlic mayonnaise. It was a case of garlic overload, although, in my humble opinion, there’s no such thing as too much garlic.

Cheese and Bacon Croquettes

Appetite well and truly whetted, the starters set us up for a hearty main course of vegetable stroganoff. Stroganoff is not something I’ve eaten loads of, and previously I’ve only ever had it with meat. During the festive season, we frequently use up the leftover turkey in a stroganoff, but beef is the meat traditionally used.

Here, you can add chicken to the vegetable version, but it’s certainly not necessary, as the combination of onions, mushrooms, courgettes, peppers and gherkins in a mushroom and sour cream sauce makes for a truly scrumptious dish. It’s served with a neat little heap of rice and a handful of home-cooked chunky chips. Rice is the more traditional accompaniment, but who could turn their nose up at some proper chips? It can only be a bonus.

Vegetable Stroganoff

My mum has dined at Owen’s on a number of occasions and has so frequently spoken about their Bakewell Tart that it’s become the stuff of legend in our household. Having sampled the goods, for research purposes, obviously, I can confirm that this was, indeed, the king of all bakewell tarts. A soft, pastry base topped with a thick layer of zingy raspberry jam and moist almond sponge, sprinkled with almonds and served with a jug of warm custard, it was the perfect pudding. Despite being full, I certainly need to think twice about squeezing down every single mouthful.

Bakewell Tart

Bakewell Tart

Owen’s proves that you don’t need to be a fancy gastropub to excel at honest English cuisine. There’s nothing more satisfying than top quality, home-cooked food, served up in generous portions at reasonable prices. The staff are friendly and attentive, the service is fast and the atmosphere is relaxed and sophisticated. Owen’s is one of my new favourites.

Website: http://www.owensramsbottom.co.uk/Owens/Welcome_to_Owens.html

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 27 August 2018

"A human being is primarily a bag for putting food into." 

George Orwell

Manchester City Centre Cruises

This weekend, we celebrated my Grandma’s birthday onboard Emmeline Pankhurst, sailing along the Manchester Ship Canal on a delightful city centre cruise. A three-hour round trip, departing from Castlefield and sailing to MediaCity and back again, this unique experience is a must for all fellow foodies and culture vultures.

After all, what could possibly be more enjoyable on a Sunday afternoon than a relaxing jaunt along a historic canal, taking in the magnificent Mancunion sights whilst learning all about the history of the docks and eating a delicious roast dinner?

Onboard Emmeline Pankhurst

This ingenious experience comes courtesy of a family run business, City Centre Cruises, which has been around for over thirty years. Christened after two of the city’s most recognisable figures, there are two barges, Emmeline Pankhurst and L.S. Lowry. Pankhurst was the leader of the suffragette movement, who famously fought for the woman’s right to vote. L.S. Lowry was an artist whose work depicted the industrial districts of the North West in the 20^th century.

On a rather dreary Sunday afternoon, we boarded Emmeline Pankhurst at Castlefield docks, in the heart of Roman Manchester, before setting sail along the Bridgewater Canal towards Pomona Loch.

As a child, I spent hours in front of the box watching Rosie & Jim chugging along on the old rag doll. I remember being fascinated watching John, the then owner of the canal boat, sailing into a lock and letting the water gush through the huge iron gates to raise the level. Having watched this incredibly precise operation performed many times, I’m thrilled I was actually sat onboard as we dropped 14 feet in the loch, before encroaching onto the Manchester Ship Canal for the remainder of the journey.

A 360 degree sail around Salford Quays was a particular highlight, slab bang in the middle of the journey, taking in the BBC and ITV hubs, as well as the Imperial War Museum and Old Trafford Football Stadium.

Whilst enjoying the scenery and the not-too-intense onboard commentary from the captain, you are served a delicious three-course Sunday lunch at nicely paced intervals. It was vegetable soup to start, accompanied by a hot, buttered bread roll, followed by a traditional roast beef dinner with all the trimmings. It was certainly a generous feast, with two hefty, crispy roast potatoes and two beautifully seasoned boiled spuds, along with carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Dessert was a slice of apple and black cherry crumble served with custard.

Vegetable Soup

Traditional Roast Beef Dinner

Apple and Black Cherry Crumble

Quite how they manage to prepare meals of this scale in the small galley kitchen at the back of the barge is unbelievable, but the hard-working staff have got it off to a fine art, all timed to the second, with nobody left waiting for their food.

The whole experience was just £32.95, exceptionally good value for a three hour boat trip and a three course meal, including tea and coffee to finish off (£14.95 for children). Drinks, of course, are not included, but the on-board bar offers a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and is very reasonably priced - £1.50 for a bottle of still mineral water is unheard of.

There’s also an afternoon tea alternative (£25.95) and an evening version (£34.95), which is adults only. The boats can also be used as transport to Old Trafford Football Stadium for MUFC home games, and if you’re throwing a party, you can even hire out the vessel to host your own private bash.

The Manchester Canal Cruises are a truly unique experience which will certainly make a special occasion memorable.

Give it a go, it’s a cracking day out.

For more information, visit: https://www.citycentrecruises.com/

Caffe Grande by Piccolino

Clarence Street, Manchester

Caffe Grande by Piccolino is renowned for being one of Manchester’s finest Italian restaurants. Located on the cusp of Albert Square, which at Christmas time is the very centre of the hustle and bustle, it’s housed inside a Victorian listed building. The charm of this decadent building adds to the opulence of the restaurant, which is grand and captivating from the moment you walk in.

The interior design features the best of both worlds: Carrara and Nero marbles imported from Italy alongside English oak and antique brass. Oversized chandeliers hang from the tall ceilings all the way down to shoulder height and the seats are all blue leather, a colour inspired by the Italian yacht Riva. The history and character oozes out of every nook and cranny.

Piccolino is built around the concept of all day, everyday dining. There’s a cocktail bar, a juice bar, a wine boutique, a grill, a pizzeria, an oyster and caviar bar and a food hall inspired by Harrods. I clocked several of the different stations on my way through to the table, with the dessert counter particularly catching my eye (surprise, surprise).

On 1:30pm on a Saturday afternoon, with several other restaurants nearby looking quiet to half-full, Piccolino was absolutely heaving. In fact, our table, which, luckily, we’d pre-booked, was the only one free when we arrived. It helps to reassure you that you’ve made a good choice before you’ve even sat down.

There’s a menu for all times of the day, but we chose to dine from the lunch and early evening menu, which available between 12 noon and 6pm, Monday to Saturday. You can have one course for £12.75, two for £17.75 and three for £22.75. There’s a choice of six starters, eight main courses and four desserts.

To start, I had Bruschetta Con Gamberoni: four deliciously juicy king prawns delicately sat on top of toasted ciabatta and drizzled in a chilli and lemon sauce. The prawns were perfect and the ciabatta was just the right level of tasty. It felt like a real luxury starter.

Bruschetta Con Gamberoni

For main course, I chose the mushroom risotto, a bit of a wildcard for myself. Risotto is something I’ve never ordered in a restaurant before. I’ve always considered it to be quite bland and boring, yearning for something a little bit more exciting than a bowl of rice. I’m pleased to confirm that this dish proved me wrong. The rice was neither stodgy nor sticky and the sauce was very flavoursome, full of mushroom and complemented beautifully with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. It went a lot further than it looked like it would too. Plus, it wasn’t too heavy, so made for the perfect lunchtime dish.

Risotto Funghi

This is one of the lunch menus the city centre has to offer. The quality of the food is exquisite and the quantity is just right. You’re more than satisfied but you don’t come away feeling stuffed.

Desserts usually let the side down on a set menu, but not here. The choice isn’t as vast as for the first two courses, but there’s still more than enough to satisfy everyone’s palate. It was a tough call. In my mind’s eye was the Tortino Al Cioccolato, whose description sounded as luscious as its title: a warm chocolate fondant stuffed with chocolate truffles and topped with salted caramel ice cream. However, I wasn’t in the mood for anything overly rich, so the Crostata Di Mele won the race: baked apple and almond tart with vanilla ice cream.

Crostata Di Mele

This magnificently hefty piece of cake was a light and fluffy almond sponge layered with apple conserve and topped with a blanket of toasted almonds. Served just the right side of warm with a slab of Italian vanilla ice cream, it was a stunning end to a stunning meal.

Grand Caffe by Piccolino has well and truly earned its reputation as one of the best restaurants in Manchester. It’s the highest end of Italian cuisine served up by attentive staff in decadent surroundings with a lively atmosphere.

It seems there’s a holy trio of Italian restaurants in Manchester. Alongside San Carlo and Rosso, I’ve now discovered, sits Piccolino.

Note that Piccolino is part of the Individual Restaurants group, who also own Gino’s and Restaurant Bar & Grill. If you sign up to the Club Individual, you can build up points across the three city centre restaurants to deduct from future bills. It’s worth a go.

All menus available at: http://individualrestaurants.com/piccolino/manchester/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 20 August 2018

"There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American philosopher and poet

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 13 August 2018

"A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something which Brussels sprouts never do." 

P.J. O'Rourke

American political satirist and journalist

Anatolian Grill

Bury New Road, Prestwich

Anatolian Grill is a modern Turkish restaurant and wine bar in Prestwich Village, where there’s a whole plethora of cuisines within walking distance. I last visited the restaurant three years ago in its former guise of Turquoise. Except for a lick of paint, nothing much has changed, although that’s not a bad thing.

It’s a modern, spacious restaurant which, when you walk in on a sunny Saturday afternoon, immediately makes you feel like you’re on holiday abroad. The interior has a fresh lime-green and grey-blue colour scheme, with comfortable booth seating and foliage across the ceiling. There’s an incredibly delectable dessert counter next to the bar which cleverly gets your mouth watering as you mooch passed it on the way to your table. The Mezze Bar, the first of its kind in the North West, stocks a line up of boutique Turkish wines which the staff will match to your choice of food, alongside the usual beers and cocktails.

The a la carte menu features a wide range of traditional Turkish dishes, all freshly prepared on site. There are also plenty of deals to entice you in, with a two course set menu available everyday at variable prices, from £9.95 on weekdays to £14.95 on a Saturday evening, which is superb value. There’s more than enough choice, too, including plenty of vegetarian options.

To start, I had the Mini Mezze, which was a selection of dips, all of which are available to order individually from the main menu, tailored to a perfectly sized portion for one. The very colourful and deliciously tasty plate included lots of traditional favourites and was a light, satisfying starter. There was hummus, a favourite which needs no explanation; tablue, which is cracked wheat with chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, cucumber and parsley; cacik – yoghurt with cucumber and garlic; spinach with yoghurt and garlic, aubergine salad with peppers and tomatoes; and Kolezeme, which featured aubergines, okra, green olive paste, chilli, garlic and olive oil. Topped off with stuffed vine leaves and an olive and served with warm pita bread, there was plenty of dipping involved and it made for a healthy yet fulfilling starter. Most of the mezze dishes were new to me, so this was a wonderful opportunity to try a little bit of everything.

Mini Mezze

For main course, the set price menu offers chicken, lamb, sea bass, chicken and vegetable casseroles and even a donner kebab! I had the musakka, which I always thought was Greek, but I’ve since learned that there are actually a number of interpretations of this roasted vegetable dish. The Greek version is arranged in layers, similar in style to lasagne, and whilst it is aubergine based, often contains meat and eggplant. A Turkish musakka is not layered, and instead is traditionally served up with salad and rice.

Musakka

At Anatolian Grill, the musakka was made up of aubergines, courgettes, potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and peppers – a concoction of colours and a plethora of textures – topped with creamy Béchamel sauce. It was served with a small mound of rice and a nice little, if somewhat basic, side salad. It wasn’t served piping hot, either, which made a change. Normally, oven-baked dishes of this nature are served scorching, meaning you have to leave the rest of your party to eat their meals whilst you sit desperately waiting for yours to cool down so you can sample it without tearing the skin off the roof of your mouth.

Musakka

The portions are generous enough for you to get your money’s worth out of the set-price menu. If dining a la carte, however, my musakka alone wouldn’t have been much cheaper than the two courses put together, so I might want a little bit more in that case.

I was definitely satisfied after my two courses, but when there’s Baklava on offer, it’d be silly to turn it down. Again, I thought this dessert was more at home in Greece, however, as with musakka, there are many different interpretations. It actually originated in Istanbul, but in Turkey is traditionally made with pistachios, almonds and walnuts between several layers of filo pastry. Held together with honey, it’s sweet, stodgy and sticky – what’s not to love? You don’t need a lot of it. The menu states that a small slice goes a long way with a cup of coffee, but it’s even better served up with cream and ice cream. It was a delightfully gooey way to end a delicious meal. It was all going so well until this point. Turkish cuisine is, on the whole, quite healthy, but I couldn’t help giving in.

Baklava

Turkish cuisine is generally light and quite healthy, ideal for the weather in this eternally hot summer. The staff were friendly and accommodating; I asked for some extra pita bread to mop up the remnants of my starter and they were happy to oblige, and the service was quick and efficient.

Anatolian Grill is a perfectly pleasant restaurant with multi-purpose dining options. In addition to their two-course offer, they do a lunch menu where you can dine on a wrap or something similar with chips, salad and a drink for just £9.95. Who doesn’t love a bargain?

All the menus are available to view online at:

https://www.anatoliangrill.co.uk/eat

The Botanist

Deansgate, Manchester

The Botanist is a ‘horticultural hideaway’ neatly packed in among the hustle and bustle of Deansgate, one of Manchester city centre’s busiest streets and a hubbub of both nightlife and daytime drinking.

This ‘secret garden’ garden themed restaurant is deliciously quaint and primitive, with pastoral decor, rustic wooden tables and chairs and antiques hanging from the walls. Popping in for a bite to eat after watching the superb Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, the white washed walls and duck egg blue colour scheme was a serendipitous continuation of the party atmosphere in the Greek taverna. 

There’s a cosy, indoor conservatory housing the restaurant, separating it from the main ‘garden’, which is ten-deep at the bar on this particular Saturday teatime. There are probably only about a dozen tables and we were lucky enough to grab the last available one, although there’s a pretty fast turnaround as people disappear into the bar to sink a few cocktails after lining their stomachs.

The Botanist has a varied menu, with something to suit all tastes and occasions: bar nibbles, sharing deli boards, salads, pies, burgers, steaks and the hanging kebabs for which they are possibly the most well-known.

Although we skipped starters, there are plenty of options which I like the sound of, including the Cumberland scotch egg, curried houmous and creamy garlic mushrooms.

Although the hanging kebabs are beautifully presented and always look impressive, a plateful of dry meat just doesn’t appeal to me. Without sauce for pouring over the components, or at least for dipping, the mastication becomes a bit of a chore. 

Falafel & Halloumi Hanging Kebab

Instead, I opted for the flat iron steak sandwich. I was asked whether I’d prefer the steak ‘cooked through’ or ‘medium’, which is unusual when it’s being served up on a sandwich, so I was grateful for the choice.

I’m not a massive steak eater so I don’t have an overwhelming preference, but I chose medium. It was rather pink, not what I’d call medium, but I’m no expert. The colour was irrelevant, as it was deliciously juicy and wasn’t tough or chewy, which I’ve often found makes a steak sandwich difficult to eat.

It was complimented by whipped garlic goats cheese, fried onion and salad, all served on a ciabatta bun, making for a very tasty bite. The whipped garlic goats cheese was an innovative idea, adding flavour and moisture to the sandwich without being overpowering. It was accompanied by ‘properly seasoned chips’, which lived up to their description, and rotisserie gravy for dipping. Who doesn’t love gravy? I didn’t leave a drop.

Flat Iron Steak Sandwich with Rotisserie Gravy

There was an interesting selection of desserts, including peanut and chocolate brownie cake, homemade banana doughnuts with a peanut milkshake and a chocolate and pineapple pot. For me, it had to be the chocolate chip cookie dough, baked to order in a rustic ceramic pan and served up with a dollop of salted caramel ice cream, drizzled in toffee sauce. It was gooey and tasty; the ice cream cutting through the stickiness, but it wasn’t the best cookie dough I’ve ever had. The top was nice and crispy but underneath it was a little bit spongy, lacking in crunch.

Baked Cookie Dough with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

When we were ready to the pay the bill at 18:30 on Saturday evening, for most, the night was in its infancy. The Botanist already had a real party vibe going on, with a brilliant selection of toe-tapping tunes blasting out on the other side of the glass as we sat in the orangery.

You could really make a night of it at The Botanist, for it has it all: food, cocktails and the soundtrack. The food was nothing extraordinary, but was very nice all the same, and I couldn’t fault the service.

The Botanist is ideal for cocktails and quality comfort food.

View the menu online: http://thebotanist.uk.com/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 6 August 2018

"Hangry: a state of anger caused by the lack of food; hunger causing a negative change in emotional state."

Anon