Gentleman's Afternoon Tea at One88

Bury New Road, Whitefield

If you know me well enough, by now you’ll know how much I love afternoon tea. It’s one of life’s most glorious indulgences.

Whether you like it or not, we’re all familiar with the concept. It’s a decadent selection of finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and an array of sweet treats, ranging from sponge cakes and cheesecakes to trifles and mille-feuille.

However, as with anything in 2019, afternoon tea is evolving. Last weekend, I tried a unique and utterly brilliant twist on the traditional mid-afternoon meal, a so-called ‘Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea’. Whilst I appreciate that, in these PC-obsessed times, certain people are going to take issue with the name, you certainly can’t take issue with the contents.

It’s a brilliant way of encouraging the male species to indulge in this past-time. For reasons I’ll never be able to fathom, many men simply don’t ‘get’ cake. I know – baffling! So, One88 have done away with the fruit scones lathered with heaps of jam and dollops of clotted cream and replaced it with a selection of savoury alternatives.

You’ve still got your selection of sandwiches, with each one served on a different type of bread. We had mini bagels filled with egg mayonnaise, roast beef, onion and horseradish wraps and smoked ham on soft white bloomer bread.

The other savouries were essentially a trio of bar snacks: there was a bucket of fish goujons, a sausage roll and two triangular slices of pork pie.

I love a pork pie, but when I think of them I envisage the minis you buy from a supermarket, with hard, crumbly pastry filled with artificial meat. You need a pint of liquid just to digest them. These were nothing of the sort. The pastry was soft, the meat was recognisably tasty pork and there wasn’t too much gelatine – although, I’ll be perfectly honest, I love the jelly interior. 

With two slices of pork pie, two halves of a sausage roll and three giant fish goujons, you certainly got your money’s worth and, if you’re not a sweet-toothed fiend, it’s the perfect afternoon tea for you.

That’s not to say that the sweet side wasn’t impressive. There was still more than enough to balance out the carb-heavy savoury courses. We were presented with two different cakes: a chocolate fudge brownie and a traditional cherry and almond bakewell tart. There were not one but two slices of each of the cakes, which, combined, were certainly more than a single dessert’s worth. Of all the cakes I have tried at One88, these were definitely the nicest of the lot. The rich chocolate brownie with its gooey fudge topping balanced out the lighter, more refreshing raspberry jam and almond flavour of the bakewell tart perfectly.

Gentleman's Afternoon Tea

If you think of an afternoon tea to be a light mid-afternoon treat, then this is the one to prove you wrong.  It’s priced at £20 per person, including a bottle of beer and a pot of tea, it’s superb value for money as you’ll leave feeling full to the brim. I’m a tea-totaller, so I asked if I could have two lots of tea rather than a bottle of beer. The staff were happy to oblige, so there’s no reason why you couldn’t swap the alcohol for a soft-drink.

One88’s Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea is one of the best I’ve ever had. I actually preferred to their traditional version. The first time I had the traditional afternoon tea, we were astounded by the quantity of the food, but when we returned for a second time, there was significantly less of it, which was slightly disappointing. I hope they maintain their high standards with the Gentleman’s version and don’t start scrimping.

If you’d like to introduce, or convert, the men in your life to the joys of afternoon tea, this is certainly the way to do it.

Advance booking is required.

http://www.one88whitefield.co.uk/

mgfoodie@gmail.com

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 27 May 2019

"Accidentally consumed five biscuits when I wasn't paying attention. Those biscuits are wily fellows - they leap in like sugary ninjas." 

Charles Dickens

The Oast House

The Avenue Courtyard, Spinningfields, Crown Square, Manchester

In the very heart of Manchester’s Spinngfields, the city centre’s premiere dining and drinking district, is an alpine lodge with a rustic, wintery ski-house feel. With wooden beams adorning the ceilings, long, sprawling outdoor seating and a wood-fired oven in an al fresco kitchen, The Oast House is a curiously unique venue which plays host to weekly live music whilst serving international cuisine and an extensive cocktail menu.

When we arrived at 1:30pm on a mild but grey spring Saturday afternoon, the outdoor seating was only about half-full, but we struggled to find a seat inside. There’s a few long picnic-bench style seats and half a dozen bar-style tables. It’s designed for social eating and drinking and if you’re a couple, you’ll have to be prepared to share your personal space.

Bookings are only accepted for parties of six or more. Two of the long benches were reserved from 2:15pm onwards, which made trying to find a seat stressful. Luckily, we nabbed a table next to the bar from a leaving party, and once sat down we were able to relax and soak up the bustling vibe.

Food is ordered at the bar, so it’s a good idea to make sure you all order at the same time, or you risk your food arriving separately. There’s loads of choice, from international ‘house classics’ such as burgers, steaks and fish and chips to rotisserie meats and the hanging kebabs, for which The Oast House is most famous.

As we weren’t sure how long we were going to have at our table when we ordered, we skipped starters, which was a pity as they have a fine selection of delicious-sounding nibbles, including scotch eggs, duck rillettes and Vietnamese vegetable rolls.  

Hanging kebabs don’t generally appeal to me, as I’m not mad about eating chunks of dry meat. I opted for the tandoori cod and king prawn hanging kebab. There were alternating pieces of cod and king prawn, layered on the skewer with red peppers and courgettes, with a refreshing mango chutney dressing which was poured down the kebab from the top, allowing it to trickle down the seafood and vegetables. It was supposed to be served with pilau rice, but I asked to swap this for the ‘properly seasoned chips’ which accompany all the other kebabs, as they sounded a little more appealing and, let’s be honest, a little more naughty. I’m really glad I did, as they were very flavoursome and tasted scrumptious with the drips of the chutney sauce. Thankfully, the barman was very accommodating.

Tandoori Cod and King Prawn Hanging Kebab

One of my companions had a chicken mayonnaise club sandwich: your typical chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomato triple decker, served with chips. It looked delicious and full of filling, but she was understandably disappointed that it was served cold. Given that the bread was toasted, it seems rather odd for the chicken and bacon to be cold.

Chicken Mayonnaise Club Sandwich

My other friend had ‘tribal ale battered fish and chips’, with mushy peas and tartare sauce. There’s nothing more enjoyable than a really good quality fish and chips, and I can vouch for the fact that the mushy peas were delicious, with a perfect texture.  

Tribal Ale Battered Fish and Chips

There isn’t loads of choice when it comes to desserts, but I think that’s the nature of The Oast House: it’s all about supping drinks and nibbling casual food so people don’t tend to bother. That said, the three choices that they have all sound equally excellent.

Salted Caramel Cookie Dough: four words on which I am immediately sold. I don’t need to consider anything else. I did hesitate, though, because my friends didn’t want a dessert, so for a few short seconds I questioned whether I should bother. Thankfully, my senses drove me in the right direction, as I would have been foolish to miss this.

It was some of the best cookie dough I’ve ever experienced. It was baked to perfection, without the hard, crunchy edges sticking to the ceramic pan, perfectly soft all the way through without the sticky, cloying texture. So soft it was almost like a cake, it wasn’t overly sweet and sickly either. Served straight from the oven, a scoop of salted caramel ice cream melted all over the piping hot dough and the drizzle of toffee sauce finished it off ever so nicely.

Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Considering it was so busy, the service was fast and the staff were attentive. Even the queues at the bar dissipated quickly. Sadly, I didn’t catch the name of the bar man with whom I placed my order. Not only did he allow me to swap my rice for fries on my main course, he swapped our orders over to another table when we decided to move and hunted for a bottle of still mineral water when supplies behind the bar had run out.

The Oast House is a venue packed with character and full of ambience, although once the live music begins in the afternoon, it gets a little loud. It’s the highest quality of hearty pub grub with vegetarian, vegan and dairy free options. Roast dinners are plated up every Sunday and there’s a brunch menu too, as well as an extensive beer and cocktail menu.

The Oast House could be the perfect place to spend your bank holiday weekend. On Sunday 26 May, the venue plays host to Spin Fest: an outdoor music festival celebrating everything that our glorious city has to offer. Acts playing include The Blooms, The Different Lights and Charlie L. It all starts at 1:00pm and tickets are free.

https://www.theoasthouse.uk.com/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 20 May 2019

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

Henry James

American author

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 13 May 2019

"In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips."

Anon

Kala

King Street, Manchester

Kala is the latest addition to Manchester’s King Street, the smart dining hot spot which is already home to the likes of Browns, Jamie’s Italian and Rio Ferdinand’s opulent Rosso.

It’s the latest in a string of establishments from Gary Usher. An experienced chef and restaurateur, his empire already includes Sticky Walnut in Chester, Burnt Truffle in Heswall and Hipsi in Didsbury.

Gary hasn’t done it alone. Kala has been, in part, funded by its customers, as Gary used crowdfunding to get this restaurant off the ground. It’s a risky strategy that clearly paid off, as a record-breaking £100,000 was raised in just 11 hours. It might not be the most conventional method, but Gary admits that it was necessary after his business brain let him down and he muddled up his figures. By selling meal vouchers to future customers upfront, as well as tickets to a special launch dinner cooked by TV chef Tom Kerridge, he raised the cash to open up the sixth of his string of North West bistros.

The cash has been used to transform the old Whistles shop unit into a modern and stylish all-day eatery, with a bar on ground level and the restaurant above, on a mezzanine, accessed by an immaculately polished marble staircase. The interior is an intriguing mix of casual and formal. The wooden tables and chairs don’t suit the ambience or the price range. It’s almost unsure as to what it’s aiming to be.

The a la carte menu will set you back a bit, with the majority of the main courses between £20 and £30. However, they have a set price menu, served for lunch between 12:00 and 2:30pm and as an ‘early dinner’ between 6:00pm and 7:00pm throughout the week. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy two courses for £20 or three for £23. There’s a selection of slightly tweaked versions of starters, main courses and desserts plucked from the a la carte menu.

For starters, I had chicken liver pate with rhubarb and cider chutney, served with toasted milk loaf. The pate was deliciously smooth and creamy without being overly rich, whilst the chutney was sweet and sharp. The toasted milk loaf was very nice too. There was a decent amount of pate and chutney, but the plate looked rather bland and boring. A side salad wouldn’t have gone amiss, even if it was just a few leaves of rocket or bistro lettuce. Presentation definitely needs to be improved.

Chicken Liver Pate

 My main course was a torched sea bream fillet served with shredded red cabbage mixed with mango and macadamia nuts and a dollop of tangy BBQ sauce. There were three small pieces of deliciously meaty, juicy fish, but there wasn’t very much of it. The red cabbage was a delightful accompaniment. It was very strong and pungent in flavour, with the sweetness of the mango complementing the pickled red cabbage very well, with added crunch from the macadamia nuts. I loved all three elements of the dish, but it was a strange combination of intense flavours which didn’t particularly blend together naturally. Still, they were delicious all the same.

Torched Sea Bream Fillet

Given the size of the portions, side dishes are definitely required. I ordered some parmesan and truffle chips, which were out of this world. Seven chunky chips were £4 extra, but I could quite easily have eaten a bowl to myself.

Parmesan and Truffle Chips

Don’t expect to be full after your main course, you’ll definitely have room for dessert, which is lucky, as my pudding was one of the best I’ve ever tasted. I had Yorkshire parkin with salted caramel sauce and Chantilly cream. I absolutely adore parkin. The sticky, spicy, warming cake is traditionally eaten around Bonfire Night and is the perfect autumnal accompaniment to a cup of tea. I’ve never seen it on a dessert menu in a restaurant before, so Kala have well and truly set the standard. It was oaty, it was gingery, slightly spicy, not too stodgy and not overly sweet: the perfect parkin. The salted caramel sauce added sweet to the spice. I savoured every mouthful of these amazing flavours and textures. I would have preferred a scoop of ice cream, rather than Chantilly cream, as I like the idea of the ice cream melting over the warm pudding and into the salted caramel sauce. It was a close call, but I think it was my favourite of the three courses.

Yorkshire Parkin

Following several soft launch events, Kala had opened to the public just six days previous to my visit, on 1 May. I’d made a reservation, thinking we’d be fighting for tables, but I was surprised to see there were vacancies whilst we were in there. The service was rather slow, with lengthy waits between each course, although the staff were friendly. Given that the bistro is in its infancy, the restaurant may still be finding its feet. There’s still time for the teething problems to be ironed out.

Delicious food it may be, but if I returned I’d definitely stick to the set price lunch menu, as I don’t think the portion sizes can justify the a la carte prices.

Breakfast and Sunday Lunch are also served. If you’re after something a little more casual, there’s a separate bar menu, offering a range of snacks and lunch time bites.

Website: https://www.kalabistro.co.uk/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Tuesday 7 May 2019

"Your date is better in your pie and your porridge than in your cheek."

William Shakespeare