Slattery's

Bury New Road, Whitefield

Slattery’s Chocolatier and Patissier is an award-winning family business based in Whitefield. It’s the home of bespoke chocolates and decadent cakes, with their magnificent creations unrivalled and unbelievable. Stepping over their threshold is like entering Willy Wonka’s fairytale factory in real-life.

Chances are, if you asked anybody from Greater Manchester if they knew anything at all about the little village of Whitefield in the suburbs, the most likely response would be ‘Slattery’s’. People flock from far and wide to sample the delights of this enchanting emporium. From chocolate sculptures and delicious cakes to freshly baked bread, sandwiches and pastries, it’s a food-lover’s very own piece of paradise.  

Founded in 1967 and currently celebrating its 50^th year in business, Slattery’s is the baby of Bernard and Margaret Slattery. Their son, John, who began working for the family firm at the tender age of 14, is now the owner, and has the day-to-day running of ‘that wicked shop in Whitefield’, off to a fine art.

It’s so much more than a chocolate shop. Above the retail store is The Masons Dining Room, named after the pub that used to occupy the imposing manor-house style building before Slattery’s upsized in 2004. As a child, I used to hear talk of people dining at Slattery’s, thinking it was only something really posh people did. After all, it had a reputation for being posh and expensive. I finally got the opportunity in 2011 and ever since, I haven’t been able to keep away.

I take time out to go for lunch at Slattery’s as often as I possibly can, although given the overwhelming popularity of the place, it’s not as often as I would like. Last Friday, I had my annual catch up with an old school friend upstairs in The Masons. It oozes sophistication, with its ornate decor and self-playing piano tinkling the ivories, providing a relaxing soundtrack.

Upon my very first visit, one myth was immediately busted: it’s not at all expensive, given the exceptional quality of the food. The sandwiches are freshly prepared and elegantly presented. It’s not just sandwiches though, there’s plenty of hot food available, including jacket potatoes, loaded potato wedges and monthly specials.

The speciality sandwiches are always a treat. This time, I had the brie, bacon and tomato triple decker. It was served warm on toasted bread, filled with chunky bacon and melted brie oozing out of the sides. The bread was a little over-toasted for my liking, I would have preferred it a little softer, but it made little difference, as the sandwich was incredibly flavoursome and not at all dry. It was served with a handful of spiced potato wedges and a fresh and crispy side salad. Perfectly reasonably priced at £6.95, they turn their sandwiches into an entire meal, making for a deliciously satisfying lunch. 

Brie, Bacon and Tomato Triple Decker

Naturally, the most exciting part of lunch at Slattery’s is always the dessert. I’ve sampled so many delights over the years. A favourite of mine is the Wicked Chocolate Sampler - four mini chocolate cakes, served with pots of melted chocolate and cream for extra indulgence. It’s the ultimate treat, but you’d have to be a serious chocoholic to get through the whole thing, chocolate pots included. There’s also Mrs Slattery’s Cake Sampler: small squares of Victoria sponge, fruit cake, carrot cake and lemon drizzle, served with cream. If you can’t decide what you fancy, these platters provide the perfect opportunity to taste test everything that Slattery’s does best.

This time, however, I had to snap up the Easter special: a chocolate dippy egg, filled with vanilla cream cheese topped with an orange curd yolk, served with biscotti soldiers and a white chocolate spoon. Brilliantly creative and inventive, it was ultimately one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. This was the genius of Mr Slattery at its very best. 

Chocolate Dippy Egg

I think I may have squealed as it was placed in front of me. I’m not ashamed. It was physically impossible for me to contain my excitement. This magnificent creation looked so impressive on the plate, such was my reluctance to tuck in. The biscotti was delicious on its own, crunchy around the edges but soft inside, filled with dried fruit, perfectly shaped for dipping. The orange curd on the top was delightfully zingy, swirling into the runny vanilla filling as I plunged through with my first piece of biscotti. Alternating between eating the ‘white’ with the biscotti and licking it off the end of a spoon made entirely of chocolate, I was winning. My day couldn’t possibly get any better, so I thought.

It did. As I reached the halfway point and my melting spoon could no longer reach the filling, I knew I’d have to crack the egg in order to carry on. I screwed up my eyes, expecting it to be a rather messy experience. I was worried I’d lose half of it across the table, and quite frankly I wasn’t prepared to do this. Luckily, it went smoothly. The egg split perfectly in half, revealing that, sitting at the bottom of the milk chocolate shell was a layer of crushed biscuit. So basically the filling was like a runny cheesecake. Amazing. So lost in the moment, I almost forgot that I could actually eat the milk chocolate shell once I’d finished. It was sheer perfection; an ingenious creation, the kind of thing which makes Slattery’s so wonderfully unique. 

At less than £17, it’s not at all expensive and totally worth every penny. We were booked in at 11:45am, as it was one of the few reservations available around lunchtime. At 2:30pm, we got up to pay the bill. We’d had a leisurely lunch lasting almost three hours, and at no point did we feel like we were being rushed out, despite the fact that they’re always fully booked. The service is always impeccable, and nothing is too much trouble for the waiting staff.

Lunch in The Masons Dining Room is a very special experience. I can’t recommend it enough. Booking is essential. Given the monumental popularity of Slattery’s, I wouldn’t recommend turning up without having made a reservation, especially not during the busy lunch periods, as you’re likely to have your dreams shattered. If it’s a Saturday you’re after, you may have to wait a long while, as reservations fill up months in advance. However, it’ll be totally worth the wait.

Slattery’s is the jewel in Whitefield’s crown, glistening brighter than all the rest. If you don’t come away feeling absolutely stuffed and a little bit queasy, you’ve not had the Slattery’s experience.

The menu for The Masons Dining Room, alongside all the cakes available to order can be found at:
https://slattery.co.uk/

Miller & Carter Steakhouse

King Street, Manchester

Miller & Carter is renowned for being one of Manchester’s finest steak houses. Situated on King Street, surrounded by other upmarket restaurants including Rosso and Jamie’s Italian, it’s in a prime spot in the heart of the city centre, but away from the hustle and bustle of the shops.

At Miller & Carter, it’s all about the best of British and Irish beef. They pride themselves on serving only the most flavoursome cuts of meat, sourced from carefully selected cattle, reared on sustainable farms.

Inside, it’s a relaxing yet sophisticated affair, with maroon carpets on the floors and leather seating. You feel like you’re in a posh pub. There’s a theme of simple but well prepared running through Miller & Carter. There’s no pretentiousness, they’re not trying to be something they’re not.

I’ll be honest and confess that I’m not a huge fan of steak. I know this is a controversial opinion to come from the mouth of somebody who loves home-grown food as much as I do, but, generally, it doesn’t get me excited. However, when eating in a steakhouse, it would be rude not to. ‘When in Rome’ and all that. 

As is the case with many city centre restaurants, they run a lunch menu for daytime dining, which is guaranteed to increase the number of customers flocking through the door. You often feel that you can’t justify spending a fortune on a meal in the middle of the day, so a set-price lunch menu gives the opportunity to have a top-quality lunch at a posh restaurant for a fraction of the price. Lighter bites at a lighter price, if you like. I should use that. 

Miller & Carter’s lunch menu offers two courses from £10.95 or three from £13.95. They say ‘from’ because some of the dishes are supplemented. At least, that way, nobody can accuse them of misleading you. Even with the additional £2.50 supplement, it’s still the cheapest steak you’ll find in the centre of town. I didn’t bother with a starter, plunging straight into the Steak Frites for main course: a 30 day aged 7 ounce steak served with seasoned fries, a balsamic glazed tomato and a salad garnish. It was an impressive looking beast, thinly sliced and cooked medium rare, with a knob of garlic butter melting into the top of it. It was deliciously juicy and succulent, but it didn’t quite melt in my mouth to the extent that I had hoped. It wasn’t chewy, but was slightly tough in places. The fries were deliciously crispy and full of flavour, but it was sparse on the salad. 

Steak Frites

It was superb value for money, making for an affordable lunchtime treat, but it reminded me why I don’t understand the fascination with steak. I can’t ever imagine paying the extortionate prices that many regard as acceptable for the superlative cuts of meat, because I find it rather boring. Although I enjoyed my lunch, I couldn’t help but think I might have enjoyed the fish and chips more.

 On the main menu, there’s a vast range of cuts, sides and sauces to choose from, but it’s not all about steak. There are plenty of alternatives: lamb, chicken and fish dishes, burgers, pastas and salads. Having observed meals being delivered to nearby tables, the majority of which looked beautifully presented on charcuterie boards, I can confirm that they looked incredibly satisfying. There’s also a chef’s special menu and even a ‘younger guests’ menu, allowing the kids to enjoy a three course meal for just £9.95.

For dessert, I had salted caramel profiteroles, again, something which wouldn’t usually be my first choice. The profiteroles were rather small but tooth-achingly sweet, covered in crystallised salted caramel and drizzled in toffee sauce, served with a pot of melted Belgian chocolate, intended for dipping, but the gloopy chocolate was poured all over the profiteroles before it had chance to cool down. Well, I didn’t want to run the risk of it solidifying in the ramekin, did I? There was no way I was going to feel sluggish thanks to this almighty sugar rush. I thoroughly enjoyed them, but even for my saccharine pallet, they were a little overly sickly.

Salted Caramel Profiteroles

For a total of £13.45, I’d had a steak lunch and a dessert in one of Manchester’s elite restaurants, which certainly isn’t bad going. If you’re a steak aficionado, this is the place for you. Even if you’re not, the lunch menu offers plenty of other choices. I regret not having a starter, and I return I’d love to try the baked cheddar mushrooms or the salt and pepper squid. 

I noticed there were lots of business men and women in suits, so it’s obviously a popular place for city centre workers to meet for lunch. I like to invent life stories for these people in my head: what do they do? Why are they here? For all I know, the waistcoat-clad people who are throwing funny looks in my direction whilst I’m taking pictures of my food could be about to clinch an important business deal. Sorry if I ruined the ambience for you.

Treat yourself, your friends or your colleagues to a lunch at Miller & Carter Steakhouse. Take a look at the menus on their website, where you can also find out how their steaks are prepared, from field to fork, and pick up some tips on how to cook the perfect steak yourself. 

http://www.millerandcarter.co.uk/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 24 April 2017

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."

Jim Davis

Solita

Bury New Road, Prestwich

Solita is one of the best burger joints in the North. It first came to my attention when the Prestwich branch opened a couple of years ago, but there’s actually four flagship restaurants throughout Greater Manchester, the original being in the city centre’s Northern Quarter. Primarily a burger shack, which is obvious given the logo, it’s good quality American dining, with steaks and grilled seafood also on offer.

I first heard about Solita because of one thing in particular, the mysterious yet delicious sounding cheeseburger spring rolls. As soon as these words rang through my ears, I made it my mission to visit Solita and try them out. Entirely for research purposes, I’m sure you understand.

My conclusion? Solita have struck gold with their hybrid creation. The cheeseburger spring rolls are a sensation, almost bringing tears to the eyes as I took my first bite. Simply looking at them lying on the plate in front of me, with pots of tomato ketchup and mustard for dipping, was enough to make my mouth water. The consuming of the said starter was a glorious ten minutes which I aim to replicate as frequently as possible. The meat inside the spring rolls was nicer than any cheeseburger I have ever eaten, so succulent and juicy, loaded with gooey American-style burger cheese. All the flavours of the burger were recognisable, packed inside each little spring roll, right down to the gherkin. From this moment, I was in love with Solita and the cheeseburger spring rolls make each and every visit worthwhile. 

Cheeseburger Spring Rolls

Whilst my most recent visit to Solita wasn’t planned, it was absolutely necessary, as over the Easter weekend, my friend alerted me to a post on their Twitter account, advertising this week’s special dessert: cheesecake spring rolls. Spring rolls with cheesecake. Cheesecake inside spring rolls. Never before had a trip to a restaurant been so vital.

Putting my sensible head on for a few seconds, I made the tough decision not to start with the cheeseburger spring rolls, hoping and praying that my sacrifice would be worth it when it came to dessert. 

Jumping straight into the main course, I had the Breaded Storm burger. I’ve tried most of the burgers on the menu that take my fancy, so I wanted something a little different. The Breaded Storm was built from two breaded cod fillets, with lettuce, tomato, American burger cheese and homemade tartare sauce.  It sounded like a giant fish finger sandwich, and I was excited when it arrived and I discovered that’s exactly what it was. The cod fillets were huge, so fresh they fell apart in the bun. I’d never have thought cheese could work on fish, but it added that extra bit of texture and flavour, also helping to hold the salad together. It was very messy to eat, as the top and bottom buns were lathered in chunky tartare sauce. For some, it may be overpowering, but when it comes to tartare sauce, for me, it’s a case of the more, the merrier. 

Breaded Storm

It’s becoming increasingly common for you to have to order fries separately in a restaurant. Whilst Solita gives you the option of upgrading to sweet potato fries or several ‘loaded’ choices, standard skinny fries come with every burger, which is exactly how it should be. I also appreciate that their burgers are served on traditional buns, rather than brioche, as, although it’s tasty,  it falls apart and makes a burger far too messy to be enjoyed.

Being honest, on Easter Monday, our main courses were more like a nice little warm up for the big finish: bring on the cheesecake spring rolls. There was so much riding on them, so a part of my overly excited brain told me that I should, perhaps, prepare to be a little disappointed. Thankfully, this was a pep talk that wasn’t needed. They were sensational. 

Vanilla and chocolate swirled cheesecake cooked in filo pastry and served with a chocolate sauce for dipping, they looked so much better in real life than the photos advertised. Warm and gooey, oozing with delicious filling, they were gloriously sickly and you could almost feel them sticking to your throat as they slid down. Because a bit of extra indulgence is exactly what you need at the end of the Easter weekend, right? Exactly how spectacular they were is incomprehensible. They have to be tasted to be believed.

Cheesecake Spring Rolls

I took my time, savouring every mouthful. My friend and I sat in silence, staring longingly at these deep-fried bundles of joy we had in front of us. Conversation wasn’t necessary. We knew what each other were thinking. One of the very best desserts I have ever had, and I’ve certainly had a lot.

Genuinely emotional at the prospect of these delightful creations never meeting our mouths again, we informed the waiter that these need to become a permanent fixture. Cheesecake can come in all sorts of flavours, imagine the variety? They could have a whole dessert section on the menu devoted to different kinds of cheesecake spring rolls. The possibilities are endless. With so many burger joints out there, if there’s anything that could make Solita stand head and shoulders above the rest, it would be that. 

Website: http://www.solita.co.uk/

Ivory Bar & Grill

Bury New Road, Whitefield

A brand new, innovative restaurant has opened in the centre of Whitefield. Located on Bury New Road in the old haunt of The China Lounge, Ivory Bar & Grill is the new business venture from Scott Murray, who was previously the managing director of The Buddha Lounge on Radcliffe New Road. Confused already? Well, The Buddha Lounge and The China Lounge have, in fact, merged to form this new eatery. But it doesn’t stop there, as Ivory Bar & Grill has welcomed chefs from The Grill On The Alley and Burger & Lobster in Manchester City Centre. It’s a winning combination. The result is a spectacular, original and modern new restaurant and bar.

When you walk into Ivory Bar & Grill, you immediately become immersed in the fresh, modern and stylish interior. The main restaurant area has a Bistro feel, with painted, bare brick walls and chic, sofa-style seating. The booth in which we were seated has got to be one of the most comfortable seats I’ve ever sat in whilst eating a meal. It has a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere, which doesn’t change no matter how busy it gets. The open-kitchen is partitioned from diners by a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, which is effective as it prevents the noise and heat travelling from the kitchen and causing disruption whilst you’re having your meal. 

When it comes to food, Ivory Bar & Grill stays true to its roots, continuing to offer a selection of Cantonese and Thai dishes, but this is now just a small part of a vast menu. As the name suggests, there is also a wide selection of grilled meats, including burgers and steaks, plus fish dishes, lamb, salads and vegetarian options. The choice is overwhelming. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find browsing the menu quite stressful, as I’m incredibly indecisive. They also offer a Lunch Menu every day between 12 noon and 5.00 pm, which gives you the opportunity to indulge in one, two or three courses for set prices. Set price menus can sometimes be limited, but this one offers plenty of choice and a wide selection of different dishes.

We opted for the three course lunch for £16.95. To start, I had Dim Sum, steamed parcels of meat and fish served in a traditional basket. The dumplings were flavoursome and tasted very authentic, which is always an achievement when not being cooked by a Cantonese chef.

Dim Sum

There was something for everybody in the Main Course selection, from the Cantonese classic Sweet and Sour Chicken to burgers and Caesar salad. I had flat iron sirloin steak, which I requested to be cooked medium-rare. I’m not normally a steak person, but given the fact I was eating here for the first time and the mixture of cuisines was such a unique concept, I wanted something different, hoping to make the occasion memorable. The medium-rare steak arrived, practically breathing on my plate; it was so pink it was almost cerise in tone. As I’m not a steak connoisseur, I wasn’t sure if this was how ‘medium-rare’ was supposed to look, and it put me off immediately. However, I’m far too British to even think about complaining to a member of staff, so I tried it. I’m so glad I did, as the succulent meat melted into my tongue. The chips were cooked to perfection: crispy, with the skin on, and served in a modern silver bucket. The plate was completed with a decorative array of rocket topped with mushrooms and caramelised onions.

Flat Iron Sirloin Steak (8 oz), aged 7 days

My only complaint was that it was a small portion for a big appetite such as mine. I appreciate how expensive steak is, therefore realise that it would simply not be viable to provide a huge cut of meat as part of a meal where you’re paying less than £16 for three courses, but I believe it should have been bulked out with some seasonal vegetables. 

Desserts normally let down a set price menu. I’ve lost count of the number of Italian restaurants at which I’ve been offered either Tiramisu or Ice Cream for my pudding. I can’t stomach coffee, therefore tiramisu is not an option and ice cream is, in my opinion, merely an accompaniment to a dessert rather than a dessert itself, so I always find it to be a bit of a cop-out. Therefore, I was most impressed to be offered the choice of anything on the normal dessert menu. ‘Cake of the Day’ was Apple Pie, served with ice cream, one of my all-time favourites. This made the decision very easy.

The size of my pudding definitely made up for the quantity-lacking main course. This was a unique take on the classic dessert: a pastry case filled with large chunks of juicy apple, followed by a soft, spongy meringue and topped with crunchy crumble. The meringue made a welcome addition to the apple pie, with the sharpness of the flavour complementing the sweet apples exceptionally well. Couple this with a large dollop of vanilla ice cream made for a deliciously satisfying dessert to round off an excellent meal.

Apple Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream

Whatever kind of cuisine you’re in the mood for, you are guaranteed to find something to satisfy your palette at Ivory Bar & Grill. I’m already excited to return for a second visit, especially to try the Sunday Roast that they have on offer. The hearty dinners looked exquisite as I saw the plates, piled high, being carried out from the kitchen. I’d also be interested to see how the venue transforms after dark. With the cocktail bar adjacent to the restaurant and a ‘late longue’, complete with a DJ, on a Friday and Saturday night, it would even be suitable for a night out.

Overall, I was mightily impressed with Ivory Bar & Grill and it has certainly kick-started the rejuvenation of Whitefield, bring international cuisine to the local area. 

 

The Coffee Sack

Scholes Lane, Prestwich

The Coffee Sack is an independent coffee shop which has been open in Prestwich since December 2015. Prestwich village is full of restaurants of all different cuisines, from Italian and Chinese to Turkish and American, including high-street chains such as Pizza Express. The Coffee Sack offers something more casual and daytime-friendly, so credit to the owners for bringing something different to the already jam-packed dining scene.

I was looking forward to visiting The Coffee Sack for my lunch for a light bite, not dissimilar to the kind of lunch I would usually enjoy. Sometimes I’m just not in the mood to eat a large meal in the middle of the day. Quick, tasty and satisfying was what I was after. The food did not disappoint.

I had a tuna melt with cheese and a hint of chilli on piada, traditional Italian flatbread. The piada was oozing with tuna mayonnaise and cheese filling and the chilli wasn’t too spicy. The sandwich was accompanied by fresh salad delicately drizzled in balsamic vinegar and a pot of green olives, making for a healthy and delicious lunch at a very reasonable prize – just £5.95 for the whole thing.

The service, however, dampened the experience. When we first arrived, there was only one clean table available for us to sit at. This was not because the rest were taken, in fact, the place was only three quarters full at most, but the rest of the unoccupied ones had dirty crockery all over them.  Not exactly a good impression when new customers are walking in for the first time. This immediately gave me reservations about the place. Once we’d ordered and paid upfront for our food and drinks at the counter, we moved from a cramped table onto a larger one which had become vacant, however, the staff did not clean it in between. We proceeded to wait for 45 minutes for our food to be delivered. I’m not impatient, but I found this to be very poor considering we’d only ordered sandwiches. One of my dining companions asked for a fresh pot of tea, as the first was stone cold by the time the food arrived. A distinct lack of staff wholeheartedly let them down and it’s an issue that could be resolved so easily.

The slow service and lack of clean tables would put me off returning to The Coffee Sack, which is a real shame as this modern little coffee shop is refreshing addition to the Prestwich stage and would otherwise be an ideal place to grab a bite to eat at lunchtime. 

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 17 April 2017

As it's Easter, it seems only right that this week's quote is chocolate related...

"Chocolate is the answer. Who cares what the question is."

Anon 

Côte Brassiere

St. Mary's Street, Manchester

Côte Brassiere is renowned for being one of Manchester’s finest restaurants. It’s an authentic French bistro which champions modern, relaxed, all-day dining, serving French specialities alongside brassiere favourites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Côte has long since been on my ‘to dine’ list, and I finally visited for my lunch on Good Friday. Safe to say, it was love at first bite.

Located on St Mary’s Street, opposite House of Fraser, it’s a calm and tranquil retreat just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Deansgate. When you enter, you feel like you’ve just stepped into a street cafe in Paris. It wasn’t especially busy when we arrived, which was surprising given that it was the first day of the Easter Weekend, but the lack of staff was immediately apparent, as we had to wait for the manager to greet us. First impressions are everything, and this wasn’t exactly a great one, but the shaky start had no bearing on what was to come. Once we had been seated, service was impeccable throughout. 

Côte run a superb lunch and pre-theatre menu from noon until 7.00pm, on which you can enjoy two courses for £10.95 or three for £12.95. Given the location, and reputation, of Côte, this is excellent value. You’re spoilt for choice, but as it was Good Friday I had to avoid meat, which narrowed down my options.  Whilst I’m not a religious person, I like to observe traditions as much as I can, and no matter where I eat on Friday, I have to stick to vegetarian or fish dishes.

Before the starters, we treated ourselves to one of their delicious-sounding flatbreads. In an Italian restaurant, I always like to kick off with garlic bread, regardless of whether or not I’m having a starter; it just wouldn’t seem right otherwise. Given that bread is one of France’s specialities, it seemed only right that we should be a little bit greedy. We had a pissaladière, a traditional warm flatbread which originated in Nice. It was topped with caramelised onions, reblochon cheese and thyme. It was very flavoursome, a delicious way to kick off the meal and plenty big enough to share.

Pissaladière with caramelised onions, reblochon cheese and thyme

To start, I had Tuna Rillettes, served with toasted sourdough bread, salad and lemon. ‘Rillettes’ is very similar to pâté and is more traditionally made with pork. A ‘rillette’ is apparently defined by its soft, smooth texture, which the tuna most certainly had. Served in a customary mini mason jar, it reminded me of a sophisticated tuna mayonnaise, albeit far tastier and slightly more ‘meaty’, given that it was made with herbs and lemon. The sourdough was perfectly toasted, golden brown and crispy round the edges, complimenting the smooth tuna beautifully. The whole thing was served on a rustic wooden board, and I was mightily impressed with the size of the starter. It could easily have served as a lunch on its own. 

Tuna Rillettes

My main course was also fish, but of an entirely different nature. I had Haddock Parmentier, which is almost like the French equivalent of a cottage pie. The chopped smoked haddock was cooked in a creamy leek sauce with peas and dill, topped with potato and sprinkled with comté cheese. It was deliciously creamy, with plenty of fish and a delightful amount of greenery with the peas and dill.

Haddock Parmentier

When we ordered, we were put on the spot by our waitress when she asked if we wanted any side dishes. She recommended that we ordered some vegetables or fries to go with our mains, which we later learned was totally unnecessary, but feeling under pressure and being too polite to say no, we ordered some carrots. Don’t be fooled, you don’t need them, the main courses on the lunch menu work perfectly well on their own. 

After a gorgeous flatbread, and two courses of fish, I was pleasantly satisfied, but when dining in a place you’ve never been before, it would be rude not to try a dessert. I had the ‘Crumble Aux Pommes’, a French take on the classic British apple crumble. It was apple compote with Normandy butter crumble, topped with vanilla ice cream. The apple compote was very tasty and the crumble was laid on thick, delightfully crunchy. I’m not a lover of piping hot food, always preferring to give my meals optimum cooling down time; however, for my dining companion, the crumble could have been hotter. I gingerly scooped up my first spoonful, expecting it to be piping, but it was more like lukewarm, so I do agree that little longer in the oven wouldn’t have harmed it.

Crumble Aux Pommes

A lukewarm crumble wasn’t going to hamper an otherwise sensational lunch at Côte Brassiere. The food was top notch, and their three-course set menu is insanely good value; it almost seems too good to be true. I loved being able to enjoy top quality food in such relaxed surroundings, with friendly and accommodating staff.

If you were dining in the evening, there’s plenty of choice on the a la carte menu; salads, meat, fish dishes and steaks, all very reasonably priced. They’re also open for breakfast from 9.00 am, offering both a Full English and a traditional French breakfast, something which I’d love to try if, or rather, when I return. 

Cote Brassiere made our Good Friday great. It’s officially on the list of favourite restaurants in the city centre, and I can’t recommend it enough.  C’est fantastique!

All menus are available at: https://www.cote-restaurants.co.uk/cote/

8 Manchester

Bury New Road, Whitefield

Whitefield is fast becoming the place to eat out, with new restaurants popping up in the premises once occupied by pubs, shops, banks and building societies. 8 Manchester is a contemporary, stylish, upmarket Chinese restaurant with an authentic feel. The use of 'Manchester' in the title is a subtle hint that you can expect not only the quality of food and service which you would expect in the centre of town, but the same kind of prices too. 

The restaurant interior is dark with stylish wall lighting, creating the ambience of a suave nightclub. It's not just a restaurant, it doubles up as a bar, with high booth seating, perfect for enjoying a cocktail or too before you sit down for your meal. The bar area is separate from the restaurant, which is an added bonus, as it makes the table seating in the main eating area much more relaxed and tranquil. The partition walls are built from black, wicker-style oriental patterns, adding to the authenticity of the place. Couple this with the ornate ceilings and walls left behind from the old bank and it makes for a stunning interior. 

The food on offer is exactly what you'd expect from a Chinese restaurant, with lots of speciality choices too. You're guaranteed to find your favourite dish on the menu. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to Chinese cuisine, always preferring to play it safe. On my first visit, I did exactly that, opting for sesame prawn toast for starters. It was a generous portion and very tasty, without the grease that normally with takeaway versions. You can't really go wrong with prawn toast, it's always a safe bet. 

Sesame Prawn Toast

On my return visit, I had the rather ominous-sounding crispy seafood rolls. I ordered them with trepidation, not knowing what to expect. They were almost like a flattened spring roll, filled with a mixture of seafood. I couldn’t tell you exactly what, as it all tasted the same. There were definitely some nice juicy prawns in there, though. They were served with an indistinguishable mayonnaise-style sauce. Tasty enough, but not something I’d order again. On this occasion, my dining companion had salt and pepper crispy squid. She was presented with a mountain of battered seafood which was delicious and perfectly seasoned. The rubbery texture of calamari puts me off, but this wasn’t at all chewy.

Crispy Seafood Rolls

Salt and Pepper Crispy Squid

The squid lacked a sauce. My friend asked for a sweet chilli dip to accompany it, as was necessary given the saltiness of the dish. This was its only real fault, as it was a huge portion for a starter, and beautifully presented.

On the first occasion, for main course, I had sweet and sour chicken, my ultimate favourite Chinese dish. It was, most certainly, one of the nicest sweet and sour dishes I’ve ever had. The chicken was beautifully succulent and it was packed full of colourful, juicy vegetables. The sauce was the ideal consistency, not too thick, and the balance between the sweet and the sour flavour was just right. I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but all too often it can be overly sweet and sticky. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Second time round, I had crispy shredded beef in a sweet and sticky caramelised sauce (they need to think of a more concise name). My mouth can’t handle spice, so I have to be careful with my selections. As the name suggests, it was very similar to a sweet and sour dish, but with less sauce. My friend had the chef’s special beef curry, which was delicious, full of flavour and no spice, just the way I would like it. The beef, in both dishes, was succulent and juicy and not at all tough.

Chef's Special Beef Curry (left); Shredded Beef in a Sweet and Sticky Caramelised Sauce (right)

Side dishes came in the form of jasmine rice, egg fried rice and soft noodles with bean sprouts. The bowls of rice are only small, definitely intended to be for an individual portion, in stark contrast to the noodles, which there were loads of, almost enough for them to be a meal in their own right. There is a large selection of different fried rice and noodle dishes available, but I certainly wouldn’t order anything that wasn’t standard, as the special ones are hideously overpriced. £10.95 for fried rice with vegetables, for example, is obscene and would easily double the cost of your main course when added to the price of your dish. 

Although the portions were decent sizes, they weren’t huge, as I could tell by the fact that I still had enough room for dessert. I wasn’t about to complain though, as often the downfall of a Chinese meal is that you are stuffed to the brim by the end of the main course. It’s a compact dessert menu, with a couple of options, a ‘Cake of the Day’, ice cream and a rather gorgeous looking fruit platter. Excitingly, cheesecake is a regular fixture on the menu, with the flavour changing daily. On Christmas Eve, it was white chocolate and strawberry. Having eaten an awful lot of cheesecake in my lifetime, I’m something of a connoisseur. And as cheesecakes go, it wasn’t the best. The flavour was delicious, and the texture was soft and creamy, which is how I like a cheesecake, rather than the hard and stodgy American baked version.  However, there was no biscuit base, which is a vital ingredient in a cheesecake. Without it, it’s incomplete. It was also a little bit sloppy, almost as though it hadn’t quite had enough time to set. Naturally, it could have also been slightly larger for my liking.

White Chocolate And Strawberry Cheesecake

Overall, 8 Manchester is a thrilling and exciting new restaurant which offers fantastic food and an excellent ambience, bringing the Manchester vibe to the heart of Whitefield. It does, however, bring with it a Manchester price range. I would argue that it is slightly too expensive, especially for a brand new restaurant that has yet to become established. With business booming, I hope they don’t become too big for their boots and increase the prices even further.  

With the recent closure of The China Lounge, it’s the only Chinese restaurant we have locally and, judging by the quality of it, it will probably be the only one we have for a long time, as it’ll be hard to beat. Whilst it may have to be reserved for a special occasion, they have recently introduced a Sunday menu, giving you the opportunity to enjoy soup, a selection of starters and a main course for £14.95, which is sensationally good value compared with the a la carte prices.  

8 Manchester is swanky, stylish and sophisticated; an all-new Chinese dining experience.

Feast your eyes on the menu at: http://www.8manchester.com/

TGI Fridays, Prestwich

I have fond memories of TGI Fridays. The original American diner was one of my favourite childhood haunts. We’d frequently pop in for a midweek treat, gorging on their delicious burgers and mouth-watering desserts. I still visit from time to time, but, sadly, these days, I’m often disappointed. It seems each visit fails to live up to the previous one. It may be that I’ve done the place to death, but I can’t help but think it just isn’t what it used to be.

I think just about everybody has eaten in a TGI Fridays restaurant at some point. It’s one of the UK’s first American imports and is one of our most recognisable chains, with branches all over the country. The interiors of the restaurants have a vintage American diner type feel to them and, if you’ve ever visited the States, you’ll know that our versions have maintained the vibe of the originals. 

When we went for lunch, at my friend’s suggestion, on Saturday, I didn’t know what I fancied. I normally like to play it safe, but as I mulled over the menu I felt positively bored with all my usual favourites. So, to start, I had the Jack Daniels Sesame Mushroom Strips. Jack Daniels is one of Friday’s favoured brands, and you’ll find it many of their dishes. The mushrooms were coated in crispy breadcrumbs, fried in Jack Daniels and topped with chilli flakes and sesame seeds, nestled on a bed of lettuce, served with a pot of Jack Daniels for dipping. It was delicious, but had an almighty kick to it. In the past, I’ve had Jack Daniels in a burger and a chicken sandwich, and I’ve found that it always adds so much flavour to any dish. It was a generous portion for an starter, or an appetiser as the Americans call them, which is always a bonus.

Jack Daniels Sesame Mushroom Strips

For main course, I chose something completely different, something that wouldn’t normally appeal to me at all: a hot dog. I had the BBQ Smoky Joe, a pork sausage served in a brioche bun, topped with pulled pork, Colby cheese, pickled red onion and apple slaw. It was nice enough, but rather dry. A hot dog sausage in a bun can be dry at the best of times, but I had expected the toppings to add a great deal of moisture. They didn’t. Although it was tasty, it was unremarkable, and confirmed why I normally tend to avoid hot dogs. 

BBQ Smoky Joe Hot Dog

American diners seem to be more popular than ever, so I think TGI Friday’s need to up their game. Their food is completely average, and with independent American diners opening up all over the place, much of the food at TGIs, sadly, no longer can compete.

One area in which Fridays always used to excel was its desserts. Their Cookie Dough Cheesecake was one of my all-time favourites. Two years ago, I fell in love with their Apple Waffle Crunch entirely by accident. It was Lent and, heading towards the finish line, desperate for something sweet but hard-pressed for options, the waffle was the only pudding I could indulge in. It seemed that fate brought us together, as it was delicious. A warm, sweet waffle topped with apple and cinnamon, crunchy oatmeal crumble, topped with two dollops with vanilla ice cream and drizzled in caramel sauce, it was so much more than your standard waffle. Sadly, this time, it was nothing special. I know, sometimes, I remember my first encounter with a spectacular dessert through rose-tinted specs, but in this case, the quality really had declined. The waffle was much more stodgy, there was distinctly less apple and cinnamon topping, whilst the crumble part was non-existent. It was rather lacklustre.

Apple Waffle Crunch

Eating at TGI Fridays used to be such a treat. The food was always top-notch and the atmosphere was electric, even in the middle of the week. It used to bring back memories of holidays in Florida; you would really feel like you were in the States, such was the authenticity. The portions used to be huge and you’d roll home feeling stuffed to the brim. Nowadays, sadly, it’s nothing special. It’s become somewhat expensive considering you can get much better food elsewhere and the portions are no bigger than average. After being completely underwhelmed by last weekend’s lunch, I it wouldn’t bother me if I never ate there again. Overall, TGI Fridays just isn’t what it used to be.

View the menu, along with the full range of cocktails at: 

https://www.tgifridays.co.uk/ 

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 10 April 2017

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we're doing and devote our attention to eating."

Luciano Pavarotti

Panama Hatty's

Fairfax Road, Prestwich

Panama Hatty’s has been serving a plethora of modern cuisine throughout the North West for over twenty years. It’s a restaurant I’ve always fancied trying but, for reasons unbeknown to me, I’d never got round to it, until this week.

Panama Hatty’s mixes up the cuisines, fusing together flavours from across the world. Burgers, fajitas, burritos, curries and grilled steaks are all available for your delectation, meaning there is something to suit everybody’s taste on the vast menu. There’s also a brunch, lunch and a set price early evening menu, the latter of which we ordered from on Thursday evening. 

The Prestwich restaurant is billed as “the younger, slimmer and more attractive member of the family”. It may be the smallest of the three establishments, but they were certainly right about its looks, as it’s a gorgeous interior, with plush, tan-coloured leather seating and wicker chairs. Ornate lights hang asymmetrically from the ceiling and the walls are adorned with mirrors of all shapes and sizes.

My dining companion and I were seated on a spacious corner table, which meant we were almost at ninety degrees to each other; perfectly positioned for people watching, if you’re a nosey diner, like me. Plus, when you’re there for a catch up, having not seen your friend for a few months, it makes talking easier; when you’re not distracted by what everybody else is eating, that is. 

The set price menu offers two courses for £13.95 or three for £17.95, and there’s a very generous choice for all courses. Confession time: I’m terrible when it comes to food envy. No matter how happy I think I am with my choice, by the time I’ve observed what everybody else is tucking into, you can guarantee I’ll have changed my mind. However, there was no chance of that happening on Thursday evening, as both picked the same dishes.

To start, we had mushroom and stilton bake, served with warm crostini bread. It was a fiesta dish of mushrooms slathered in stilton cheese and baked to perfection, the stilton melting all over the top of the mushrooms, making it the perfect consistency for dipping the crusty bread. Whilst I’m not normally a fan of strong cheeses, I find them much more appetising when cooked. It was also a very generous portion for a starter. After the first course, I was seriously questioning why I’d never been here before. 

Mushroom and stilton bake with crostini bread

For main course, it was a chicken burrito. The tortilla wrap was packed with chunks of chargrilled chicken, onions, peppers, cheese, Latina rice, sour cream and salsa verde, which, if you’re unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine, consists of finely chopped onion, garlic, coriander, parsley and hot peppers. When I’ve had a burrito elsewhere, it’s been served on its own on the plate, decorated with little bits of salsa, so I was expecting something similar. However, the burrito itself only took up half the plate, as it was served with a tower of Latina rice and a handful of nachos, stacked with extra salsa verde and sour cream. Garnished with a slice of lime and a sprig of parsley, it was beautifully presented and I was salivating at the sight of it. I was genuinely astonished by both the quality and the quantity of the food: it was delicious, although a little too spicy for my feeble tongue. The additional sour cream, intended for the nachos, was very useful indeed.

Chicken burrito with Latina rice and tortilla chips

Up to this point, both the food and the service had been faultless. Unfortunately, when it came to dessert, the staff let themselves down. After perusing the dessert menu, we waited for over half an hour for our waiter to return to take order, meanwhile watching him attend to all the other customers. An invisible wall appeared to have sprouted around the outskirts of our little corner, and, eventually, we resorted to giving him daggers across the room in the hope that we would finally be able to place an order. It’s a good job we weren’t in a rush. It doesn’t matter how busy a restaruant gets, there is no excuse for neglecting paying customers. Credit to him, he was apologetic (apparently he hasn’t been working there for very long) and brought us our desserts swiftly, but it was a shame, given that the majority evening had been so enjoyable. 

As there’s still one more week of Lent to go (and I’m counting down the days), I drifted away from the set price menu, as ice cream would have been my only dessert option, and instead opted for a sweet and sugary waffle from the a la carte menu. Drizzled in toffee sauce and topped with salted caramel ice cream, it’s certainly only for those with a sweet tooth. Given my abstinence from most things sweet of late, I was positively bouncing off the walls by the last spoonful, albeit with a heavy stomach.

Toffee and salted caramel waffle

Panama Hatty’s excellent value-for-money set price menu is available until 7.00pm from Monday to Friday and until 5.00pm at the weekend. The fact that the restaurant was so busy on a Thursday night shows how popular the place is, with many more waiting at the bar for tables. It’s a charming venue serving top quality food at reasonable prices, along with inventive cocktails and a fine selection of alcoholic beverages.

All the menus, including lunch, brunch and even Sunday roast options, can be found at:

http://www.panama-hattys.co.uk/#top

The Cosy Club

The Corn Exchange, Manchester

As part of my cuisine cruise around Manchester’s Corn Exchange, the bustling restaurant plaza on the site of the old Triangle Shopping Centre, on Sunday I met a friend for lunch at The Cosy Club, the quaint, quirky and, funnily enough, cosy, restaurant and bar. The Cosy Club offers informal, casual dining with a hint of nostalgia from morning until night.

When you arrive, you are immersed in their welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere, something which they pride themselves on. It has a ‘vintage’ feel to it, with wooden panelled walls adorned with hanging pictures and tapestries, chandeliers suspended from the ceiling and a mish-mash of tables and chairs from all decades and eras. The restaurant and bar areas are separate, which I always like. The bar area is much more informal, with bar seating, stools and sofas to relax on.

The staff were attentive from the offset, asking for our food and drink orders before we’d even taken time out to stop gassing and peruse the menu. That said, we didn’t feel at all rushed, our waiter didn’t mind being sent away, even for a second time. 

The drinks menu itself is impressive. They have an extensive cocktail menu, as well as a fine selection of non-alcoholic alternatives, which, as a non-drinker, I appreciate. You’re often stuck when you’re not consuming alcohol, as many places don’t make the effort with ‘mocktails’. I had the Pink Lemonade, consisting of lemonade, pomegranate, lemon juice and ginger ale poured over a strawberry muddle (no, I’m not quite sure what a strawberry muddle could possibly be either). It was deliciously refreshing, reminiscent of a hot summer’s day, and was large enough to last me through my lunch, which in itself is somewhat of a novelty.

When it comes to the food, there are breakfast and light lunch options, as well as main courses and even tapas dishes; The Cosy Club really has got something to suit everyone and any time of the day. The fare is varied: there’s your traditional pub grub alongside a whole array of tapas dishes which can double up as starters, from pulled chicken and chorizo to garlic mushrooms. 

I opted for the light lunch option, and ordered The Cosy Club Sandwich, mainly because I really appreciate a good pun. There was nothing particularly unique about it; it was your bog-standard club sandwich, with buttermilk fried chicken, streaky bacon, lettuce and tomato, served with chipotle mayonnaise. All the sandwiches are served with fries, but I upgraded to the sweet potato alternative for an extra £1.25. The sandwich was tasty, although a little dry and sparse on the filling. To my mind, a club sandwich should be chunky, stacked high and difficult to get your mouth round to take a bite. The Cosy Club’s club was none of these things. I’ve made salad sandwiches at home with more filling. I dipped my way through the chipotle mayonnaise, as it was needed to help me munch through the three layers of white toast. The sweet potato fries were very nice. The only disadvantage to this healthier and somewhat tastier alternative is that they can often be soft, they don’t go crispy and you fail to get that satisfying crunch on the outside. These, however, were exactly as I would want them to be.

The Cosy Club Sandwich with sweet potato fries

Note the two plates in the photograph are different. Such is the quirkiness of The Cosy Club that, like with the chairs and tables, nothing matches. A touch of the twenty first century is added with the silver bucket in which the fries were served, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a generous portion, as the container was only half full. I felt like I’d been duped. 

Although the service was brilliant on arrival, it took a while for the food to arrive. It didn’t matter to us, as we had all day to sit and chat, as I was dining with a friend who I hadn’t seen for six months, but having to wait over half an hour for warm sandwiches is a little unnecessary, especially given that the place was only half full.

All in all, The Cosy Club makes for a relaxing, casual experience, ideal for daytime dining, be it a leisurely weekend breakfast or lunch and a few scoops with pals. The sandwiches were nothing to shout home about, but the tapas dishes and the fish and chips that we caught sight of looked very appetising indeed, so perhaps next time I’d try a main meal. 

Cast your eye over the menu at:

http://cosyclub.co.uk/clubs/manchester/

Mother's Day at Amore

On Sunday, I made a return visit to Whitefield’s new Italian restaurant, Amore, this time with the family, in celebration of Mother’s Day.

I first visited back in January, shortly after it opened, having replaced The Buddha Lounge and now serving as a sister venue to the nearby Ivory Bar & Grill. Since its days of serving thai cuisine, it’s had a complete refurbishment, and the interior is now totally unrecognisable. It has a fresh, modern, bistro vibe, with white bare brick walls and comfortable sofa-style seating. The shape of the building has been manipulated to its full potential, with the bar in the middle and the tables all around the edges. 

Although I was impressed with the surroundings on my debut visit, I was disappointed by the somewhat limited choice on the a la carte menu, and the no greater than average food.  This time was a completely different experience altogether, as we dined during the day, choosing from the special Sunday Lunch menu, a set-price menu offering two or three courses.  

It’s a varied menu with an excellent choice, featuring both Italian dishes similar to the a la carte offerings, alongside the traditional English Sunday roasts. I love an opportunity to mix up cuisines across the courses. To start, I had Arancini; risotto balls stuffed with ragu and mozzarella and fried in breadcrumbs. They were soft and gooey in the middle, without being too stodgy and very flavoursome. I think the dish would have been tastier had the arancini been served within a tomato sauce, in order to provide a little more moisture.

Arancini

For main course, it was a traditional roast beef dinner with all the trimmings. I made a mistake in requesting for the beef to be ‘well done’. I’m not entirely comfortable with eating meat with a pink coloration. However, it was a little too overdone for my liking, and was on the verge of becoming leathery, but I admit that was entirely my fault. If that’s your preference, it would be perfect. The seasonal vegetables accompanying the beef were steamed carrots and broccoli, a delicious flavoursome carrot and swede mash, leafy spinach and crispy roast potatoes. The star of the show, however, was the gargantuan Yorkshire pudding. It may have been supersized but inside it was light and fluffy. Drizzled in gravy, it helped to make the main course everything a roast dinner should be.

Roast beef dinner

Dessert time once again saw me scouring the menu for a non-cake option. It was time for me to experiment, with a banana soufflé. I’d never had a soufflé before, neither savoury nor sweet. The French dessert comprised of beaten egg whites and yolks was soft and gooey inside, reminding me of a half-baked meringue, with the top puffed up. The banana gave it a natural sweetness without being overbearing. It was served with a jug of toffee sauce and pecan ice cream which, unfortunately, was nestled on a bed of chocolate crumble, meaning I had to give it a swerve. This was a real shame, as the ice cream would have complemented the soufflé perfectly, softening its sticky texture. They say if you don’t try, you’ll never know, and I’m certainly glad I tried the soufflé.

Banana soufflé served with toffee sauce and pecan ice cream

Amore provided the perfect setting for a relaxing Mother’s Day afternoon. Their set price Sunday Lunch menu is of great value, especially as the quality of the food is superb and the portions are generous. Notably, it makes a change to have a decent selection of desserts on an Italian restaurant’s set menu, as usually you’re limited to tiramisu or ice cream. Alternatively, you can select from the a la carte menu, which is available all day alongside the Sunday special. 

Having been left unsure of the place following my first visit, this gorgeous Mother's Day meal officially earned Amore my seal of approval. I now wouldn't think twice about returning, especially on a Sunday. 

All the menus are available at:  https://amorewhitefield.co.uk/