Crowded House

Manchester Road, Bury

Crowded House is a unique dining experience which brings a taste of the city to the suburbs. It’s a restaurant, bar and beauty salon all in one. Since it opened back in 2015, I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the food, so I was delighted when I finally visited this weekend.

Owned and run by married couple Dave and Johanne Banks, the restaurant has an al-fresco feel to it, complete with wooden tables and chairs and walls adorned with a conglomeration of antiques, from irons to typewriters, and even an old bicycle. Classic light bulbs hang from the high ceiling, with wires suspended, giving it that unfinished yet stylish studio-style feel. Mismatching furniture and wallpaper help finish off the chic interior. 

In terms of cuisine, the focus is on world fusion, bringing together flavours from across the globe. Crowded House are renowned for their impressive array of sharing platters. There are vegetarian, Greek, meat and fish based sharer boards, all of which sound, and look, mighty fine. 

As it was lunchtime, we were after something a little lighter. They have a separate lunch menu, which offers a selection of sandwiches and salads. I had the Chargrilled Mediterranean Vegetable sandwich: onions, courgettes and peppers with hummus and basil, served on ciabatta bread. I’ve never had hummus on a sandwich before, but this hearty homemade chickpea puree complemented the selection of cooked vegetables beautifully. There was plenty of veg on it too, and, importantly, the ciabatta bread wasn’t over-toasted to the point of being dry. All sandwiches can be served either hot or cold – though personally I think these kind of veggies would lack flavour when cold – on either ciabatta, bloomer, or in a sub or wrap, complete with a side salad and crisps. It was beautifully presented on a wooden chopping board, with a handle; an innovative idea which makes carrying the dish much easier.

Chargrilled Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwich

The salads, I didn’t pay much attention too. Generally, I’m of the opinion that a salad is a waste of time and money when I’m eating out. My lunch companion, on the other hand, is a salad lover, so ordered the Greek Salad. The ingredients were pretty standard: feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and mixed leaves. The salad itself, however, was far from ordinary. Safe to say, it was the most impressive-looking salad I’ve ever seen. It was huge, incredible value, and came served with a bowl of hummus and warm pitta bread – almost like a starter and a main course all in one. 

I’ve previously spoken about how terrible I am when it comes to food envy. No matter how happy I am with my choice, I always want what somebody else is eating. That said, a Greek salad is something I never thought I could be jealous of.

Greek Salad

When it came to dessert, I categorically decided that I’d like to try most things on the menu. However, as a hardcore cheesecake devotee, I felt that, on my first visit, it was my duty to give this a try. I opted for the salted caramel and pear flavoured cheesecake, surrounded by a milk chocolate birdcage. It was close to my idea of cheesecake perfection: soft and creamy in texture and loaded with caramel flavour, whilst the biscuit base was chunky and not too crumbly. The creative chocolate bird cage was unique and inventive, and made the dessert look as scrumptious as it tasted. 

Salted Caramel and Pear Cheesecake

I’m disappointed that I left it so long to try Crowded House. The sandwiches and salads are perfect for light bites of a lunchtime, but I can’t wait to return and try the evening menu, in particular the grazing boards. Although they’re designed to be shared, if you’re anything like me you could polish one off in its entirety for your main course. There’s also a wide range of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, plus chef’s specials.

The only disadvantage is the restaurant’s position. Unless you live within walking distance, you have no option but to drive, and there is very limited parking available nearby, due to it being on the front of an extremely busy main road. It doesn’t help that you can’t book, it’s strictly for walk-ins only, so during busy periods you may find yourself waiting at the bar for a table.

Crowded House is a refreshing and relaxing establishment, with plenty of character. It brings a modern city centre vibe to the local area. The food is freshly prepared with an emphasis on local produce, and there’s a definite air of fine dining about it. It’s just a shame about the location. 

Visit the website: http://www.crowdedhousebury.co.uk/