Crowded House

Manchester Road, Bury

I’ve previously spoken very favourably of Crowded House, the quirky and contemporary bistro on Manchester Road in Bury. Bringing together a blend of flavours and cuisines from across the world, it’s healthy and hearty food, friendly staff and casual ambience are a winning combination.

Previously, I’ve been in at lunchtime and enjoyed a sandwich from the lunch menu and a grazing platter, but this was my first time dining there in the evening. There’s plenty of choice on the main menu: meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, and whilst there are no starters specifically, there are plenty of versatile side dishes which could be used to whet your appetite. 

That’s exactly what we did, ordering the pesto hummus and pita bread to get us going. You can’t beat a homemade hummus, creamy and flavoursome with a chunky texture. Topped with a dollop of gloriously green herby pesto, the hummus was delicious, perfectly partnered with warm pita bread. Served with a leafy salad, it was a very generous portion for £4.00 and plentiful for an appetiser.

Pesto Hummus and Pita Bread

For main course, I had Moroccan style shredded lamb, served with pomegranate, mint and lemon couscous, raita and pita bread. The lamb was thinly shredded, succulent and juicy, melting away in my mouth. The pomegranate, mint and lemon couscous was fragrant and refreshing, complimenting the meat very well. Raita, as it turns out, is a traditional Indian condiment made with yoghurt and chopped, raw vegetables, most commonly cucumber and mint. It had a subtle zing, so it was light and refreshing, and brought an extra dimension of flavour to the meat and couscous. Piled up on top of the pita bread, it made for a tasty and filling dish. I had no qualms about the size of the portion – it was huge. 

Sticking with the concept of grazing, all the individual components of the main courses are served in separate dishes. This gives you the choice as to whether you sample the flavours individually or combine them. The meat, couscous, riata and the fresh, colourful side salad, drizzled in balsamic vinegar, made for four very different elements which combined superbly to produce a feast in every mouthful.

Moroccan Style Shredded Lamb with Pomegranate, Mint and Lemon Couscous, Raita and Pitta Bread

My dining companion chose the tempura battered fish goujons, with tartare sauce. Forget goujons, they were almost large enough to be classified as whole pieces of fish. Rather than the over-fried, golden brown crunchy batter, it was a light dusting, pale in colour and had a splendid crisp to it. Triple cooked fat chips were the obligatory side order - here, we’re talking 10 cm long, 3 cm deep, perfectly cooked, lightly salted chip royalty. 

Tempura Battered Fish Goujons

Dessert was the special of the day – bakewell tart. It’s one of my all-time favourites, but I’m quite picky. I recently indulged, elsewhere, in what I thought was possibly the greatest bakewell tart ever to cross my lips. Crowded House’s version blew it out of the water. A deliciously moist and juicy frangipane encased in a crisp short crust pastry, layered with jam and topped with almonds, it was perfection. It was supposed to be served with cream, but I made the special request for custard, instead, which they were more than happy to accommodate.

Bakewell Tart

This was the third time I’ve eaten at Crowded House, and I’ve enjoyed more with each return visit. The fresh, healthy food brings together flavours and textures from across the world to create a unique dining experience. If you love to graze, this is the place for you, as all the dishes are suitable for sharing around.

I must give a special shout out to Danny, who was our waiter on Friday evening; a warm, pleasant and friendly chap for whom nothing was too much trouble.

A brand new menu launches on Monday (it’s available to view online now), so it won’t be long before I return to sample the goods.

Whether you’re after a light lunch or a family feast, give Crowded House a go. 

http://www.crowdedhousebury.co.uk/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 25 September 2017

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."

James Beard, American cook 

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 18 September 2017

"A man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner."

Samuel Johnson, English writer and poet

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 11 September 2017

"Food is the most primitive form of comfort." 

Shelia Graham, Hollywood gossip columnist

Artisan

The Avenue / North, Bridge Street, Spinningfields, Manchester

Artisan Kitchen & Bar is a rustic bistro in Spinningfields, one of the most popular places for eating and drinking in Manchester City Centre. Spinningfields is the beating heart of Manchester’s restaurant scene, and is also home to such swanky establishments as Australasia, Neighbourhood, The Alchemist and The Oast House.

Located on the first floor on The Avenue / North building, it’s a huge industrialised warehouse space which promotes ‘casual fine dining’ – basic food, prepared well. You enter through a small bar area on the ground floor, officially called The Drawing Room, before ascending into the main restaurant directly above. It’s like a TARDIS, much larger than it looks from the outside; it’s a vast space, with seating stretching for miles. There’s a large bar area, where you can enjoy drinks and cocktails before your meal, and a semi-open kitchen, where you can see the food being prepared. It’s industrial yet chic. 

There were plenty of tables occupied, although it wasn’t as busy as I would have expected for the Summer Bank Holiday. In such a enormous space, it doesn’t matter how busy it gets, during the day, it’s still relaxing and tranquil. It’s primarily a grill, with the menu boasting all the usual meat and fish dishes of an English restaurant in addition to a large selection of stone-baked sourdough pizzas.

We chose to partake in their Express Lunch menu, where you can enjoy two courses and a drink for £9.95, ridiculously good value for a premier restaurant in one of Manchester’s finest dining hot spots! Alcoholic drinks, including house wine and bottled beers, are even included in the offer. There’s plenty choice for the food, too, without it being overwhelming – five starters, five main courses. Lovely. 

To start, I had Patatas Bravas, the Spanish tapas classic of crispy, fried potatoes in a tasty tomato sauce. The sizeable cubes of potato were deliciously crunchy on the outside, but soft and fluffy within, almost like a lighter version of the good old-fashioned roastie. Served with a delicious garlic aioli, a Mediterranean condiment made with garlic and olive oil, with a beautiful smoky flavour, it was a tasty and hearty dish.

Patatas Bravas with tomato sauce and smoked garlic aioli

For main course, there was a choice of chicken, fish, steak, gnocchi and a vegetarian potato hash; something to suit all tastes, and all sounding delightfully delectable. I had herb roasted chicken, and, oh boy, it surpassed all expectations. I was expecting a chicken breast, but what I got was half of a whole roasted chicken. The meat was so succulent and tender; it fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. The tasty, herb-infused skin was gorgeous and perfectly cooked. It was served with a heap of spiced cous cous, which, thankfully, wasn’t too spicy, and contained small pieces of pomegranate, the texture of which complemented the cous cous. Natural yoghurt added a little bit of necessary moisture to an otherwise rather dry cous cous. Although the chicken wasn’t dry in the slightest, the flavours of the meat and the natural yoghurt harmonised very well.

Herb roasted chicken with spiced cous cous, pomegranate and yoghurt

Quite how they can prepare and serve half a chicken as part of a £9.95 two course menu is beyond me. It’s sensational value and almost too good to be true. 

When our waitress asked us if we’d like to see a dessert menu, my eyes must have illuminated, as my response prompted her to chuckle, ‘I’ve never seen anybody respond so enthusiastically before, that’s brilliant’. I thank you.

I was feeling completely satisfied after a hearty and moderately healthy lunch. I could have passed on dessert, but as she informed us that the sticky toffee pudding was off the charts, for research purposes, I had to give it a go. Thankfully, she was absolutely right, it was superb. The sponge was perfectly moist, with one or two dates, and the sauce was sticky without being overly sweet. Topped with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, it was pudding perfection.

I was quick to inform her that she had been proven correct, and I think she was a little relieved, as she jokingly thanked me for having faith in her. Despite only having met little over an hour ago, she appeared to sense exactly how important my desserts were to me. Priced at £6.00, you can hardly grumble when the rest of the meal had cost under a tenner.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The Express Lunch is designed to be eaten in your lunch hour, and it does what it says on the tin. The service was speedy, and if you’re in a rush, you can even order a dessert or hot drink to take away with you, or have your starter as a side dish. It’s without doubt one of the best value set price lunch menus in town.  The main menu is just as reasonable, and I’d like to experience the place by night.

Artisan is a rustic, retro and informal restaurant, which serves up simple food with a few quirks. It doesn’t break the bank and has already become one of my favourites. You’d be a fool not to give the Express Lunch a whirl. It’s also perfect for big parties, with private rooms available to hire.

Top tip - Sign up to the Artisan club online and you can reap a whole host of benefits, including 20% off the main menu: http://artisan.uk.com/.

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 4 September 2017

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

George Orwell, English novelist