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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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