Albert's Worsley

East Lancashire Road, Swinton

Albert’s Restaurant at Worsley is one of the four restaurants in the Albert’s group. The flagship, Albert’s Shed, is the beating heart of Castlefield, just outside of Manchester City Centre. I’ve dined at Albert’s Shed previously and have always been bowled over by the quality of the food and the service: it’s Great British cuisine at its finest.

Last week, we branched out and visited the Worsley restaurant instead. It’s the bigger, more modern cousin of Albert’s Shed, but the menus are exactly the same. They’re open all hours and cater for all meals, with breakfast and set price lunch menus, an a la carte evening menu, Sunday lunch and even afternoon tea.

Inside, Albert’s has a much more contemporary feel compared to its Castlefield relation. Stylish royal blue booths accompany silver service style tables adorned with crisp white table cloths. The staff are extremely attentive and can’t do enough for you. The service is fast and efficient, which is all you can ask for.

We were booked in at 2:00pm on a Tuesday afternoon, yet the place was buzzing. It’s hardly surprising, as they offer a set menu of sensational value – just £12.50 for a two course lunch. There’s plenty of choice, with the options simply being lifted from the a la carte menu, and there’s no scrimping on the portion sizes either; it’s a complete win-win situation.

To start, I had Rabbit Gnocchi: gnocchi topped with pieces of slow braised rabbit with pancetta in a creamy white wine and mushroom sauce. I’d never tried rabbit before, so it seems like a cliché to say it tasted like chicken, but it’s the truth. The meat melted in your mouth and the gnocchi was tender and buttery. The pancetta was smoky without being too salty and the creamy sauce wasn’t overly rich. It was something very different and very tasty.

Rabbit Gnocchi

For main course, I had the Fish of the Day, which was sea bream served on a bed of buttered new potatoes tossed in tomato salsa, alongside fennel and courgette puree. There was a decent sized piece of fish, with the skin slightly crispy. The courgette puree was a flavour sensation. I wouldn’t have paired tomato with fennel and courgette, but it worked really well and made the new potatoes deliciously tasty. Overall, it was a delightfully fresh, healthy, tasty and satisfying main course, whilst remaining light enough for lunchtime.

Fish of the Day

I’m absolutely astounded that these two stunning dishes were served up for just £12.50. It’s one of the best lunch menus I’ve ever encountered I my life. There was so much choice. Other starters included mushrooms on toast, soup of the day and Moroccan chicken salad. Main courses included a range of meat, fish and vegetarian options, as well as a selection of quirky pizzas. I was truly spoilt for choice. There’s even three decent desserts for if you want to skip starters in favour of something sweet. 

The staff were friendly and attentive and the service was faultless: both courses arrived swiftly without being rushed. As it was my brother’s birthday, he was presented with a little triangle of chocolate brownie, topped with whipped cream and adorned with a candle. It’s this kind of personal touch that highlight the best in customer service.

The set price lunch menu changes throughout the year. The December one is available to view already and it looks delicious. I’m already planning to return.

All menus are available to view online at: https://alberts-restaurants.com/worsley/.