The Old Blind School – Liverpool

June 21, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

“It’s was only A bit of brunch but it was still a good feed”

It’s 9.30am Sunday morning, the flame and I have awoken from a slumber caused by a Saturday night Kylie Minogue gig! What to do for breakfast? I rather hopefully suggested a date at ‘The Old Blind School’ in Liverpool. Surprisingly, the flame considered this a good idea despite Liverpool being a forty minute train journey! We were on! Just after eleven we sauntered in to the latest and grandest addition to the NewMoon Company portfolio. We are big fans of Manchester’s ‘Beef and Pudding’ and so ever since the Twitter hype started ‘TOBS’ has been high on the list.

It cuts a fine dash on Hardman Street; it’s a hop, skip and a jump from The Philharmonic. It’s a fine old grade two listed building. It’s actually difficult to believe that this is a restaurant. It is huge. Once in, we settled stage right on the ground floor. We were a little surprised at the lack of eating height tables, but we had little to fear. Dave Mooney (one of the owners) was on hand to supply a quick tour of the place, proudly revealing a further couple of floors. Upwards, via a magnificent staircase a further three rooms provide a veritable platoon of quality settings.

The walls are scattered with artworks reflecting the ‘Scouse’ heritage. ‘Lennon’ prints and nods to the original blind school usage make it more like an art gallery than a high end ‘gastro pub’. Not that that’s a bad thing. Greys, blues and yellows combine with wood, leather and daring chandeliers. It makes for a truly sumptuous experience.

As it was Sunday morning it was a heavily truncated menu. Its weekend brunch time. One of my favourite meals. It’s a cracking little booklet. Some slight variations to the normal suspects as well.

The Flame went for the 3 egg omelette or ‘Arnold Bennet’ as its called. It comes filled with naturally smoked haddock, cheddar cheese and double cream (£7.50). It was a fair old plate full, piping hot and chock full of flavour. The Flame really enjoyed it, but felt it needed a bit of something else, maybe some tomatoes for a change of texture and taste, but we are splitting hairs here. I went for the eggs benedict (£5.95) which were terrific; the ham was off the bone stuff, no pressed, boiled ham here. The hollandaise adding a luscious edge to the perfectly poached eggs. I washed this down with some French toast, served with strawberries and raspberries (£5.95) and lashings of hot coffee. The toast, super sticky and sweet. Good stuff.

French toast, haddock omelette, eggs benedict

It was only a quick impromptu visit and the ‘TOBS’ team were psyching themselves up for the father’s Day onslaught (the place was booked up twice over before five!). We’ll definitely be back for a stab at the super looking main menu which as with all the NewMoonCo outfits use quality raw materials.

And judging by this little visit, it would seem there’s someone who knows how to cook behind that newly transformed galley? A well marshalled fleet of smiling service staff, (Emily and Beefy’s Ashley were on hand this time) should ensure continued progress and success. Liverpool seems to be following hard on the heels of Manchester’s foodie explosion. TOBS is here ready and waiting! Bring it on!

The Old Blind School
24 Hardman Street
Liverpool
L1 9AX
0151 709 8002

http://www.oldblindschool.co.uk

Eating Out Reviews

The Black Swan – Lower Withington, Cheshire

June 12, 2015 thecooktwit 2 Comments

“Hope you’re hungry and like fast deer! Great country retreat…“

It’s a fairly drab Saturday afternoon in May, a shuffling sweep round the bathroom showrooms of Stockton Heath is not exactly getting the juices flowing. Still let’s not get too downhearted The Cooktwit had bagged The Flame a slap up binge at The Black Swan in somewhere called Lower Withington.

This black version is a stable mate of The Swan at Newby Bridge, a place The Flame and I have enjoyed on several occasions in the past. It’s a fair old romp to get there though. The M6 gets you thereabouts but then it’s a gentle swage through its leafier bits. Twemlow and Sweetenham are just two of the many haunts who gain your patronage on the way to this fine outpost.

The Black Swan makes a fine sight as you enter its domain. Its jaunty ‘swan with a cap’ brand lifts the spirits. There’s some serious hardware in the car park on arrival. Not too many beat up Mondeos here. I reckon some pretty hot horse, ‘rugger’ and ‘gunnery’ pastimes are enjoyed by the clientele here!

If you think the external branding is quirky, wait til you get inside! Whilst I am a fan of the industrial heavy metal of the Manchester scene it is a pleasant change to step into the chintzy country style of the Swan. ‘Sandersonesque’ prints swathe the comfy chairs and the odd wall. A flock of dead deer adorn one wall. They must have hit that wall hard! Mr Farrow and Mr Ball have done well. ‘Sagey’ greens get a good airing. The Flame is totally enchanted. It’s definitely a female setting, very homely. No harm in that, so its smiles all round as I quench my thirst with a pint of their very own local ‘Mucky Duck’. A light session ale with only three point six points on the ‘drunkometer’. It’s good stuff.

We select from the ‘hand written’ black on white menu (always a good thing). For starts I go for the chorizo scotch egg with a saffron aioli (£6.95). The flame is teased into seared sardines with vine tomatoes, toasted brioche with salsa verde (also £6.95). At first my egg looks a bit lost and boring, but it soon livens up when I plunge in. Turns out it was rather good. The chorizo cover was lovely, particularly when married with the saffron aioli. I’m pleased to say the flames’ sardines are good too. She suggests the brioche is a little sweet for her, but all in all despite the long wait, we’re chuffed.

For mains I am drawn straight away to the ox cheek ragout with pesto linguine and pecorino (£12.50). I’m partial to the cheek of ox (see recipe here). The ox cheek bit was plentiful and superb though I did detect a slightly curious, deep scented taste, which could have been basil or basil oil? Another pedantic note is that the sheer volume of linguine had even me quaking. I reckon at least a third less would have done me! The flame had the beer can chicken with chunky chips and ranch salad (£11.95). She elected to forego the sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. Again a good portion (I had to finish half of it!). We couldn’t really detect what the beer can had added. As expected it was good well cooked chicken. The salad was especially good being chunky and fresh.

As usual for research purposes I had a dessert. And boy what a dessert. Banoffee cheesecake with toffee sauce (£5.95). This really was good, as good as any I’ve had in a good while. Guaranteed as being homemade by Emma our young, smiling waitress it was a creamy and dare I say almost boozy triumph. A fine end to a most enjoyable hour or so.

Amongst the advertorial material on the country table was a notelet about a natty little walk. The suggestion being that one should troop round the advertised route and pop back to the swan for brunch (they are open at 10am). I think we’re on for this. That’s our next plot when we’re next in err……..Lower Withington. I reckon you should try it.

The Black Swan
Trap Street,
Lower Withington,
Cheshire
SK11 9EQ 01477 571770
http://www.blackswancheshire.com

Eating Out Reviews

Ormer – St Helier, Jerseys

June 8, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

“Another Michelin Star restaurant on Jersey, don’t mind if I do…”

The Flame had arranged a quick week in Jersey. No problem I thought, the place is steeped to the gills in Michelin starred restaurants and the place heaves with quality raw materials. Within minutes I’d booked Ormer. Its Michelin star has been honed by its mentor, Shaun Rankin. I couldn’t wait to get there. Mid hols we sauntered from our hotel through the mean streets of St Helier to Don Street. It’s just off the main pedestrian shopping area.

Ormer dominates Don Street with its smart double frontage. The bang on trend mustard leather chairs shine through the front window which itself is daubed in indigo. The theme continues inside, complemented with walnut and cream. You could be entering a smart Soho club. The gentlemen at The Drones would be most appreciative. I later discovered it was designed by Martin Brudnizki who has designed a good number of smart London eateries. My hunch was most accurate.

We decided to go straight to the table. A phalanx of uniformed front of house executives enquired about our wishes. A couple of sherries were set down whilst we poured over the menus. We decided to go from the Spring menu (£48 three courses). Whilst the choice was limited, I was drooling. It seemed to tick all the boxes I was looking to tick that night. A taster menu for £75 was on offer as well as a stunning a la carte. As with most smart menus on Jersey, it’s local, high quality produce is high on the agenda.

From our seat we could see the pass via a classic chandelier. We could see Head Chef, Lee Smith and a pretty extensive team beavering away. It all looked pretty slick. A couple of crab arancini balls came through as an appetiser. By now a nice bot of Pinot Grigio was cooling in the wings.

Using the spring menu we simply picked the lot between us. The flame had the scallops, which came dressed with a carrot purée, cumin and lime marinated carrot, coriander oil and yoghurt. As you would expect, beautifully cooked, my tiny slice of scallop was perfect! It was all I could get. That said I think I won the opening round. I had the steak tartar, which itself came piled on a block of focaccia. It was accompanied by a stunning bowl of horseradish panacotta. It arrived dressed with colourful, foraged shrubbery and then slicked by a waitress with a dark green nettle purée. The combination was truly sublime. Possibly the best dish I’ve had in years. Flashes of the sort of dish we had at Simon Rogan’s The French.

Scallops, steak tartare with horseradish panacotta

For mains I had the lamb whilst the flame had the turbot. We opted for sides of asparagus and the ubiquitous Jersey royals. The lamb featured beautifully pink loins as well as sweetbreads. It came with an assortment of aubergine, pickled artichoke, tomatoes and a whipped goat’s curd. It provided a wonderful array of flavours and textures, a stunning plate. The Flame announced her fish, complete with cauliflower, samphire, a pine nut crust and a bevy of sea based foliage as a triumph. The morsel of turbot I had was superb.

Lamb, turbot, Jersey royals and asparagus

The flame won the desserts. She had the soufflé with vanilla cheesecake ice cream, poached rhubarb and ginger and mascarpone foam. The soufflé was a warm, luxurious, creamy explosion of taste. My strawberry salad with yoghurt sorbet, meringue and strawberry broth was refreshing enough, and it looked the part, but a bit boring for me.

Coffee arrived with its own garden of delights. Nuggets of nutty popcorn a top soil of coffee/chocolate granules was a final treat. The white and dark truffles adding a further luxury touch. A cracking end.

The final bill with service was just over £80 each, but this was a quality offer. This was a real treat for me. I thought it was a truly stunning meal set in wonderful elegant and classy surroundings. Despite the formality I still found it completely relaxed. The flame, however, felt it was a little too formal for her, particularly for a holiday binge.

That said, it’s a full recommend from me, I’m still having dreams about that steak tartar………………….

Ormer

7-11 Don Street
St Helier
JERSEY JE2 4TQ
+44 01534 725100

http://www.ormerjersey.com

Eating Out Reviews

Mark Jordan at the Beach – St Aubins Bay, Jersey

June 4, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

“Another restaurant with a ‘celebrity’ chefs name in the title. It must be good? It is…”

The Flame and I set about a short break in the largest Channel Island Jersey. A super little tome called ‘Appetite’ listed and described all the decent grub outlets on said Isle. A quick schufty soon had me planning the food for the week ahead. I’d seen Mark Jordan on Saturday Kitchen one time putting up a decent fist of getting Jersey ingredients on the map. I was bitten.

Told you it's by the beach — Told you it’s by the beach

Amidst a beautiful, four mile beach jaunt from St Aubins harbour to St Helier we stumbled upon the striking deep red exterior of ‘Mark Jordan At The Beach’. Bit of a mouthful, but the branding gets it over with a flourish of signature and contemporary font. It’s smart. I ambled in to book. As I was attired in the standard holiday fayre of tailored shorts, T shirt and Jesus sandals, I enquired on the dress code for a Friday eve. A smart, young Lancastrian called Andy suggested I would be welcome as I was, provided I didn’t add socks with the sandals later. Fine advice I thought. One for the gentlemen readers to take through life. As it happened, the inclemency of the weather on Friday meant that a longer pantaloon was selected with a full leather boot!

My tailoring advisor/front of house expert Andy, was on hand once more to welcome us in for our evening appointment. The room is light, long, narrow and bright. A super view to the sea. ‘Pebbly’, ‘sand duney’ artwork adorns the walls. We are by the beach after all. Tables are light wood with comfortable wicker seating. The option to sit outside beneath the stars was declined. Despite being the end of May it was a little too cold for that. A rather wonderful Innis and Gunn IPA had me purring with delight. Followed up by a splendid bot of ‘Dry River’ Shiraz for a mere £16. Top stuff.

A flurry of high tech menus came into view. The a la carte menu and the Jersey festival spring menu. It’s a British menu, using top, local ingredients. There’s a strong bias on Jersey fish and seafood, though being ‘crabbed’ out I went for meat tonight. Cheese straws with a flavoursome hummus came in as a pre starter. We munched away. For real starters I went for a cheesy crab risotto (£9.50) whilst The Flame plumbed for the ham hock terrine (£9). Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed my risotto I fear The Flame went 1-0 up. The ham hock was a cylinder of pure meaty joy, particularly when doused with the homemade piccalilli placed alongside.

Mains were meat based. The fish looked amazing but we had grazed on the sea all week. The flame had a wonderful medium rare Scottish rib eye (£19.50). Suspended on a trivet of sautéed potatoes and a bed of spinach it was cooked to perfection. The béarnaise sauce alongside adding the piquancy when required. I had the 30 hour cooked, Harmony Farm, short rib of beef (£18.50). It came with a flurry of watercress, pickled carrot and a horseradish mash. I wondered if perhaps the blade of bone was a prop to suspend the succulent meat, such was the ease at which my fork was able to tease the flesh from its setting. The mash was a delight too. I equalised, 1-1.

The flame won the dessert though. A salted chocolate tart with pistachio ice cream (£8.50). Beautifully presented with a swirl. I had the pear tarte tatin (£8.50) which our waitress informed us would be a twenty minute wait. No problem to us. This meant we could finish our wine!

Coffee arrived with a quirky selection of ‘lollipops’. We shared the fifth (a macaroon). A super end to a wonderful meal. The flame reckoned this was our best on the island, no mean feat after what we had had so far.

All in all the grub came in at a shade over £50 a head. Well worth it for the quality of food, service and setting that we enjoyed. The restaurant is run by Mark’s wife Magda, whilst he concentrates on his Michelin star effort ‘Ocean’. It’s a fabulous, relaxing place and has a great team. Definitely one to seek out if you visit this rugged little island.

And you can even wear your shorts! But no socks!

MARK JORDAN AT THE BEACH
LA PLAGE
LA ROUTE DE LA HAULE
ST PETER
JERSEY JE3 7YD
Telephone 01534 780180
http://www.markjordanatthebeach.com

Eating Out Reviews

Albina – Crosby, Liverpool

May 22, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

“I’ve never had a Sunday roast to the strains of The Divine Comedy before!”

As Alex, our muscular front of house scouser says “we have an eclectic jukebox here, we run competitions to guess the tune”. I didn’t do too bad. Anyone remember ‘It’s my Life’ by Talk Talk? Anyway it made for some entertaining banter between The Flame, Granddaughter Jess and myself as we enjoyed a rather splendid luncheon at Albina in Crosby. Crosby is a smidgen north of Liverpool on the old dock road.

Albina itself nestles amidst a fairly mundane set of shopping emporiums just off a main trunk through Crosby. It’s a smart enough frontage, rustically emblazoned with its previous moniker ‘Albion….’. Sadly the poor chaps were forced to change the name after some bizarre disapproval by a London based outfit.

It’s a leisurely stroll through some leafy bits from the beach which sports the now famous ‘Gormleys Another Place’. These are a series of metallic, naked gentlemen which stand alone in an attempt to hold up the raging seas. As this was a cold, windy May afternoon they needed to make a good fist of it.

The reduced menu, some organic improvements

As with many of my gastronomic sojourns they germinate from a mere quip on Twitter. This time it was a ‘sarky’ prompt that dozens of love struck couples were swarming hand in hand towards Albina for another slap up feed. This was a wet Tuesday night! It would seem that despite the accolades (an AA rosette has been bagged already) Albina would heartily welcome a bit more trade. I hope it gets it because it’s good, very good.

We stepped through the open door on a Sunday at 12.30. The young relative was heading south at 4.30 hence the early timing. We were the only ones in. It was pretty bleak at first but the aforementioned Marcus soon had us at ease. It’s a growing space. A space that is developing organically. Alex is slowly adding it’s personality by scouring eBay. It’s coming together. There’s some nice simple touches. Simple furniture, simple walls, simple paint scheme. Despite the lack of punters, it was easy to imagine that full it could be a very special place.

Chicken faggot, mackerel, coffee filler images

We picked from the basic Sunday menu. Two courses for £15 or three for £18. The youngster picked all my choices. Jess started with the braised chicken faggot on a sage and onion cake. It came with the finest mushroom and bacon cream sauce I’ve ever tasted. Yes, I did get to taste it. Part of the deal of picking my choice was that we swap half way! I had a legacy from the previous night special, mackerel on a warm beetroot and potato salad. Both dishes presented beautifully and simply on a plain dish. Both dishes sublime.

For mains the youngster went for plain fish and chips. I say plain, for it was a fine hunk of soft white hake encased in a soft, seasoned batter. My fork full was superb. Young Jess didn’t quite share the enthusiasm she had for the fish with the skin on wedges. But they were great for me. The Flame went for fish pie with Mrs Kirkhams smoked cheese topping. Bit of an expert on fish pie. Thumbs were mainly up. Liked the fact it was all white fish, but missed the egg that The Church Green put in! I went for the roast beef. As with all the dishes, simply presented, hot and beautifully cooked. It was a good roast with a boat of real meat juices to slaver over if things got too dry. Top stuff.

We all went for puddings. I went old school, Jam roly poly with custard. Proper suet job this, and blimey what a portion! The Flame went for sticky toffee pudding complete with all the dates and butterscotch sauce. Jess had what turned out to be the star of the show. Chef Dave’s homemade salted caramel ice cream. Three truly sumptuous boules of creamy goodness. Thankfully she was full at this point so I was able to sweep to the rescue and scoop up a fairly decent sample.

The only disappointment for me was the lack of choice. The full menu (available at all other times barring Sunday) really is a treat. Historical British recipes using fresh, local, british produce. It’s a striking offer.

Despite being an hours run out, we will be back to go through a bit more of the card. If you really appreciate simple British food cooked and presented well, it is hard to beat. Make a day of it. Stroll through the Gormleys on the beach then up the road to Albina. Learn some Cerys Matthews tunes though, theres bound to be one on and you will get asked to name that tune!

Albina Crosby
55 Coronation Road,
Crosby,
L23 5RE
0151 932 9460
http://www.albina.co.uk

Recipes

Tomato, Asparagus, Cheese Tart

May 7, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

This is a brilliant, tasty and simple dish to make. I did it as a starter for six people. I just threw it in the middle and carved it up with a pizza wheel. Went down a storm. The recipe comes from the ever reliable Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall (River Cottage) and his equally reliable Veg book. The basic ingredients are the puff pastry, some veg, some herbs and some cheese! You could apply some variations quite happily with equally good results. Ive done a few versions. They all work. The basic principle is the same: crisp pastry, soft caramelised tomato, tangy cheese.

A little sunflower oil
½ teaspoon fine cornmeal or polenta (optional)
375g all-butter, ready-made puff pastry
Beaten egg, for brushing
About 350g tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
A little extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil
100g rinded goat’s cheese (I used mozzarella)
125g Asparagus (trimmed and sliced lengthways)
A handful of thyme sprigs, leaves only
Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5. Lightly oil a baking sheet and scatter over a little fine cornmeal or polenta, if you have some – this helps to keep the pastry really crisp.
Roll out the pastry fairly thinly and trim to a rectangle about 30 x 25cm. Put it on the baking sheet. Cut a 1cm strip from each edge. Brush these strips with a little beaten egg, then stick on to the edges of the rectangle, to form a slightly raised border. Brush the edges with a little more egg.
Thinly slice the tomatoes across into 2–3mm slices; discard the stalky top and skinny bottom slices. Scatter the garlic over the pastry, then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top, overlapping them only slightly. I used cherry tomatoes on this occasion and simply scattered them over. Season with salt and pepper and trickle with a little oil. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and lightly browned.
Take the tart out of the oven, scatter over the cheese and thyme, add another twist of pepper and a trickle of oil, and return to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melty and bubbly and the pastry golden brown. You can serve this hot, but I think it’s better half an hour or so after it comes out of the oven, with a green salad.

VARIATIONS Basil and mozzarella tart

Replace the goat’s cheese with 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella (about 125g), torn into small pieces. Replace the thyme with a couple of tablespoons of shredded basil – but add this after the tart is cooked, not before.

Rosemary and pecorino tart

Replace the goat’s cheese with a generous grating of pecorino or Parmesan, and the thyme leaves with 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary.

Blue cheese and chives tart

Replace the goat’s cheese with crumbled blue cheese. Omit the thyme. Scatter a chopped handful of chives over the tart once it is cooked.

Eating Out Reviews

Wizard – Alderley Edge, Cheshire

May 4, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

“Can The Wizard still cast a magic spell?………………”

Well not this time I’m afraid. After a great start near farcical service quashed the magic. The Flame and I decided to turn back the clock and head east to once again walk the edge. It was a super bank holiday Monday, the sun was shining. The Flame made the call, “how about walking along Alderley Edge and seeing how The Wizard is, we’ve not been for years”. It was a great shout.

The Wizard was the place to be a few years back. Posh, Becks, Giggsy, they were all part of the scene and The Wizard was up there serving the stars with high end, pub grub and just above normal prices! It was good stuff though. It was the place we went for special occasions. The place you went to push the boat out.

We ventured in after a glorious to the edge and back (15 mins each way). The old place hadn’t changed. Outside the paintwork was creaking a bit. I’m sure it’ll get a lick soon. Inside, it was the same as it was the last time. Stone floors, low ceilings and heritage paint providing the backdrop for fox hunting prints and ugly pot dog ornaments. It’s quaint with a capital Q. Our sprightly young waitress swept us with gusto to our prearranged table. The reserved note telling all that they could sit here until 1.45, but woe betide you stay any longer as the Cooktwit was due in at two! A nice touch! Our table was set in the corner by the window. A super spot. The said employee, recited without stumble the three ales on offer. A Lion Brewery ale was soon in place.

We ordered up from the simple, single sheet menu. In good time our starters arrived. The Flame opted for the smoked salmon, cucumber, avocado and herb stack with a tomato salsa (£6.50). I had the flatbreads and houmous for a fiver. They were both superb. In fairness the salmon stack in particular was the finest starter I’ve tasted in a long time. Fresh, zingy and bursting with flavour. The houmous with warm bread oozing with cumin scented oil almost equally pleasing. We were on a roll. The old days flooding back.

Next up the mains. I ordered the smoked haddock, cod, king prawn and pea risotto with a crispy bit of squid (a heftyish £13.95). On first impression I had it looking a little pallid and uninspiring on the plate. A flash of superfluous greenery at the top edge providing the only colour. First taste lacked seasoning. The remote seasoning canisters (provided on each table) soon had that remedied though. From then on it was actually rather good. Plenty of fish, it was most agreeable. The Flames chicken club sandwich with chorizo and thrice cut chips (£7.95) arrived on white rather than the granary bread as ordered. It was quickly changed. The Flame rated the ensemble with a satisfying grin. I managed a chip dipped in a glorious jalapeno mayo which was delicious.

We then watched a table of eight have their table cleared, having dined after us. From then on we waited for what seemed an eternity to have our table cleared. We then asked for the dessert menu. We waited and then waited some more. Our waitress after prompting finally emerged admitting she had forgotten. Fair enough.

I ordered the panacotta with honeycomb and fruit (£5.95). Having watched Mr Rayner on Masterchef and noted his need for the ‘wobble’ when judging a panacotta I was ready and waiting. Mine arrived upside down in a cup! I couldn’t tell whether it wobbled or not. My substantial vintage, stainless steel spoon stood up in it though, once I had managed to penetrate the surface. It was not light and fluffy. Indeed once the first couple of spoonful’s (mixed with the fruit and textured honeycomb) had evaporated I was left with a cloying mound. A disappointing end really.

We asked for the bill, and then asked for it again, and again. It arrived at almost double what it should have been. Another table had been added to it. When the real bill arrived (£47) we asked to pay by credit card. We waited for the machine, and asked for it again. The service had deteriorated significantly. Watching our waitress chatting with other staff, cleaning cutlery while we waited was a touch disappointing. It dampened the experience. Spare a thought for the couple next to us though. They got their mains before their starters! And they had waited far longer than us!

It’s a shame really, it’s a fine space set in stunning surroundings, the food was generally very good and in fairness looking at some of the Sunday roasts coming out they look a very decent bet too. Perhaps we were unlucky with the service. It didn’t seem overly busy. Maybe the staff were new, lacked experience or maybe too few of them? I don’t suppose we’ll ever know.

If you like living on the edge, it might be worth giving it a risk.

The Wizard
Macclesfield Road
Nether Alderley
Cheshire
SK10 4UB
Telephone 01625 584 000
Email wizard@ainscoughs.co.uk

Eating Out Reviews

Filthy Cow – Manchester

April 14, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

STOP PRESS – this restaurant is now closed

“Danger, there may be images of lightly cooked mince in this review!”

Not sure what else I can add here. It’s another burger joint in Manchester. It’s good though. It’s called Filthy Cow and it’s on Tib Lane in the old Lounge Ten gaff.

Ginger Comfort Vanilla Shake, Jeeps and branding

I do recall the last time I was here. An olive skinned lothario crooned sweet nothings down my lug ‘ole whilst trying to woo The Flame over an incredibly expensive medium rare steak. Lounge Ten, ten years ago was the place to be for a while.

It was a bit of a shock when I romped into the old place now though. It’s been stripped of its soft furnishings and transformed into some sort of dungeon. A girder construction hovers down the left whilst a suspended, industrial scale hoover hose joins outside to the backstage griddling deck. Graffiti covers the walls whilst small, screw top stools dot round a collection of dated tables. It’s a transient space this, not designed for comfort. Still it does the job. I suppose that’s the plan, get them in, get them out. It’s not for loitering.

It must work though. It took a few visits to actually get served at lunchtime; such was the numbers wanting to try it out. It finally succumbed on a glorious sunny Friday. Even then it filled up quick. It does have an upstairs but it was shut when I went.

I ventured in with work chum Kev. He likes a burger. We sidled up to the bar. A rather pleasant young lady laid down the procedure. We ordered up from the limited card. We avoided the ‘special’ pork and chorizo burger and went for two ‘standard’ Filthy Beasts, a portion of chips, a guava pop! and a Ginger Comforts vanilla milkshake. £24 the lot. Burgers £7.50. We sat down by the window (the only light) and sat patiently with our very own flashing, warning disc.

Bit of a masterstroke getting local ice heroes Ginger to stump up the ice cream for the shakes. Bit steep at £4.50 but boy it was good. Glorious, creamy filler for the main event. After a few minutes our flashing alert disc sprang into action. The filthy beasts duly arrived. They were sheathed in their own ‘izal’ bog paper wrap, each topped with their own ‘filthy’ badge. Once unravelled we both marvelled at the spectacle. Moist, pink patty, crisp lettuce, crispy bacon and lashings of cheese. No question it was a great burger. I would say as good as I’ve had at other famous establishments in the city. We wolfed the hot salty chips and wiped ourselves down with the branded napkins. We left some twenty minutes later very happy indeed.

I’d have to say I was pretty impressed, clearly young Jordan Gallimore, proprietor and inventor of the breed has done the homework. It all works well right down to the clever branding. Even the jeep outside had it. You could argue the offer is a bit limited and that continued success relies on our continued insatiable appetite for the humble gourmet burger. But being honest I don’t see a break in that for some time yet. Roll on.

Filthy Cow

10 Tib Lane
Manchester
M2 4JB

Call us: 0161 8395498

filthyfood.co.uk

Events

Rotary Club of Newton-le-Willows Beer Festival April 2015

April 13, 2015 thecooktwit Leave a comment

“Beer, rock music, friendship, community, charity, what’s not to like?”

Newton-le-Willows Beer Festival has been an annual event in the local calendar for quite a few years now, and yet, despite liking my beer I’ve never really given it a serious thought. A bubble in my mind has likeable, bearded chaps with rucksacks, leaning on a makeshift bar giving marks for ‘hoppage’, aroma and citrus notes while sucking on a half pint glass of mead. The reality was somewhat different. In fairness I dare say there was a few of these hardy coves, but there was probably about another nine hundred souls, young, old and female to make up the rest. It was an uplifting experience to witness my home town community spirit in full, thriving action.

As you would imagine the beer is the centrepiece of the scheme. Over one hundred examples were on offer, including dark beers, stouts, pale ales, milds and some strong ciders. Sixty odd of them were marshalled on two rows of scaffolding in the huge outdoor marquee. A further forty odd were set up inside the historic sports clubs main function room. Joining the two camps were some steps, some loos and the Red Bank Farm Shop tent selling pulled pork, beef burgers and chips to help soak up the alcohol and stave off the pangs of ‘peckishness’.

I went with some like minded chums. We met on the local high street mid afternoon to sample a pint from one of the sponsors ‘The Firkin Bar’. We then strolled the final lap to pay our fiver and gain access to the event via a commemorative glass and a handsome volume detailing the brews on offer. We then each swapped a tenner for our beer tokens. A fine currency constructed from discs of yellow and red plastic. Each disc was dutifully exchanged for a half of your chosen brew. If you were fortunate a plucky volunteer would struggle to shut the tap off fully and a further 1/4 pint could dribble into your glass. This never happened to me but I heard rumours of others it happened to!

As well as the beer, The Rotary Club of Newton-le-Willows organised some live music. Local hot shots Chicken Run had entertained the throng on the Friday night. Being Saturday afternoon we happened upon a cherubic bunch of chaps called Salamander. They had a nifty knack of turning stompy old rock favourites into full blown heavy metal anthems. They went down a storm. I reckon many of the locals also thought there was a storm coming, my ears are still ringing!

By 8.30 I’d spent my tenner. I’d had some Lonesome pine, a blonde witch, a citra, a campfire, a cheeky pheasant and a few others. Thankfully I missed out on my Wobbly Bob! Despite the maddening crowds in the marquee and the main hall it was brilliantly organised. The merry throng of blue shirted volunteers ensured you didn’t wait long for your next fix.

The high spirited crowd performed there role with dignified drunkenness. As far as I was aware with no trouble at all. It was a superb event and one I shall be marking down in my calendar. I suggest you mark it in yours. It’s always on the same weekend as The Grand National. When you add in the fact that this is an event for charity it really does make sense. Sponsors and organisers take a bow.

Eating Out Reviews

The Boathouse – Appley Bridge (near Wigan)

April 9, 2015 thecooktwit 1 Comment

“There can’t be a better spot on the canal in Wigan!”

The Flame is oft referred to (by me) as “a lady wot lunches”. She normally troops to some garden centre or other but one day she opined the virtues of The Boathouse at Appley Bridge. She even said “this is one for The Cooktwit”. Bank holiday Monday was, in our parts, a fine, sunny affair. After a tortuous morning re-felting the shed I was gleefully reminded of this canal side haunt. We booked it and went. We set off North to M6 Standish. By then a cool, thick fog had descended, our intended, after dinner sleeveless stroll was dashed.

Undeterred we settled in. The boathouse seems to have been some sort of hangar. I reckon being next to a canal it once used to house boats (give him a medal, what is he on? – Ed). The room is very high and features some nailed in beams. The decoration is new and is in the standard, new pub style of mixed, feature wall paper, tweeds, prints, mixed colours and block paint. It kind of works. It’s pleasant enough. Outside a huge pergola sits next to the canal. Its sides are filled at present to fend off a westerly wind; no doubt they will be relinquished on a hot sunny day.

A pint of Prospect Brewery’s Silver Tally was soon in place to allow a perusal of the one sheet menu. It’s a very decent menu. The Flames assertion that The Cooktwit would be impressed was well founded.

I started off with a breaded pork schnitzel complete with apple and fennel slaw, pancetta crisp and a caper sauce (£5.95). The schnitzel was reassuring hot and moist, the slaw zingy and fresh. I was well pleased. The Flame didn’t have a starter but she was beaming. She knew she’d put me on to a good thing.

We both had a main course. The flame had the pan fried salmon with green beans, capers, tomatoes, lemon and herb dressing and a hot portion of chips (£12.95). Everything was piping hot, straight from the kitchen which is on view. The salmon cooked to perfection, chips, light and crisp and a decent salad. No limp lettuce here.

I reckon I won though. I had a roasted lamb shank, which came with carrot, celery, puy lentils, rosemary jus & braised red cabbage compote (£15.95). Not too sure where the carrot was, but in their place was cabbage and spring greens which were engulfed in a rich lentil laden gravy. The gravy itself then swamped round a suitable mound of hot, buttery mash. It was a delight. The lamb fell away with minimal teasing. I wolfed the lot.

As you know I always have a sweet and today was no exception. Even the flame had one! A huge dish of apple and rhubarb crumble and custard (£4.95). The crumble still sweet and crunchy despite the overflowing jus. I had a classic lemon tart with honeycomb and raspberry (£4.95). I could have done with some ice cream for added lustre, but it was nice enough.

I’d have to say looking at the quality of the food coming out; it’s a definite try again. Burgers, fish and chips all looked top notch. The ‘we want plates’ brigade might have a thing to say as there were plenty of boards slates and nets! The Boathouse only opened in 2014 with two executive chefs and a mantra to use local, seasonal produce and champion local ales. It’s a fine offer. Get down early in summer though I reckon this is going to be a popular place. It even has an ice cream parlour outside. What’s not to like?

And if you have a coffee you get a mini eccles cake…….

The Boathouse
Mill Lane
Appley Bridge
Wigan
WN6 9DA
01257 252456
http://www.appleybridgeboathouse.com

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Rotary Club of Newton-le-Willows Beer Festival April 2015

The Boathouse – Appley Bridge (near Wigan)

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