The Kitchen Theatre Chorley

We are proud support local food venues in Lancashire and on a recent trip to Chorley we decided to pop into the recently opened Kitchen Theatre on Peter Street, its situated right next to Chorley Little Theatre in the former premises of Parmesan and Peppers (or Parmesan and Petulanceas so named by Richard Herring).

                                                           

We arrived chilled to the bone after dodging hail showers to be warmly welcomed by the front of house staff to the friendly space. Despite it being a Friday lunchtime the restaurant was pretty quiet, yet on chatting to the staff they are fully booked for evening services on Fridays and Saturdays weeks ahead. We decided to plump for starters and mains and then judge as to whether we could squeeze in a pudding.

We ordered the pate and arancini balls, the pate was pronouced delicious and was served with some very nice bread and red onion chutney.

The Arancini balls were amazing, served on a tangy tomato couli and a dressed rocket salad.

Mains of Beef cheeks, sage mash and seasonal vegetables, delicious and very comforting in the cold weather. Meltingly tender and perfectly matched with roasted vegetables.

Our other main was traditional fish and chips with mushy peas, beautiful fresh fish served with tasty chips.

After our mains I decided that I wouldn't order a dessert as I was full, Mr LF however plumped for jam roly poly which was accompanied by a beautiful creamy custard.

 

The Kitchen Theatre is situated on Peter Street Chorley, right next to Chorley Little Theatre, parking is avaliable on street and on the near by car park. The restuarant is definately worth a visit, the food is of great quality, well prepared and a warm welcome awaits you. Reservations are advised.

Tea 4 2 - Manchester

               

I have been meaning to publish a short post on a new restuarant / cafe/ bar in Manchester that I initially spotted whilst on a conference for business in the city.

Whats so special about a cafe in Manchester I hear you all cry, well this one has an extensive gluten free menu ( there is loads of choice) !

The venue is easy to find just off the main drag from the Arndale to Piccadilly and is decorated in a oh so funky white and pink (chaps don't be put off its just funky and cool not girly), the cakes in the window tempt you inside.

I was in a bit of a rush so plumped for a sandwich but the menu is amazing and even features afternoon teas (gluten free) and the cakes well they looked amazing. My sandwich was great and featured some of the best gluten free bread I have tasted, according to the waitress they have its specially made in Cornwall / Devon and shipped up to them.

The table next to me was also enjoying the food also and couldn't believe it was all gluten free, price wise  it was competitive too. Their menu caters to all tastes and can be viewed on their website, they also stock an extensive range of gluten free beers as well.

Their website is here

    

                 

The French at the Midland by Simon Rogan

As a little pre birthday treat a few weeks ago I decided to book a table for lunch at The French by Simon Rogan the Midland Hotel in Manchester. We haven't experienced Simon's food before but given the number of great reviews from my fellow bloggers I thought it was about time we ventured to the big city to give this venue a try, I must admit I was somewhat nervous of what the experience would be like and would it live up to the expectations built in my mind.

The French is a beautiful restaurant which has existed in the Midland Hotel since 1903, earlier this year Simon Rogan took over the reins and sensitively brought the French up to date, with a stunning tastefully refurbished decor and an equally stunning dining menu, city centre Manchester finally has a restaurant which might just possibly become a michelin star holder . The restaurant  has been so successful that a second more informal international restaurant will be opening across the hotel reception in a couple of weeks time.

                                           

Firstly an apology as you not getting any food piccies as I just wanted to be a diner not a blogger for this lunch and enjoy the whole taste experience. The decor is a gentle muted style with more than nod to the beauty of nature, I especially like the carpeting that looked that planks of wood and the globe chandeliers are amazing ,something you can just gaze at for hours. But we are here for the food not the decor.

We were welcomed by the friendly and attentive staff, which immediately put us at our ease as we were talked through the three set menu's we could choose from. As this was lunch we plumped for the three courses, to open with were served an appetiser of crispy kale with english truffle and chives, this light as a feather taste sensation was amazing, a beautiful truffly mouthful, you tasted every flavour. This small dish already started to show me why Simon Rogan has two michelin stars to his name, magical....

Next to arrive where two amazing bread trays, one each both containing a dinky french baguette, a manchester ale roll, dark and intriguing and a hunk of some amazing looking chestnut bread, all served with whipped butter sprinkled with sea salt. We both love real bread, appreciating that bread making is an artisan craft, we were very impressed, the bread was all delicious and still a little warm from the oven. The crunchy dinky french bread was well flavoured and with a crunchy crust, the ale bread earthly dark and malty (a little reminiscent of More Artisan's Treacle bread but without the sweetness) and the deliciously chewy nutty chestnut bread. Having the butter whipped lightened the overall impact on the bread and the touch of crunchy sea salt was great. Both touches allowed the bread to sing.

First course - Grilled radish, scallops, bronze fennel, smoked roe, now I am not a real fan of radish but whatever the kitchen at the French did to these radish turned this into something amazing, the vegetables and herbs becoming the star of the show, the scallops were perfectly cooked, just simply a stunning dish. Mr LF would have licked the plate if I would have let him.

Second Course - Reg's chicken with blewits, beans and mugwort, this dish had both chicken thigh and breast in it, both melt in your mouth tender, with crispy skin, earthy mossy mushrooms, crunchy yet tender green and golden french beans, char grilled spring onions ( I never knew a spring onion could taste so good) and a delicious gravy / sauce with just a hint of mugwort to make it intensively savoury. 

Dessert - Cherries, sweet cheese, hazelnut, sorrel - flavourful soaked sliced fresh cherries with a sweet creamy soft goats cheese frozen parfait, served with a crunchy hazlenutty granola and a few leaves of wood sorrel, drizzled with a sweet sticky sauce. So simple, so fresh but a taste sensation.

A surprise course appeared, a  treat of  Sasparilla drink, sasparilla meringue, sasparilla parfait and sasaprilla gel, wonderfully aromatic, this rounded off the meal perfectly.

Overall we were blown away by the flavours, textures and the amazing combinations of essentially simple fresh ingredients but cooked perfectly and combined with precision, all we can say is the man is a genius.