Wokooshii, The Trafford Centre

Going down to Hampshire on a Friday night to see my family can mean a knackering car journey and a greasy bite to eat at Warwick Services on the M40.

Not last weekend though as Hannah and I planned ahead to ensure we were well fed for our long trek 'darn sarf'.  An early stop off at The Trafford Centre afforded us a wide range of places to munch but as usual we were stuck for which restaurant to choose.

Strolling around the food court we noticed Wokooshii, a Korean/Japanese place that wasn't there the last time we ventured into this shopping paradise.  The food that some of the customers were eating looked very interesting so we headed inside to try something new.

We agreed to share three starters between us so we could try a variety of dishes and then share our mains too.  If only the nations of the world could achieve this level of diplomacy!

Cucumber and Japanese Radish Maki:  
A fairly basic Sushi dish but was well presented with soy to dip in and ginger to cleanse the palate.  A good start to the meal.

Steamed Mandu Dumpling with Chicken and Sweetcorn:
Hannah loves Japanese Gyoza so was quick to order the similar Mandu dumplings that are a popular snack in Korea.  It is one of my favorite dishes from Asia and goes perfectly with the Soy Vinegar sauce drizzled over it.

Chicken Katsu and Sesame Uramaki with Teriyaki Sauce:
This is why I love food from the Far East; you try something new and it becomes an instant favourite.  I was very impressed with the presentation and freshness of the sushi we ordered but the distinct flavours of the uramaki stood out for me.

Bibimbap:
Hannah has seen a Korean family eating this dish when we were walking past and it was one of the main reasons we chose to eat at Wokooshii.  

Bibimbap is a signature dish of Korea with steamed rice served in a sizzling hot stone bowl and topped with carrots, kimchi, black wood mushrooms, bean sprouts, seasonal greens and a meat of your choice.

Opting for the chicken version of the dish, our waitress brought the hot stone bowl to our table with each raw ingredient separate. 
After cracking an egg on top, she proceeded to mix the dish together to create an egg fried rice style dish which allows the ingredients to cook freshly in front of you.

Chicken Katsu with Rice and Salad:
How boring I can be, always choosing my usual Katsu Curry!  I am really glad I did though as it was a perfect version of the well loved dish.  

I love stumbling on places like this, with no prior knowledge that they even existed, and then have an amazing meal that will see me excited to return.

The service was friendly and we were even treated to a story from our waitress about her cats that made us feel right at home.

If you are new to Japanese and Korean food then I would fully recommend you to go and try the food here as an exciting introduction into to cuisine of the Far East.

The Fisherman's Retreat, Ramsbottom

We had a pleasant surprise a couple of weeks ago when my in-laws called us up one evening to see if we fancied a bite to eat.

With no particular restaurant in mind, we headed to Ramsbottom as there are so many good eateries to choose from (like Hearth of the Ram) and I was hoping to tick a new place off my 'must try' list.

After driving around in a thunderstorm debating where to try, we stopped off for a drink at the Eagle and Child. 

We decided to stay here and eat but all at once the pub got surprisingly busy for a Tuesday night.  Our tummies were rumbling so after waiting 30 minutes we decided not to wait any longer for a table and continued on our journey.  Maybe next time!

My Mother-in-Law, Liz, remembered a spot only 10 minutes away which she had eaten at a few years ago, so we decided to see what had become of The Fisherman's Retreat.

A little off the beaten track, the restaurant is surrounded by the rolling Lancashire countryside and has beautiful views in all directions.  With 80 acres of land, they rear much of the restaurant's meat and catch fish from the on-site fishery.  Can't get fresher than that!

We were welcomed by the friendly staff and invited to take a look at the menu from the comfort of the big sofas in the lounge.  With an extensive cocktail menu (Hannah had a Forbidden Fruit), hundreds of whiskies and champagne on display and beers on draught this is a great place to pop in for a scenic drink.

The restaurant itself has been transformed beyond recognition and is often used as a wonderful wedding venue thanks to the renovation.  

The end wall is now a huge floor to ceiling window which allows you to gaze at the vista while you munch on your locally produced nosh.  

The storm had just passed so we had the pleasure to eat as the sun streamed through the clouds and the blue skies emerged.

To start I chose the pheasant and asparagus.  I have had a real appetite for game recently and took the opportunity to try one of the specials on offer.

If you have never eaten game, I would urge you to try it as each different bird has a unique and wild taste to it.  This dish fully satisfied my craving and the pheasant was moist and light.

Liz had a most beautiful dish of Thai spiced fishcakes, sweet chilli jam and Thai noodle salad which not only looked amazing but delivered on flavour too.

Both Hannah and her Dad ordered the very generous portion of smoked salmon with horseradish sauce and sundried tomatoes. It was delicate but meaty too but instead of coming warm as described on the menu, it came chilled.

Earlier, whilst we had been relaxing in the lounge, the staff had served an amazing looking burger to another table.  I couldn't find it on the menu so I asked the waitress about it who informed me it was from the lunch menu.  Perhaps it was my puppy dog eyes that convinced her to let me and Liz order it as a main that evening.

The rump steak burger had a strong meaty taste which went perfectly with the smoked bacon, fried onions and red onion chutney.  Chutney on a burger is my new religion...

Lamb on the menu.  No question that Hannah is having it.  

A simple rule we seem to live by but unfortunately this ended up as the low point of our meal.  The lamb cutlets, despite being offered as pink, were very overdone and the gravy seemed to have come from granules rather than the cranberry jús described on the menu.
You can't get one past Hannah, the gravy connoisseur.  Such a shame.

Gordon, my Father-in-Law, ordered Chicken Roulade which wrapped the chicken with Macsween haggis and prosciutto ham and served it with new potatoes, leeks, wild mushrooms and baby spinach before covering it with a wholegrain mustard cream sauce.

I cheekily tried it and if I go again I would be sorely tempted to order it for myself.

I think, despite the midweek blips when it came to the food, the Fisherman's Retreat is definitely worth another go.  

The views and amazing selection of drinks alone would encourage me to return.  

All Star Lanes, Manchester

There is nothing better, when it comes to eating out, than being recommended a good place to try.

Last weekend I decided to treat the both of us to see the Hallé Orchestra perform Hollywood classics at the Bridgewater Hall and I needed a good place to eat prior to the performance.

There are so many amazing places to eat in Manchester that I turned to social media and asked for suggestions and was not disappointed with the response on Facebook and Twitter.

Despite many different recommendations, All Star Lanes (thank you Dollybakes) seemed to match our requirements perfectly as it was close to our final destination and matched our Hollywood themed evening.

Despite our lack of a reservation we were early enough to avoid the rush and were seated quickly.  

Hannah noticed the Debbie Does cocktail that mixed Pink Pigeon rum from Mauritius with Maraschino, Orange Bitters, passion fruit and fruit juices with Prosecco on the side.  We spent our honeymoon in Mauritius drinking Pink Pigeon cocktails so ordering this one was a must.

I, feeling like a little kid at the bowling alley, went for a chocolate milkshake.  To hell with those who say you can't drink milkshakes after puberty...

The menu at All Star Lanes isn't massive but has more than enough choice for a burger lover like me.  I went for the Maple Bacon Cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and then used the complimentary Barbecue sauce to mix things up a bit.  I do like a bit of brioche too.

Hannah wasn't in the mood for a burger so she turned the Summer Salad started into a main and ordered Popcorn Squid to put on the side.  

Salads can sometimes be really boring but this one was anything but, with marinated veg, mozzarella, mixed leaves and a runny poached egg on top which dribbled yolk when it was cut.

The squid was well presented in a take away container and the garlic mayo accompaniment went with it a treat.

We didn't have enough time to go bowling but the layout looks incredible so I will be planning a group visit there soon.  They even have a retro sweet selection including nerds and gobstoppers!  

The Great Northern is my favourite part of Manchester and it seems to be getting livelier by the day.  All Star Lanes may not have the range of options like Almost Famous but it brings its own special something to this buzzing part of town.

La Becasse, Ludlow

As you can probably tell from our recent blog posts, we certainly treated ourselves to some lovely meals on our family holiday.  

This was the case again on the way home when we decided to spend a night in Ludlow.

La Bécasse was the proud holder of a Michelin Star but sadly lost it last year. In their quest to regain the honour, chef Chris O'Halloran came on board. He, with the rest of the team, are offering one of the best dining experiences available.

We had booked to stay at a historic hotel The Feathers  (photo below) in the centre of Ludlow so we only had a short stroll down the hill to the restaurant. We had arrived in the town a few hours earlier than planned and La Bécasse were very accommodating in moving our reservation forward two hours earlier than we originally booked for.  

Like many places in Ludlow, the restaurant interior is traditionally oak panelled and timber framed adding to the atmosphere. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel special by restaurant manager Marc Antoine De Re and he invited us to have a drink in the upstairs lounge.  

Complete with beams and sloping floors, the lounge is a comfortable setting to begin the evening. Hannah promptly ordered a perfectly mixed Cosmopolitan and I went for a soft drink.

To go with our beverages were a quartet of bar snacks including sweet potato crisps, caramelised nuts, chilli popcorn and olives.  A nice few bites to prepare us for the meal ahead.

After being informed that our table was ready, we relocated to the downstairs dining room where they had placed us at a special table for our anniversary that allowed us to look out towards the rest of the restaurant and the kitchen.  

The dining room exudes luxury with oak panelling contrasted against areas of exposed brick.  Suede artwork of rich reds and oranges along with carefully crafted glass work adds to the feeling that you are somewhere special.

I ordered the Gourmand Tasting Menu to taste all the delights available whilst Hannah ordered from the dinner menu.  

Chef's Seasonal Appertiser:
To start we were brought small cones filled with salmon tartare.  It was light but full of flavour with a gentle hint of sweetness from a delicate créme fraiche.

A Tray of Warm Breads:
The obligatory bread was served warm in three different flavours.  The beer bread had a unique tangy aftertaste which made it my favourite of the trio. The Parmesan bread and walnut rolls also went very well with the silky smooth butter.

Amuse Bouche:
To further prepare us for our starters, we were served with a small cup full of sweet potato soup with basil ice cream.  The combination works a treat and the different temperatures sit nicely on the tongue.  

Ravioli:
My first starter arrived which consisted of lobster ravioli with scallop, tomato and spinach.  The server then poured over a creamy chervil veloute which gave the dish a depth of flavour.  Definitely the nicest lobster dish I have tried.

Ballotine:
My next starter was something I would not usually order were it ever on an á la carte menu but this is the wonder of the tasting menu. You end up trying things that you normally overlook when given a choice.  The ballotine had the distinct flavour of duck's liver, matched with free range chicken, cauliflower, marinate mushrooms and a port syrup.

Asparagus:
An asparagus risotto served inside a squid.  A new combination of flavours for me.

Lamb:
As Hannah didn't go for the tasting menu, she ordered the loin and confit shoulder of lamb. Pink and tasty packed with flavour. It was accompanied by baby onions, buttered vegetables and a thyme jus.  She was even happier when they left her a pot of extra jus... such a Northerner!

Wild Boar:
I have only had boar before and previously found it a little dry. However, this version was anything but.  I devoured the boar cheek and the bourguignon reduction in no time. This was easily my favourite course.

Chef's Pre-Dessert:
A fruity trifle with a tirimisu topping was delivered to us so we could cleanse our palettes in preparation for dessert.  The fruits were sharp against the cream topping and dark chocolate straw.

Chocolate:
To finish our meal we were treated to Chris O'Halloran's special dessert of bittersweet chocolate fondant, chocolate veloute, malt ice cream and cookie.  We were informed by our waiter that this dish won 'Britain's Best Dish' on the TV show of the same name. With an undertone of cinnamon, I can certainly see why. Rich and satisfying. 

After clearing our plates we asked for the bill but Marc has one more anniversary surprise for us in the form of little sweet treats which I think was a lovely touch as Hannah only mentioned it in passing to the waiter.  

The experience at La Bécasse was one to remember.  Not only for the good food but memorable for the best service we have ever received.  
The meticulous service was superb, La Becasse really look after us making us feel special and comfortable.

I am sure that the awards they deserve must soon await Chris, Marc and the team.