LIKE the Christmas special offers in the supermarkets, the various guides (to beer, food, pubs hotels) seem to hit the shelves earlier each year. Of all the contenders, though, the Waitrose Good Food Guide, to be published on September 1, is the most welcome – especially since the 2018 edition is so encouraging about the North West dining scene.
The region has six restaurants in the guide's Top 50, including three in the Top 20, one of which, Simon Rogan's L’Enclume in Cartmel is pipped for top spot after five years by fellow ‘perfect 10’, Nathan Outlaw in Cornwall.
Rogan’s disciples predictably prosper in the updated GFG listings. Bizarrely ignored in the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2017 Top 100, Manchester’s own Adam Reid at The French rises to No17 from 18 under Rogan’s name, while former L’Enclume head chef Mark Birchall of Moor Hall in Aughton, goes straight in at 26 having only opened in March. Read ToM’s five star review and you’ll see why.
The rest of the Top 50 North West contingent is made up of Fraiche on The Wirral (14) and Forest Side, Grasmere (30) and The Freemasons at Wiswell (44).
There are over 1,200 entries in this year's guide, based on anonymous inspections from experts combined with reader feedback. Certainly the Guide has done a credible job in recognising the talent of new entries such as the city centre’s Umezushi, Refuge and The Rabbit In The Moon, Stockport’s Where The Light Gets In and Disbury’s Hispi, One88 in Whitefield and Porta in Altrincham, all nominated too in this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Awards (vote now). They are just part of a 33-strong total for Greater Manchester.
The Good Food Guide is available to buy from Sept 4 (RRP £17.99).