Neil Sowerby checks out the essential goodness of three chunky paperback guides to where to eat and drink in 2011. Odds are that, with times being hard, some entries may have closed before that year even begins, but each showcases the vibrant state of Britainâs food and drink culture...
Good Food Guide (Which? Publications, £16.99)
MOST exciting local feature is the influential Guide proclaiming Mary-Ellen McTague of Aumbry in Prestwich as national Best Up and Coming Young Chef. The unpretentious Prestwich eaterie she runs with chef husband Lawrence Tottingham is described as a âgem with good cooking at its heartâ?. Fellow newcomer and Taste of Manchester fave Damson in Heaton Moor gets plaudits, too, for its adventurous dishes in the suburbs. A notable absentee remains the River Restaurant at The Lowry, while again no city centre restaurant makes the countryâs top 50, Ramsbottomâs evergreen Ramsons flying the flag for the region at No 46. In its 60th year, the GFG remains the benchmark fine dining gazetteer.
Good Pub Guide (Ebury, £14.99)
THIS should really be called the Guide for folk who like eating out in comfortable surroundings rather than those seeking out edgier hang-outs in search of authentic drinking experiences. The emphasis, as always, is on smart country hostelries with Manchester being slotted into Lancashire. Still the presence of the Marble Arch and Stalybridge Station Buffet, where no one is likely to spill jus on their tweeds, is heartening. Just order the black peas at the latter, we say. This yearâs edition rails against bad service and laments the spiraling prices of pub food.
Good Beer Guide (Camra Books, £15.99)
MUCH more my pint of beer, I must admit. Fabulously comprehensive and easy to use.. and not just for the Camra ale-spotters. Even the culling of three of my favourite locals pubs hasnât dampened my enthusiasm for this epic celebration of a cask ale culture that see Britain boasting more breweries than at any time since the Second World War. Admittedly, most of them are microbreweries serving a small but dedicated clientele but the kind of speciality beers, especially hoppy, citrussy golden ales are winning over a new generation, younger drinkers and women. Locally, the real ale stalwarts in classic Victorian premises remain, but the presence of trendy bar entries such as Bar, Dulcimer, Electrik, Marble Beer House and Pi in Chorlton is indicative of changing times, as is the 23 independent brewery entries for Greater Manchester. Cheers!
