8 April 2014

By Neil Sowerby

IT’S a food lover’s dream, you know, that little neighbourhood restaurant combining a genuine down-home welcome with a consistent and creative chef. You turn up for all those little things you can rely on – and still there are surprises from the kitchen. That’s where Grenache comes in. Once you’ve found it, you’ll never want to leave. At least on the evidence of my belated debut as a customer who had finally worked out Walkden isn’t so far out from Manchester and even has a train station.

Huss Abbas’s little gem is hardly remote, barely 50 yards off the A6, but feels pleasingly tucked away... and intrepid culinary explorers have already put it on the map. It was the Good Food Guide readers’ restaurant of the year 2013 and has just gained two AA rosettes for chef Mike Jennings’ accomplished food.

Lostock-raised Mike has worked in some top notch places – notably at Michelin-starred Bohemia in Jersey, alongside the telegenic Shaun Rankin – and certainly in some more physically impressive kitchens (Grenache’s is a work-in-progress, to be kind). But his thinking-on-his-feet enthusiasm showed in the aftermath of the seven-course tasting menu he served me and my lovely Salford correspondent.

There on Facebook, when I got home was a proud shot of the dessert course. A lot is happening on the plate, but the eye is taken by the green sorbet on the edge. It’s made from coriander, a first for him in this form. It was a late decision to include. He told us he had sought phone support from a trusted colleague before adding it that night.

Raisin puree and blood orange mascarpone

We were lucky to be guinea pigs. Raisin puree and blood orange mascarpone provided the sweet fruit of the dish, the coriander, micro leaves and dried carrot wafers a vegetal edge. The centrepiece carrot cake was a sponge that I’d like to have been more rootily intense, mind.

There was little else to find fault with from the amuse bouche of home-smoked flaky salmon (it could clear a crofter’s sinuses), accompanied by red grapefruit and blobs of lemon yoghurt, and the soup course, which was a sweet shellfish bisque, swaddling two cute langoustines and a perfect scallop pasta pouch. At a recent cookery class at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons (you shameless named-dropper – Ed) I failed miserably  to tweak out a similar pasta shape, so you might say I was suffering from tortellini envy.

Scallops featured again in our fish course, proper, in that classic combo with cauliflower (“several ways” – I enjoyed the fritters). The sauce was mite over-reduced and muddy, but I’m again being picky among so much near perfection.

If foie gras terrine and a duck a l’orange take of confit and mandarin salad was dainty and impeccable, the meat main was a barnstorming journey round the Lamb as food object that quite strained my buttons. That enthusiasm again. We were given a canny construction of loin, best end of neck, kidneys sweetbreads and, even, a cheeky peek of lamb’s tongue. Almost to much, but really rather wonderful.

Meawhile, the ebullient owner matched wines with the courses with subtle aplomb. A restrained, tropical Marlborough sauvignon and a plummy Aglianico red from Campania (with the lamb feast) linger longest in the memory.

In 2013, this same Huss was contemplating selling up and moving Grenache somewhere more central to develop his customer base. Now, increasingly the acclaim may be driving savvy diners to him. So he’s staying put. Expect a refurb, including swag curtains. Maybe they’ll spend on Mike’s kitchen, too. Whatever happens, expect the same warmth of service.

I believe you have to order such a tasting menu in advance. It’s remarkably good value at£45. The Early and Sunday Decadence menus, offering three courses for £20.95, look a good bet if you decide to forego the a la carte.

Whatever, you order, you’ll benefit from an evolving young chef’s determinedly seasonal, market-led approach. And if thast extraordinary plate, covering the whole lamb spectrum, was a special effort to please a critic, I’d still go with high expectations. There’s might be a coriander sorbet at the end of the rainbow.

Grenache, 15 Bridgewater Rd, Walkden, Worsley, Manchester M28 3JE. Tel: 0161 799 8181. http://grenacherestaurant.co.uk