WAS Friedrich Engels partial to a drop of Grappa? Perhaps Garibaldi, after liberating Italy, sent the co-creator of the Communist Manifesto a flagon or two of the national firewater to celebrate. Allow us a little ...
Reviews
Review: Porta, Altrincham
THE influence of Altrincham Market cannot be underplayed. Its presence has spawned a thriving cluster of bars and restaurants. On a summer evening the corner of Shaws Road and Greenwood Street could be some buzzing ...
Review: The Comedor at Baratxuri, Ramsbottom
WE went back to Baratxuri to investigate their custom-made ‘Pereruela’ clay oven, commissioned from the hamlet of that name in the high mesas of Castilla. It was Sunday lunchtime with suckling pig very much on ...
Out of town review: Moor Hall, Ormskirk
WHO’S benefiting most from this bold era of boundary-pushing, forage-friendly, stripped to the roots British cooking? The young tyros in the kitchen making it happen? The foodie customer prepared to brave… • any amount of ...
Review: Beastro, Leftbank, Spinningfields
THIS is such a satisfying still life. A 250g sirloin steak, cooked rare, handcut beef dripping chips, homemade bearnaise, charred leeks, a bottle of Blackjack Red Rye Saison beer and a sunflower. We’re in Beastro ...
Review: Asha's Small Plates Bar Menu (and more)
THE seductive heart of Asha’s Manchester has always been its basement Bolli Bar, where you can can almost imagine yourself rubbing shoulders with Bollywood stars such as Aishwarya Rai or Shahrukh Khan over a fragrantly ...
Review: Randall & Aubin, Bridge Street
“I WAS wrong about the lobster. It’s not from Devon but from Cornwall… you would still like?” asks our server Maria. Of course and I don’t mind one jot that my Devin crab might have ...
Out of town review: Tom Parker at The White Swan, Fence
VICTORY on last year’s Great British Menu raised Midland French chef Adam Reid’s profile through the roof. His inspired Golden Empire Apple, selected as dessert course for the Westminster banquet climax of the BBC2 cook-off ...
Review: Roost/La Cantina, Heaton Moor
ZUNI on Market Street, San Francisco remains one of my favourite eating places on earth, though I’ve only been there twice in 20 years. The decor may be mock adobe, as befits a former cactus ...
Review: The Bird at Birtle
DON’T you mistrust those desperate road houses plastered with signs saying ‘Great Pub’, ‘Hearty Welcome Guaranteed’, ‘Home-cooked Food Served All Day’, ‘Hand-pulled Ales’, ‘Sky Sports’, ‘Psychotic Landlord’? OK, we made the last one up, but ...