Whilst in Wigan for an appointment, I decided to look online for places to get some breakfast or brunch whilst I was in the area. I don't know the area well, but it seems there's some good choices. The one that stood out for me, and was closest and open, was Caffè Rosso on Wigan Lane.
From the outside, Rosso is unassuming, but the first thing I notice is that at this point of the morning it can't have been open long, but there were already people dining in the outside seating, and two tables occupied inside. The inside of Rosso is modern with retro and vintage touches, but as well as being clean and pleasantly decorated and furnished, it feels welcoming. The details around the room such as newspapers and magazines for customers to read are nice, but its small details like free wifi, and books on things like trips around the British Isles that make you realise that not only are you welcome, but if you want to stay a while and relax, you're welcome to.
When I mentioned to one of the owners that I liked the feel of the place and the décor, he thanked me and said that it was a carbon copy of their living room at home, but without the television. I think I can believe that, because it's very welcoming and comfortable.
Upon reading the breakfast menu (a specific "good morning!" menu, which I like the idea of), and the main "welcome" menu on the table, the two words I would use to describe Rosso are "provenance" and "passion". The details given in the guide exude pride at listing where their foods and ingredients are sourced, their views on ethics and quality, and emphasising the home-made elements, and the awards they have earned. I like this. If you have something of quality and you know it, then by all means, shout it from the rooftops!
As it was morning, I opted for some granary toast with marmalade and a pot of tea. I liked that I was able to ask for decaf tea, skimmed milk, and sweetener, without it being an issue that it can often be at small establishments like this.
Sounds healthy doesn't it? Only thing is, I had my eye on a particularly nice looking slab of Belgian chocolate tiffin in a cake cabinet on the main counter next to an equally delicious looking key lime pie. Well it'd be rude not to, wouldn't it? I ordered with one of the owners at the counter. He was friendly, welcoming, and professional.
The tea was perfect as to be expected, but the tiffin was really excellent! Rich and chocolatey, it was the perfect little treat, and knowing it was home-made was another nice touch. I'd be tempted to come back just for this little beast, but in seeing that they also do Afternoon Teas, I'm sure I could be persuaded to return a few times... just for research purposes of course!
As it stands, I wasn't expecting to find anything amazing early on a Monday morning in Wigan, but I found a real gem. I must explore Wigan more!
You've got something good on your hands, Rosso, and you deserve your awards and praise! I only came for a brew and some breakfast, but I left feeling great! I will definitely be back
Caffè Rosso
17 Wigan Lane
Wigan
WN1 1XR
(01942) 581 609
www.cafferosso.co.uk
Papa's is one of the many places to eat in Darwen, but is quickly gaining a reputation as somewhere you can get good American food in a simple and welcoming environment, whilst not breaking the bank.
There's a great free car park pretty much opposite it, which is always nice. It's always a bit awkward when you want to go somewhere you've heard good things about, only to find there's nowhere nearby to park.
The frontage is relatively small, but inside there are several tables and booths, stretching back into the diner itself. It's not a 1950's soda-pop type diner, but more of an American style 'dive bar', with chunky wood battening, mounted hubcaps and lighting features made from bottles and glasses, as well as full sight lines into the action in the kitchen.
As we walk in, we are greeted at the main desk by a cheerful member of staff, who tells us to sit wherever we like and order at the till when ready. We opt for a booth towards the back of the restaurant as a birthday party is in full swing in the middle. The menus are more like take-out menus, but jam packed with all sorts of amazing sounding things from deep fried pizzas and chicken parmo, to a dedicated mac and cheese menu.
Whilst browsing the menu, we see a gigantic plate of chunky ribs covered in sauce taken out to the party table and placed in front of a stunned looking man, as the rest of the party gasp, laugh, and take photos.
We decide as the menu isn't structured formally with a starter, main, dessert etc, that we will both order a burger each, and ordered the Nutter Clucker and The Darrener respectively, and also a serving of Dressed Up Bacon Mac from the mac and cheese menu.
Now here's the interesting part which impressed me; despite the theming as an American diner/dive bar, and the setup of a small restaurant, the service I saw and heard in the kitchen was excellent. The team were checking timings of food with each other to make sure everything was prepared properly and in the right time frame, and I even heard discussion about whether the bechamel sauce was ready, and saw a chef taste it to make sure it was ok. That's a good thing. It's really nice to see a kitchen team with such slick operation, and genuine interest in the quality and taste of their products.
Before long, our meal came out, all together, presented in metal serving dishes, to further go with the American dive feel. I like that the paper lining of the dishes had trivia questions for you to uncover and quiz each other with as you progress in your meal. I was also really impressed that we were able to order root beer. So many American themed places never have root beer, and it really is an American diner staple!
I had to try the bacon mac and cheese before anything else, and it was absolutely amazing. The real deal, really well made and seasoned, and full of flavour and comforting melty cheese. I could've sat there any simply ate my way through the whole bowl, but needed to move onto the burger.
The fries were fresh, hot and crisp, perfect. The burgers were juicy and cooked perfectly. The barbecue sauce was really nice quality, and the soft brioche bun was the right choice too. Basically the food was really excellent.
The staff were friendly, cheerful, and helpful. They asked how we found the meal, if we enjoyed various elements of it, and when asked if we could have a take-away box to take home, were happy to suggest one of their foil boxes to keep our mac and cheese fresh.
The value was excellent, the quality of the food was excellent, the staff were excellent, and the atmosphere and venue was excellent. The website looks more geared to take-away or ordering online, but don't judge a book by its cover, because Papa's itself could very easily have a full on website, and full restaurant style and menus if it wanted to, because its that good. Seriously, give it a go.
We'll definitely be returning, because there's a lot of other things on that menu I'd like to try!
Papa's American Diner
193 Duckworth Street
Darwen
BB3 1AU
(01254) 777 977
www.papas-diner.co.uk
I'd heard of Bakers, but I wasn't quite sure what exactly it was. I saw it named as Bakers Tea Room (which appeals to me!), but the internet also lists it as a coffee shop, an ice cream parlour, a gift shop, and other signs list it as a bar and kitchen.
So I wasn't really sure what to expect, but the great thing is that it's actually a mix of all of these things! No wonder they don't have a single label!
This eclectic approach also extends to the décor, which is not akin to anything I've really seen before. It's not a traditional English tea room, nor a coffee shop in terms of design, but more like a themed design, but I don't know what the design is. I'd call it perhaps rustic? Either way, I really like it, it's solid and uses lots of wood, chrome ducting and faux exposed brickwork, and fun decorative elements as well as some bits which are just a bit odd (buckets mounted on the wall anyone?), but I like it. It's unique.
It's split into two areas, a lower area which is more aimed at the coffee shop element, and a rear upper area which has comfy bench seating and larger tables for diners. We initially sat in the lower area as it was quite busy, but after the upper area emptied a little, we retreated up there for a little quiet from a few mums with their little ones (who sounded like they needed a nap!).
The menu is simple but has some good choices, and regularly changes, so there's not an online menu. This is good though, it means you get something new fairly frequently.
We ordered a pot of tea. The Kilner jars stocked behind the bar show a great variety of teas for us tea lovers out there! Good tea too!
From the main menu we ordered a toasted chicken and stuffing sandwich, and the Bakers Burger, both of which sounded great, and I liked the sound of the burger... I wasn't expecting burgers at what was potentially a tea room!
The staff are friendly and helpful, making recommendations, and going out of their way to make customers comfortable and welcome.
The food came in good time, and was presented well. To be honest it looked great!
The burger was juicy and satisfying, and dripping onto the wooden board a bit, not due to fat, but sheer juiciness! The chips that came with it were crisp and delicious. The chicken toasted sandwich was full of flavour and really nice quality. It also came with what looked like a bucket full of fresh salad (!) but we found it to have a cleverly concealed ramekin within the bucket allowing for a normal sized portion. The salad by the way was fresh and very tasty.
As we only popped in to investigate, we thought we might get a scone and a pot of tea or a slice of cake, but ended up getting a big lunch each, meaning we filled ourselves up to the degree of having no room for dessert... rookie mistake! The cakes and ice creams looked great, and now that I know the sort of food and quality to expect from Bakers, I'll definitely be back to give them a try... and some more of the rest of the menu... but... but... try not to overfill myself first... gah, maybe I'll make several visits instead!
There is free parking at the venue, but it's to the left of the shop and not in the small road to the right of it where I accidentally parked, requiring a 17 point turn to get out again. Whoops!
Go along, give them a try, they're good, and showing that local independent places can cut it with the big boys!
Bakers
247 Blackburn Road
Egerton
Bolton
BL7 9SN
(01204) 306 266
We spent a couple of days in Brontë Country, and on looking online, one of the most popular and highly rated places to eat in the area is The Grouse Inn. I mention this because it's quite an achievement to earn that, as so many of the places to eat in and around Keighley and Haworth offer wonderful food.
The most striking thing about The Grouse as you enter the car park is the breathtaking views it has across the moors! A good 180 degree view of pure natural beauty, with a classic British food pub in the centre. Marvellous.
The place itself as you walk in has that fantastic feel and decoration of the classic Northern English pub, with warm colours, a slate floored bar, a classic busy pub carpet, and dark wood furniture. Also good nods to the countryside element with taxidermy deer heads (and duck heads!), foxes, and artwork of the moors. It feels warm, friendly, and welcoming.
As we're seated, again we are treated to that amazing view from any window you look out of. Truly the most amazing view I've had with my dinner in this country!
The service is welcoming and friendly, menus are handed out with smiles and genuine interest in the customer. The menu itself is modern in design, but boasts some truly wonderful classic British foods, from liver and onions and fish and chips to sausage and mash and cottage pie, as well as other staple choices like pizza, pasta, steak, and salads.
We decided not to have a starter... we've learned the hard way before that if we have a starter in this sort of place we won't have room for pudding... not this time!
So for our mains, I ordered the trio of classic home-made sausages with mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas, and my partner ordered from the specials board, and went for the steak wellington with Stilton and pate.
Here is where I gush. The food was absolutely phenomenal! Delicious home-made food, fresh, rich, and bursting with flavours. The sausages were rich and juicy, the mashed potatoes was creamy and so very comforting, the steak wellington was an explosion of flavours, and we both agreed the gravy was the real deal, and absolutely sublime.
We had room for dessert. The dessert menu (given to us as the "pudding menu" as it should be!), was extremely tempting, and after a while deliberating over what to have, and changing our minds four or five times, we opted for that British pub classic... sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and ice cream.
THIS is what should win The Grouse awards. My partner, Phil orders sticky toffee pudding whenever the opportunity arises, but actually stated that this is one of the best sticky toffee puddings he's ever had in his life; hot, rich, gooey and comforting. On the way home the following day, he was genuinely mulling over the idea of popping back into The Grouse JUST for that sticky toffee pudding on the way home!
The service was great, the views and decor were wonderful, and the food was absolutely fantastic. We will most definitely be returning to The Grouse, even if we're not in the area... it's only 57 minutes away... we checked!
Well done, The Grouse! See you again soon! :)
The Grouse Inn
Harehills Lane
Oldfield
Keighley
West Yorkshire
BD22 0RX
(01535) 643 073
www.thegrouse.co.uk
I remember passing Baltic Cellar in Manchester City Centre a few years ago, and thinking how it looked like the sort of place I'd really like to give a try, as I enjoy European food, but when I eventually came to look into it and visit, I found it had closed. Booooo!
But when I was recently passing through The Vaults area of Bolton Market Place, I saw a sign saying that Baltic Cellar was opening there soon... right near home! Fantastic! So I finally got to visit.
Baltic Cellar is a grill restaurant which specialises in Polish, Russian, and Baltic foods. which means hearty meaty foods usually, and speciality drinks. As you walk in, you see that the décor is modern with abundant wood cladding and warm tones, but with nods in theming to traditional elements with taxidermy, pine cone decorations, and traditional art. Music is background and unintrusive, which coupled with the dim lighting and wooden tones makes the space feel cosy and relaxed. We're greeted and seated promptly.
The menu is full of delicious options in starters, mains, and a grill section, as well as a gluten free section and childrens section. There's also an extensive drinks menu. For our starter we choose to try 'The Tower' which is fried Lithuanian brown bread with cheese and garlic, and Zhulian, which is a fried mushroom casserole with chicken, onion, double cream, and baked cheese.
Whilst waiting for our food we looked in the drinks menu and saw some great non-alcoholic options (as we don't drink), and it was nice to see that the cuisine type even extended to soft drinks, allowing us to order some drinks we'd never tried before. We ordered Tarhun, which is described as a green lemonade, and Kvas, which is listed as a malt drink.
We didn't know much about these drinks so looked them up whilst waiting for our starters. It turns out "green lemonade" is an underestimation for how green this drink was! It turns out its made with flavours of tarragon and woodruff, and is wonderfully refreshing and tasty. I was really impressed. Kvas it turns out is made with fermented sourdough bread, which we found surprising. The taste is truly unique, starting with a similar flavour to something like Dandelion and Burdock or Root Beer, and ending up with a flavour similar to having eaten a Cadbury Roses coffee centred chocolate. Both were really tasty, and we'd order again them again next time for certain.
The starters arrived. The Tower living up to its name of a Jenga tower of delicious crunchy batons of brown bread, with melted cheese dribbled over the top. It was very good, and very moreish. It worked really well with the cheese, but I bet would work equally well with some dips or liquid cheese. The Zhulian was delicious and creamy, and full of flavour. It came with a slice of bread, but would benefit from a few more, but it turns out the Tower's bread batons work very well indeed with it!
For our main we decided to order the mixed grill, which was recommended for two people to share. This took a little longer to arrive than expected, but given the comfy atmosphere of the venue, this was fine. Our waitress also came over to let us know that it wouldn't be too much longer, which was appreciated.
The mixed grill comprises of pork rib, lamb, chicken, pork neck loin, two sausages, and was served with any two sides, and any two sauces. We chose potato wedges and spicy rice as our sides, and Baltic sauce and 'green' sauce as our sauces. These sauces didn't sound like they were going to be anything special but they were truly delicious, and really enjoyable to dunk the various meats in to see which worked best. The Baltic sauce was made with ketchup, mayonnaise, coriander, dill and garlic, and so had a Thousand Island feel but with extra depth. The 'green' sauce was gherkins, coriander, dill, mayonnaise, and garlic, and had a wonderfully fresh and creamy taste to it.
The food itself was excellent. The mixed grill was filling and tasty. Everything was perfectly seasoned and cooked, with the rib meat falling off the bone. The sides were tasty and fresh too. I'd love to say that we tried one of the delicious Baltic desserts, but the starters, mixed grill and sides were so very filling that we simply didn't have the room!
The value was also very good, not even coming close to breaking the bank, with special offers mentioned on flyers and menus, and lunchtime offers.
We were both thoroughly impressed with Baltic Cellar and will definitely return. We know several people who will really enjoy it here, and we recommend it if you enjoy hearty and fresh food in a pleasant environment.
Baltic Cellar
The Vaults
Bolton Market Place
Bolton
BL1 2AL
(01204) 386 854
www.baltic-cellar.com
Crazy Pedro's! I'd only heard about this before but never really got chance to look into it. Looked online and saw that there's now two branches, so thought I'd pop into the Northern Quarter branch, which was a little tricky to find, but is basically nestled behind Affleck's, next door to Dive.
Their decoration seems to be this weird quirky blue guy... is this Crazy Pedro? Lives up to his name anyway from what I can see. But moving on. You enter down some stairs into a basement space, which is dark, modern, and very Northern Quarter, right down to recycled aluminium lighting and filament light bulbs against bare brick. I like the colourful artwork though, and the music posters on the ceiling. It also has pinball machines, which is always a plus. It has a nice atmosphere too, friends meeting up to laugh and chat over big ol' pizzas, nachos, cocktails, and beer.
As we enter, a friendly staff member at the bar welcomes us and lets us choose from the menu, giving us some advice on the pizzas, and when we decide we want to share a pizza, he lets us know that we can even have half-and-half on a pizza, so we can try a couple of options. Great idea. What's even better is that we appear to have arrived during Happy Hour, meaning a 16 inch freshly made pizza was only £10! Bargain!
We opted for half pepperoni (classic!) and half The Cuban. Both arrived in decent time, and were hot, fresh and tasty. I particularly liked that the base tasted toasted, and wasn't soggy in the middle with the toppings sliding off into a fatty pile or anything like you tend to get with a lot of pizza places.
The pepperoni was great, can't fault it, but The Cuban was really REALLY good! Ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles (gherkin slices) and mustard, and it was perfect. It wasn't greasy, it was full of flavour, and all the flavours worked together really well. I would DEFINITELY order this again!
So although it was a fleeting visit, I was really impressed. Good atmosphere, friendly staff, surprisingly good prices for the Northern Quarter, and damn good quality pizza! Go! Go now!
Crazy Pedros NQ
1 Short Street
Manchester
M4 1AA
(0161) 359 3000
www.crazypedros.co.uk
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