Chester, Wirral, Cheshire - gems please !

[willowan]

Dear all

Am looking for recs in / around the area outlined above, ideally within sensible driving distance of Liverpool.

Am open to any kind of cuisine or place so long as

- the food is fresh,
- the wine list is decent
- its not a soullesss chain,
- its got an intimate feel even if its a big place, and
- its not a rip off,

I used to go out in Chester a fair bit a few years back and never really found anywhere that great . I was always a bit underwhelmed by the Brasserie at the Grosvenor , for the price. Is the 'proper ' restaurant there worth the dosh ?

I have seen some reference here to 1539 which overlooks the racecourse - but it looks a bit corporate - anyone been on a non race day ?

Oh and what about Fraiche on the Wirral - great or hype ?

If it helps my favourite place in Liverpool is probably Delifonseca for consistently decent food., intimate feel and lovely staff. This time last year Italian Club Fish was great but I think it went off. Ditto Side Door - though I think that went off a few years back

So, come on Cheshire and Wirral folk , give up your hidden gems - be they pubs, restos or chippy's !

Thanks in advance for your help

[Theresa]

You could try the Cholmondeley Arms - a pub in cheshire which should be within your 60 minute limit. It's a nice pub and they do good food.

There are a couple of Wirral places which are always recommended in Hardens and people who live over there, but I've not been to either of them. One is in West Kirby - Ginos, I think. The other is the Marsh Cat (?) at Park Gate. Both are supposed to be good for reliable cooking and friendly atmospheres.

[willowan]

Dear all

I think I will start with one of the pubs mentioned

Of

Hand & Trumpet
Plough & Flail
Cholmondeley Arms
Dysart Arms

which has best food and which would best meet my criteria for a dinner for two on a Friday night ?

Thanks again for all your help

[Theresa]

I think the Cholmondeley Arms would fit your criteria. I can't remember the interior though - I remember it as being full of character with a nice fire, but not sure if it is intimate or not. It's in an old school (albeit a tiny one!), so it may not be as cosy as others.

I've not eaten at the others, so I can't compare it to them.

[mr_gimlet]

Hand and Trumpet is big and open, definitely not cosy. In a nice twee village though

[Harters]

Can only comment on the Hand and the Plough and would try the former first. Cooking at the various Brunning places is pretty consistent so I'd assume that the Dysart will be pretty similar to the Hand. There seems to be a degree of consistency on the various menus that, I suspect, comes form some Head Office guidance that will say something aloing the lines of "you will always have a burger on the menu and you will always have a long-cooked lamb dish but everything elkse is up to you". It allows the various places to use very local produce.

If you've read the other board I linked to, you'll have seen I'm a big fan of the Brunning places. It is consistently better than average food and actually damn good on occasions. They also know about customer service - you're invariably welcomed with "would you like to start a tab" and things go on from there pretty faultlessly. I would almost never consider tipping in pubs but do in these places (if I'm feeling flush).

[PhilD]

No one has mentioned Aumbry in Alderley Edge yet (2 Church Lane).

Cheffed by Mary-Ellen McTague ex Fat Duck and Heathcote's London Road Restaurant cooking with her husband Laurence Tottingham who has a FD pedigree. Great reviews on another board with a menu that sounds great. Manchester's first good restaurant?

[Harters]

Phil

Aumbry is actually in Prestwich (on the northern outskirts of Manchester - just into Rochdale), so hadnt mentioned it on this thread (or any other "good" Manc places).

As you say, Mary-Ellen has also done time time at Heathcote's London Road (which is in Alderley). More recently she's been sous-chef at Ramsons, in Ramsbottom (a Good Food Guide 6) - my review of a meal there is on, ahem, another board known to you (and, now, readers of this thread ;-)

[PhilD]

Sorry, my geography is a bit hazy around there, I am a white rose boy.

[Harters]

No problem, mate. BTW, heading to Golcar towards the end of the month for a meal.

[abby d]

i'm not sure of my geography but a place we tend to stop off at if we're en route to liverpool is the roebuck in mobberly. http://www.theroebuck.com/home.php

it's a pub and i think the food is good. i have particularly fond memories of a sticky toffee pudding i had there, and mounds of lovely fresh whitebait.

[Harters]

Mobberley is possibly pushing it on 60 minutes for willowan. But, if not, then the Plough & Flail is usually a good bet. It seems to be one of those places that changes hands every year or so and food quality goes up and down. Last report I've heard of dates to last July (see the egullet thread I mention upthread)

[zuriga1]

We heard very good things about 1539 when we were in Chester last year. Sadly, we didn't have time to eat there, so I can't say much other than the locals thought it a lovely place for a dinner, and the menu and setting were interesting.

[Harters]

Depends on what you call sensible driving distance. Mine is 60 minutes. Give us a clue what's yours and I'll have a think.

Fraiche? Most exciting restaurant in the north west. Bar none, with the possible exception of L'Enclume

And, yes, "Simon Radley at the Grosvenor" is entirely worth the dosh (although it doesnt meet your spec for being an intimate space.

I believe 1539 started as a Paul Heathcote place but now isnt. Which may say something, although I'm not sure what. Online menu looks good.

You'll find the best Chester site (including a discussion forum) is at http://chesteratlarge.com/large/

[willowan]

Thanks for your reply.

I agree - 60 minutes is about my limit too.

As to intimacy, that is my most negotiable criteria - so if there is a pub that serves great food and beers ( as opposed to just tarting itself up and pretending it does ! ) that would be equally as good as somewhere like Fraiche.

On the subject of Fraiche, how recently have you eaten there, which menu did you plump for and how far in advance do I need to think of booking ?

Thanks in anticipation of your further thoughts !

[mr_gimlet]

I ate there middle of last year, was a sunday night so only a shorter menu, would probably have preferred a longer one. Was booked out about four months when I wanted to go. It's definitely intimate.

[Harters]

It's about 15 months since I was last at Fraiche but am going again next month. Marc was cooking at Harvey Nicks at Manchester last week but I couldnt get along, so thought we'd better schlep along to say hello. He and I are both egullet members so "virtually" knwo each other. We took the bespoke menu last time and have booked again. You can book online now. You may find the egullet "Fraiche thread" an intersting read to see how Marc's cuisine has developed over the years. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/62270-fraiche/page__hl__fraiche . You'll also find a "Great Pubs" thread which should give you some local tips - but as a general thing, I'd suggest you check out the Brunning & Price mini-chain. Proper pubs - although ones you're visiting to eat rather than get wellied on a Friday night. http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/

As a metro area swap, your 60 minutes puts you easily within the catchment of most of Greater Manchester about which I could whitter on for ages, if you want to give me a even better clue about what you like. Somewhere in between Chester & Manc might be Cabbage Hall at Little Budworth. Havnt eaten there yet but I hear good things and the chef is Robert Kisby, of the late Manc uber-place Le Mont - but this seems much more relaxed.

On the subject of Wirral,, have you heard anything of Da Piero in Irby? Gets a 5 in the Good Food Guide which is certainly worth me getting in the car for

[mr_gimlet]

Had an excellent meal at the Hand and Trumpet and also at the Corn Mill.

Since we're doing a cheshire update, what was the verdict on that pub near Liverpool the guy from London took over. Can't remember his name, may have been on GBM but had a lot of PR puffery on the pub.

[Harters]

That'll be the Church Green at Lymm (Chef: Aidan Byrne)?? Which is near Manc not the Pool!

Jury's very much still out on the Church Green and, for that reason, we havnt got off our backsides to go there yet - even though it's only a 15 minute drive. There is, as you say a lot of huffing and puffing from Byrne's PR woman and there was some gossip (no doubt spun by her) that he was tipped for a Michelin star this year.

However, local reports from folk who have actually eaten there have been very mixed and, indeed, underwhelming. That, coupled with what I can only describe as "London prices", means that it is not a WOW even amongts the Cheshire glitterati. It remains on our "to do" list and we should get there before the summer.

You'll find my comments about the Hand & Trumpet on the "Great Pubs" thread I mention earlier.