Manchester’s Best Restaurants

31 March, 2019Read More

The Pasta Factory Sometimes, there is nothing better than the simple things in life and pasta is one of those things. Now, I don’t want to undermine The Pasta Factory by calling it simple. In reality, it is far from it with its expertly handmade pasta which is made fresh on site every day. There is something effortless about The Pasta Factory, and it really is casual dining at its very best. The menu is small and unintimidating with just ten pasta dishes, a handful of starters, six desserts and a concise but impressive wine list. The Pasta Factory knows the power in fine ingredients and you will find the menu stuffed to the gunnels with them. Whether it is creamy burrata, Italian clams, Piedmont black truffle or olive oil, every element of the menu is the best money can buy used in classic and traditional recipes from the old country. I highly recommend the Bucatini Neri con le Vongole – black bucatini tossed with wild clams, cherry tomatoes & a hint of chilli & parsley. Don’t let the name fool you, this is hands-down one of the best restaurants for miles.   Read full article HERE.

Oh Deer, Oh Deer: A Guide to Eating Game in Manchester

17 March, 2019Read More

Rabbit & Hare

You might be sensing a running theme here, but when I was little I also didn’t want to eat rabbit. For pretty obvious reasons. I had a fluffy Angora rabbit called Toffee when I was a kid, and for years to come, I couldn’t bear the idea of someone, or something, gnawing into her tiny, fluffy little back legs. Fast forward fifteen years, my moral compass melted into an empty void of nothingness and I was quite happy to get my teeth stuck into Thumper without batting an eyelid. The reason for this being that hare and rabbit are delicious – and I hate to say it but – it does taste a lot like chicken. Historically speaking, us Brits have eaten a lot of rabbit in the past – mainly because they plentiful, nutritious and easy to hunt. But they seem to have fallen a little out of favour in the decades following the Second World War. Sure, top end chefs are unafraid to cook up a rabbit loin or two, but I feel many restaurants steer away for fear that customers are still a little on the squeamish side. But don’t get me wrong – you do see it occasionally, especially in the cooler months. If you want to eat rabbit, you are going to have to look to Mediterranean cuisine. A good place to start would be the Valencian Paella over at Tapeo and Wine. Paella is made with rabbit and chicken traditionally speaking, so not only is it a great entry level dish it is also authentic. Top marks. My favourite way to eat rabbit is in a slow cooked ragu with a bit of pasta. Last weekend I tucked into a banging plate of Rabbit with Pappardelle with Sage and Hazelnuts from La Cucina at Mackie Mayor – but I believe this was only on for that weekend only…so, sorry about that. What I can offer you, however, is a recommendation from the The Pasta Factory which is similar to the one I tried at La Cucina but available all year round. The Agnologtti Piemontesi (no I didn’t sneeze on my keyboard) is a delectable concoction of wild rabbit, pork and beef pasta parcels served with parmesan and cabbage tossed in sage butter. This dish is certainly one for the meat lovers out there- and a great way to give rabbit a try for the first time. Belissima!   Read full article HERE.