01/06/2024

Eating out recommendations: my latest

I’d love to be able to write full blog reviews of all my eating out recommendations. But, timewise, it’s not possible. So, here’s the latest of my occasional round-up posts featuring some of the independent cafes, pubs, restaurants, and takeaways I’ve enjoyed recently.

Among this batch of highlights, which covers Spring 2024 (March to May), are incredible gelato made on a Peak District farm, a Greek feast, affordable modern British fine dining and modern broths, superlative snacks at one of the Moorlands’ best pubs, and a meal prepared by students on the way to becoming talented chefs of the future.

My eating out recommendations also take a snapshot of the range of food and drink available in my local town of Leek. Some of the high points include great value breakfasts, East African inspired Indian street food, a new venue offering indulgent sweet treats, and top-notch bistro food.

LUNCH AT ANASMA GREEK EATERY

My first meal out during Spring 2024 was at Anasma Greek Eatery. I’d enjoyed eating at the Trentham restaurant just a few months after they’d opened last Summer and wrote about it here. But with one thing and another, including a period of unexpected ill health, I hadn’t been back. However, one Sunday in early March, my partner and I had a great value, tasty lunch.

We began by sharing two cheesy starters. A piece of creamy but tangy feta came in super-crunchy filo pastry drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Two golden brown, crisp and round croquettes had a soft cheese filling. Both dishes were a very reasonable £4.50 each.

Next, we shared the enormous mixed grill (£27.90) which was more than enough for two people. There were two types of delicious, meaty Greek sausages, pork and chicken gyros meat, a skewer of cubed pork and a skewer of cubed chicken, two slabs of grilled halloumi, and four pieces of pitta bread. There was also a mound of very good chips – the portion so generous we barely made a dent in it.

Served alongside were a beautifully fresh Greek salad topped with feta and herbs, and two dips: tzatziki and a cheese and pepper tyrokafteri.

Everything was cooked well, extremely tasty and good value at £18.50 per person for two filling courses. We didn’t have room for dessert so bought some lovely little pastries to take away (£3.60).

As well as retaining the original Anasma Bakery in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Anasma are also opening a second restaurant at Trentham. Anasma Italian Cuisine is due to open on Monday 3 June, and you can book here.

GOURMET HOT DOG AT THE ROEBUCK, LEEK

They do say, “if you’re going to have one, have a big ‘un!”. And the Gourmet Hotdog I ate at the Roebuck pub in Leek one Saturday lunchtime certainly fitted the bill. It didn’t just have size in its favour though. There was quality there too.

The sausage was very good: meaty, firm, and coarse-textured. The sub it nestled in was suitably substantial too, more ciabatta-like than your standard soft hot dog roll. It came topped with fried onions, ketchup and American mustard. On the side were a decent amount of good skin-on fries.

At £12.95 it wasn’t your cheapest hot dog, but I was more than happy given the standard.

BREAKFAST SHARE BOX FROM MILL STREET KITCHEN, LEEK

One rainy Sunday morning, fancying a big breakfast but not cooking one or going out to eat, other half was packed off to collect a breakfast share box from Mill Street Kitchen. You can have a four- or three-piece box and we went for the four piece. It was HUGE.

You get four each of bacon, sausage, egg, black pudding, and hash browns. Then there’s two toast, two fried bread, plus beans, mushrooms, and tinned tomatoes. It cost £15 and there was easily enough for four sensible appetites. There were just two of us though so I couldn’t quite manage my share.

For the price, I thought it was pretty decent. I often find that with many economical breakfasts it shows in things like poor black pudding or watery tomatoes. But these were both tasty.

As you might expect after a four-mile journey home, the eggs had become firm rather than runny. Also, one had broken as they were stacked with a thick slice of fried bread on top. But if you accept that fried eggs probably aren’t going to travel that well, then this is a good value choice for breakfast. Especially if there are three or four of you.

YOU SAY PANINI, I SAY PANINO

One of the things about social media is that you can never really tell what will be popular. A case in point was a simple lunchtime panino (that’s the correct Italian singular, not panini which is plural ). Despite having the very familiar filling of tuna, cheese, and red onion, it became one of my most-seen posts of the Spring.

I’d been for a dental check-up in Leek and, telling myself I deserved a treat for being brave, popped into the White Hart Tearoom. It’s always good there, and great value too. The panino was generously filled, nicely toasted, and came with side salad, homemade coleslaw, and crisps. And all for £8.95. When ordering, I’d forgotten about the crisps, so added a small portion of their very good chips (£1.95). Nevertheless, I managed to eat both.

INCREDIBLE GELATO AT TAGG LANE DAIRY

Out and about in the Peak District on a sunny Spring weekend, I got taken to Tagg Lane Dairy near Monyash. I’d never heard of this place before, but they make incredible gelato with milk and cream from their herd of Jersey cows.

I had zuppa inglese flavour (Italian-style trifle) while other half had scoops of salted peanut and plain Jersey milk. All were stunningly delicious.

As well as the hugely popular ice cream parlour and coffee bar, there’s a farm shop where you can pick up their raw Jersey milk, grass-fed beef, free-range eggs etc.

NATIONAL BASS DAY

National Bass Day saw me right near home at the Black Lion pub in Cheddleton.

Yes, I agree there’s too many national days of this and that nonsense. But this one celebrates the survival of a traditional English beer from the brewery that in three years will have its 250th anniversary. And with Cheddleton’s Black ‘Un (we also have a Red Lion pub) selling it at £2 a pint, how could I not start practicing for the big day in 2027?

TAKEAWAY FROM THAI SIAM

In its former guise of So Thai, Thai Siam was the first restaurant I ate in after moving to the Moorlands. And I’ve been going back ever since. They’re a good choice for takeaways too, and one Spring Saturday night other half and I had some of our regular favourites.

We began with a mixed starter each. I have this pretty much every single time as you get to try so many great little morsels. These include tung thong crab and chicken wonton parcels, satay gai chicken skewers with fab peanut dipping sauce, and tord man pla: a bouncy-textured red curry fishcake.

After, we shared two mains plus some coconut rice. The Massaman yellow curry was light but creamy with coconut. It had lots of veggies plus cashew nuts. You can add tofu, chicken or beef, and we chose tofu. Even though I’m not usually a fan, I do like the way they cook tofu at Thai Siam: a chewy texture and full of the sauce’s flavour.

Our second main was pad see ew or rice noodles and vegetables stir fried with oyster sauce. We had it with king prawns, or you could also choose more veg or chicken instead.

TRIBE 44 AT DEN ENGEL

After seeing on social media the delicious-looking, east African influenced Indian food served up by Tribe 44, I knew I had to try it. And after going to one of their pop-ups I’m here to say YOU really must too!

The pop-up was at Den Engel, a great venue with a huge range of Belgian, continental, craft and cask beers. I’m not normally a lager drinker but was glad I made an exception and tried a Budweiser Budvar Dark.

The Tribe 44 menu was short but tempting. Six dishes, three sides, plus two desserts. Other half and I chose four to share, splitting them into two starters and two mains. All were delicious and came in generous portions.

First off were Big Pun’s Pakoras (£6). Here were six large, crispy potato, onion and spinach pakora served with a large pot of raita and a smaller one of tangy tamarind sauce.

Our second starter was Pani Puri Chaat Bombs. These were wonderfully crunchy fried balls filled with a lightly spicy mix of potato, chickpea and onion. They came with a jug of flavoursome tamarind water and another tub of yogurt raita. At just £6 for seven balls (guess who got the ‘spare’ 😁?) this was a real bargain.

Next up were our mains: Gajjar Chicken Chapo Wrap and Methi Paratha with Dal (both £8 each).

The chicken was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and spicy. It came in a generous heap on a good quality, chewy wrap. There was plenty of fresh salad too, and raita to drizzle over.

For the other dish, I was expecting only one paratha, but we were served two. They were beautifully flaky flatbreads flavoured with fenugreek. To dip into was a bowl of mild and comforting red lentil dhal. Alongside was a tangy carrot salad and thick yogurt.

The meal came to £14 a head which I think is a real bargain. Tasty, enjoyable and so filling we didn’t have room to try any of the desserts.

To find out about Tribe 44’s next pop-up, follow them on Facebook and Instagram. If you can, book early as they’re understandably hugely popular.

THE FLINTLOCK INTRODUCES A SET MENU

Spring 2024 saw the introduction of a set menu at the 2 AA rosette and Michelin recommended Flintlock at Cheddleton. At just £35 a head, it’s affordable modern British fine dining from a kitchen headed by one of our top up-and-coming chefs, Thom Bateman.

I was invited to try the April menu and loved it – especially the perfectly cooked hake done katsu-style and an incredible beef featherblade. Read my review of the Set Menu at The Flintlock here.

LEEK NEWCOMER: FLO’S

Flo’s opened in Leek this Spring, offering desserts, waffles, ice creams and more, to eat in or takeaway. It’s owned by Sarah and Jay Bateman, previously of Castro’s whose site is now home to the Flintlock at Cheddleton and family member Thom. They also ran Oceans, the coffee and waffle house next door, which is the forerunner of Flo’s.

I tried one of their indulgent treats as a takeaway and was impressed.

Fans of the brilliant cakes made by Scrumbles will be pleased to know they’re stocked by Flo’s. I ate one in the form of a Loaded Cake Tray: cake, cream, plus your choice of scoop or whippy ice cream, sauce, and topping for £5.95. I chose a Biscoff rocky road cake with raspberry swirl ice cream, raspberry sauce, and marshmallows.

BRUNCH AT THE LEEK BAR & GRILL

I don’t know why I’ve rarely eaten there in the evening, but the Leek Bar and Grill in Getliffe’s Yard is a regular daytime stop off. The latest was a brunch where I chose the Light Breakfast (£7.95): two poached eggs and smashed avocado on multigrain toast with half a grilled tomato on the side.

When it arrived, I thought the eggs looked a bit hard. But they were perfectly fine with lovely golden runny yolks spilling out as I cut into them. Rather characteristically though, I managed to de-lighten the light breakfast with a side of very good skinny fries (£2.50).

FOUND THEN LOST: CAFE INDI

I was in a quandary about whether to include in this round-up a place that was one of my favourite new eating out recommendations. That’s because I’ve recently learned that Café Indi in Burslem Park Pavilion (I wrote about it on Facebook here and on Instagram here), is currently closed.

So, what’s the point in me mentioning it?

Well, I think it’s a perfect example of why, if there’s somewhere you love, you need to shout about it and let others know. Or, if you like the sound of an eating out recommendation from someone else, don’t hang around too long before you try it. I’ve lost count of the venues that have closed in the last few years and can’t help wondering if some could have been saved with a bit more support.

Although Café Indi was charity-run and not for profit, one of the reasons they cite was the same as many regular businesses, ‘unprecedented challenges brought on by the current cost of living crisis’. In their statement, I detect a small glimmer of hope that this great project may rise again. And I really hope it does.

FIRST STOP FOR TAKEAWAY SANDWICHES: NO.5 CAFE

As Leek is my nearest town, I’m there usually two or more Saturdays a month doing a spot of shopping. If it’s a quick visit and I know I’ll be so hungry when I get home that I’ll want to eat straight away, my first choice is almost always a takeaway sandwich from No.5 Café.

It’s owned by the same people who run the fabulous artisan bakery next door, Live Love Loaf, so all the sandwiches are on their wonderful bread.

This time I had light and chewy sourdough filled with roasted silverside beef, slow roasted herby cherry tomatoes, rocket, and horseradish. To take away it was £6 or £8.50 to eat in the café. I’m not much of a coffee drinker myself, but I’m told that No.5’s coffee is very good too.

SUPERLATIVE SNACK AT THE BLACK LION INN, BUTTERTON

I knew there wasn’t much chance of a meal when we turned up at one of my favourite Staffordshire Moorlands pubs, the Black Lion at Butterton.

After all, it was a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Peak District, and we hadn’t booked. But, out for a walk and a drive, I thought we may as well have a drink anyway. If they could squeeze us in for some of their always brilliant food, that would be a bonus.

As expected, they were already fully booked for meals. But when I asked if any bar snacks would be possible, the kitchen kindly agreed to rustle up a couple.

Other half ordered their wondrous Scotch egg. I’ve had one before and, along with the famous Manchester egg at The Pack Horse Hayfield, they’re among the most delicious I’ve eaten. This time, I went for a sausage roll. And that had to be up there with the best of its kind too. Super-crispy pastry topped with fennel seeds surrounded, a firm, purely porky filling. For dipping, there was a pool of hot mustard mayo.

STOCK BY FEASTED

STOCK is Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s newest bar and restaurant. Behind the project is Cris Cohen of Feasted, famous for the Chef’s Table. This is a terrific tasting menu rooted in the heritage and culture of Stoke-on-Trent where a small group of diners watch their food being prepared and learn about its creation.

At STOCK you’ll find modern interpretations of broth alongside small plates that include some of the ideas developed at the Chef’s Table. I went along a few weeks after it opened in April and loved the outstanding flavours of the very reasonably priced dishes. Read my review of STOCK by Feasted here.

A BAP WITH A VIEW

The Sunday of the early May Bank Holiday weekend was a beautiful morning to be out and about in the Staffordshire Moorlands. After a walk and a drive, we were lucky enough to find a parking spot at the always busy Flash Bar Stores – actually a café as well as shop – and eat a late breakfast.

Up on the winding A53, with the Flash in its name referring to the nearby village said to be the highest in England, there’s some great views to be had.

I ordered a sausage and bacon bap, and it was filled with quality bacon and two fat sausages. A stickler for brown sauce with sausage, red sauce with bacon, I squirted on a bit of both. Perfect!

Oh, and in case you’re concerned about my cocker spaniel’s “I’m so sad and starving” face, he’d already scoffed his rabbit ear snack, been given a biscuit by staff, a bit of my sausage, AND other half’s egg and sausage.

DUCK GOOSE JUST GETS BETTER & BETTER

Duck Goose bistro in Leek started out good and just keeps getting better and better. I gave them a glowing review here, not long after they opened around two years ago. But now, the flavours, quality of ingredients, and precision of the cooking really are stunning.

This was all confirmed when I ate lunch there a few weeks ago. As I hope you can see from the photos, everything looked beautiful too.

My partner and I began with a shared snack of Padrón peppers (£3.95). These came just as we’d eaten them in Galicia, northwest Spain: blistered and charred from fierce heat and seasoned with plenty of flaky salt.

For starters, we both chose tender seasonal asparagus, softly slow-cooked shredded ham hock, and a breaded, perfectly poached egg. These were served with Hollandaise sauce split with herb oil: a combination you just wanted to lick clean off the plate (£8.95).

My main course was a fantastic, full-flavoured Barnsley lamb chop (£22.95) that had been cooked on the barbecue. It was sitting on a heap of gorgeous beans, richly flavoured and taking on the smoky juices of the lamb.

As if that wasn’t enough there was lots of seasonal wild garlic, a crisp little haggis bon bon and smooth butternut squash puree.

Dessert was a creamy but light Staffordshire strawberry cheesecake (£8.95). The strawberry flavour went well with the basil micro herbs on top. The sweet shards of meringue, speckled with dehydrated strawberry, had a little kick of heat from black pepper too.

It came with a tangy apricot compote topped with clotted cream ice cream which reminded me of childhood Sunday teas with tinned apricots and Carnation milk – but in a good way!

My partner loved his main course of sea bream and brown shrimp in white wine butter sauce (£22.95) and the bistro’s signature dessert of sticky toffee pudding (£7.95).

The same menu is available in the evenings and if you want something simpler there’s also soup, salad, burgers, steaks, fish and chips. At lunchtime there’s also a choice of 3 delicious sounding sourdough sandwiches served with fries for just £8.95 and roast dinners on Sundays.

Leek is so lucky to have this friendly, exceptional little place. Anyone who hasn’t been to Duck Goose is really missing something special.

CHEFS OF THE FUTURE AT THE HAMMERSLEY RESTAURANT

Do you know many decent places where you can get a quality five-course dinner for £20, or a three-course lunch for £10? No, me neither! So you really need to try The Hammersley, Stoke-on-Trent College’s training restaurant.

The regularly changing menu is cooked and served by hospitality and catering students, supervised by staff. They get real world restaurant experience; you get knockout food at a knockdown price.

Open to the public Thursday lunchtimes and evenings during term time, I ate the 5-course dinner and you can read my review of The Hammersley here.

SEA & EARTH CHIPPY TEA

The last day of May was a Friday and a chippy tea was called for.

While my local does brilliant chips, their fish is not great. So, whenever I fancy fish and chips, it means a trip into Leek. Monty’s is a favourite, but I’ve also eaten three times now from Sea & Earth and can recommend them too.

The freshly cooked, beautifully fresh tasting haddock had thin, crispy batter. Just how I like it. What you can’t tell from the photo is the ENORMOUS large portion of chips underneath the fish. Personally, I’d prefer them a bit more cooked, but they were still good.

The people behind Sea & Earth are from the same stable as George’s Tradition who previously had the site. However, unusually for a fish and chip shop, Sea & Earth offer lots of vegan options.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my latest eating out recommendations and been inspired to try or revisit some for yourself.

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Wherever you live, please support your local independent food and drink.

MENUS & PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF WRITING