My eating out highlights: June-July 2021
My eating out highlights for June and July 2021 is the first in a new series of occasional posts.
I wish I had time to write full reviews for all the eating out I do in independent cafes, pubs and restaurants, at street markets etc. But I don’t.
So, in posts like these, I’ll be telling you about some of my eating out highlights that might otherwise only be seen on my social media.
One thing that COVID showed us, especially when much of hospitality had to close, was the value of takeaway foods and just how good they can be. Consequently, I’m going to include takeaways in my definition of ‘eating out’.
I hope you enjoy my eating out highlights and will try some of my recommended venues. Or perhaps revisit those you haven’t been back to in a while.
THE BUTCHER’S ARMS, FORSBROOK
Chronologically speaking, my first eating out highlight in this round-up is one I did give a full review to.
The Butcher’s Arms pub contacted me to ask if I’d like to try their food. And I’m so glad I said yes.
You can read my review of The Butcher’s Arms here but (spoiler alert!) what I found was traditional, simple pub food, done to a great standard.
Would you like me to sample your food and drink product or service? Go to the ‘Work with Moorlands Eater’ section of my About page but please note that I only write about products and services I genuinely recommend.
SPOUT BREW HOUSE, LEEK
My next highlight was somewhere I’ve been many times: the always good Spout Brew House in Leek.
On a drizzly day, the quirky cafe was a lovely, bright setting for a simple mug of coffee.
Their homemade fresh food always includes lots of vegetarian and vegan choices as well as gluten-free.
For lunch, my plate of marinated halloumi flatbread looked as attractively bright as the decor!
The lightly spicy halloumi came in a generous portion and the flatbread was nicely chewy. Alongside was mildly pickled red onion, tahini yogurt, minty salad and coleslaw.
THE SQUARE, STAFFORD
My next eating out highlight had only been open a couple of weeks before I went along. But The Square in Stafford was already turning out memorable, superb quality dining.
Taking my partner along, we loved the potato and truffle foam, ham hock with duck egg, heritage tomato with basil sorbet, pork belly, roasted plaice, plus a couple of sensational desserts.
I gave The Square a full review and you can read it here.
THE LION HOUSE TEAROOM, LEEK
The Lion House Tearoom is another regular stop off when I’m in my local town of Leek, especially shopping on Saturdays.
It’s also another quirky place: I love the charming mismatched china mugs, plates, teapots, spoons.
From the breakfasts, sandwiches, soups, simple lunches plus homemade cakes and scones I chose double Staffordshire oatcakes with sausage and cheese.
Just what I needed to keep me going!
SPARROW PARK, LEEK
Cocktail bar Sparrow Park in Leek opened up in August 2020.
But with all the COVID changes (openings, closings, only outside, now inside again), it was only last month that I first went.
They have a lovely roof top terrace so, on a scorching afternoon, I stopped by for a drink.
From the cocktail menu I chose a Cucumber Collins: gin, cucumber syrup, lime and soda. Very refreshing and highly recommended!
VEGAN FALAFEL WRAP, GALLAGHER’S DELI & KITCHEN
Later in the month, after a Sunday morning walk with the dog, hunger struck. As we were passing Leek on the way home, the great takeaway sandwiches from Gallagher’s Deli & Kitchen called to us. So other half popped in and got us each a falafel wrap.
With quality homemade falafel, hummus, tomatoes and salad leaves, my vegan version was an absolute bargain at £5.
Other half had mozzarella and basil pesto on his for just an extra 50p.
For those of you who like to plan ahead, you can now pre-order items for next day collection. Order before 5pm: see details on Gallagher’s website.
SHORT BREAK IN ANGLESEY
Not having had a holiday away, due to COVID, since Christmas 2019 other half and I decided to have a few days in Anglesey at the end of June/beginning of July.
First stop, after a play on the beach with the dog, was lunch at another old favourite: The Oyster Catcher in Rhosneigr.
PAT’S SHACK, RHOSNEIGR
With the restaurant and terrace closed, for this year The Oyster Catcher opened up Pat’s Shack.
From the street food style stall that backed on to the kitchen you placed your order from the short menu. When it was ready you could either take away your food or go into the bar.
We retreated into the cool, dog-friendly bar with our goodies to share plus pints of Welsh Pride from Conwy Brewery.
First up was a bianco pizza. This is my favourite type of pizza: ‘white’ meaning without tomato sauce.
On top was a great combination of artichokes, mushrooms, truffle, rocket and Parmesan.
Another bready delight was the taco filled with Indian spiced fish and potatoes, with refreshing mango salsa, yogurt, cucumber and mint.
As if that wasn’t enough, we shared fries loaded with heaps of lobster and prawns plus sriracha, lime crème fraiche and spring onions.
Quite a feast!
ENOCH’S, VALLEY
Later in the holiday, shortly after deciding on takeaway fish and chips from Enoch’s in Valley for dinner, a follower of mine popped onto my Facebook post about Pat’s Shack to say, if you’re in the area, go to Enoch’s.
Well, great minds think alike because my haddock, chips and mushy peas were fabulous!
I was glad I took the advice and got a side of their homemade tartare sauce too. My follower had said they could still remember it “as vividly now as when i had it in March 2017″. Praise indeed, but I can see why. Great stuff.
THE WHITE EAGLE, RHOSCOLYN
The White Eagle, owned by the same people as The Oyster Catcher, is another Anglesey favourite. And the final lunch of our short stay was as brilliant as ever.
To start, I had a classic dish that was done perfectly. Juicy scallops with pea purée, peas, broad beans and black pudding.
My main course was beautifully cooked and superbly fresh halibut with a matcha-pistachio crust.
In came on soft fondant potato, with tender stem broccoli alongside and a rich but nicely acidic parsley split sauce. I’m tempted to say that this dish was THE highlight of my eating out highlights in this post.
Pudding was a white chocolate shell filled with a fluffy coconut and white chocolate mousse. That came with rum soaked pineapple, white chocolate soil and toasted coconut crumbs.
As always, the service was great. It was also good to be able to be able eat in inside in a dog friendly area as well as the lovely terrace and garden.
THE SALT BAR, MACCLESFIELD
Back home, my next eating out highlight saw me nipping over the border into Cheshire.
After a swelteringly hot day, the light, fresh dishes and quality drinks I enjoyed at Salt Bar in Macclesfield were just what I needed.
Read my review of Salt Bar here.
DIM SUM TAKEWAY
We had some fierce heat in July so, for much of it, the thought of eating big plates of hot food, whether cooked at home or eating out, didn’t really appeal.
So, one evening, I decided to get takeaway dim sum from an old favourite The One Dim Sum & Noodle Bar in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
A range of little titbits to share and pick at turned out to be a great idea.
For our fantastic feast we had:
- shumai steamed pork dumplings
- ha gau steamed shrimp dumplings
- pan fried mini pork buns
- pan fried chicken gyoza
- Chinese crepe with char siu pork, yellow bean sauce, crispy wonton & veg
- pork & veg dumplings in spicy Sichuan sauce
- chicken balls with sweet & sour dip
- salt & chilli chicken wings
- for pudding: deep friend custard buns
You can order for collection on Food Hub Mondays to Saturday 12.00 – 10.00pm plus there’s local delivery in the evenings.
Read my post about eating in at The One here.
FISH & CHIPS REDUX
On the penultimate day of July, I had an urge for fish and chips for dinner, accompanied by beer.
So I ended up at The Three Horseshoes who, as you can see from the image below, more than met my requirements!
The fish was HUGE and in a light, crispy batter. The triple cooked chips were great and there were generous portions of mushy peas and tartar sauce.
All very traditional of course, but before my main I went a bit retro with prawn cocktail.
I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed it didn’t come in the kitschy cocktail glass I was hoping for. But it was just right taste wise.
As always at the Horseshoes, there was plenty of it too. A mound of crispy iceberg lettuce, a heap of prawns in their Marie Rose sauce and, a nice touch, little bits of diced cucumber and tomato scattered over.
After that lot, I went for a simple pud of a couple of scoops of ice cream.
However, being Dalton’s Dairy ice cream, this was luxury stuff.
I chose a scoop of Wild Strawberries & Cream plus one of Amaretto & Cherry. Both were outstandingly good: rich, creamy and full of flavour.
Read my blog post about Dalton’s Dairy here.
A BIT OF NEW YORK IN STAFFORDSHIRE
The last of my eating out highlights for this round-up is a takeaway sandwich.
But what a sandwich!
Artisan bakery Live Love Loaf in Leek also run the cafe next door No 5 Cafe. There, besides a sit-down menu they do great takeaway sandwiches, wraps and soups.
The sandwiches come on your choice of one of the fantastic breads from the bakery. I chose sourdough for my mega New Yorker sandwich: homemade pastrami, Swiss cheese, gherkins and mustard mayo.
A suitably delicious finish to a great couple of months of food and drink.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my eating out highlights for June and July 2021 and that I’ve inspired you to try some of them for yourself.
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Wherever you live, please support your local independent food and drink.
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