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The logo is perfect. |
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Cosy and inviting inside. |
The menu looks good. I know I'm going to order the Pork two ways as I was cruelly robbed of it at The Beagle as it wasn't on until later that evening. We order a glass of Soldiers block Australian Shiraz each. I like that on the Wine list they have categorised the wines into 'good', 'great' and 'brilliant'. We stick with 'good' tonight as Mrs Bacon is paying. 'Nice and smooth' was her assessment of the wine.
We go for the Christmas set menu, 2 courses for £18.50 and 3 for £22.50. Seems pretty good value. For starters we fancy the Potted Crab Custard and manage to get the Eggs and Bacon; poached duck egg on a pea and bacon pototo cake with buttered kale and hollandaise. This wasn't on the set menu, but they were happy with us to have it. We waited a while for it to come. Service was slow all night, but we were enjoying the relaxed warm atmosphere. The only thing was that for me, the music was too loud. If music is played at all, I want something so inoffensive; at this time of the year Phil Spector's Christmas album would be great or Nat 'King' Cole. Instead we got modern MOR rock pop. Didn't seem to fit with the feel of the place to me. And it was on a loop so if you're in there for a while you can remember hearing it first time around.
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Potted Crab. A nice starter. |
The Eggs & Bacon wasn't up to the heights of the Pearl Barley Kedgeree (which it reminded me of) from the Beagle but it was nice enough.
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Mrs. Bacon cannot wait to dig in. |
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The star of the show: Pork two ways, caramelised red onion potato bon bons & a berry cider reduction |
I dug into the Pork two ways first. It looked great, the twice roast organic belly pork was a delight, the fattiness of the perfectly crunchy crackling top balances beautifully with the soft meat underneath. The smoky belly pork was so nice, surely it could only have come from Frosts. We had belly pork a few months ago from Parlour and this beat that dish hands down, it could have come out of The Beagle's kitchen it was that good. There's a lot of Pork belly about these days, it's fashionable of course, but most importantly of all, it's delicious. I know I'll return here for this dish again and again.
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Turkey stuffed with fennel & yuletide fruits, almond sprouts, carrots, pigs in blankets roasties, cranberry gravy |
Desserts were good too. Especially the Christmas Pudding Tart, a lovely moist affair with brandy and cinnamon custard in a little pot.
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Christmas Pudding Tart, brandy & cinnamon custard. |
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Death by Chocolate & Beetroot short bread. |
Overall we really enjoyed our dinner at the Chorlton Green Brasserie. It's definitely good competition for neighbours Parlour, with similar food. The only thing missing for me is real ale, especially if you're serving pies - they just belong together. On a night out, if we wanted food like this, I can imagine us and friends of ours, opting for Parlour as there is a great range of Cask ale. All the best and most popular places in the area have a good range, a lot of people round here demand it. One bottle of dull old stalwart Black Sheep isn't going to really cut the mustard.
Space is clearly an issue, so I would recommend the new style of craft keg from the likes of Redwillow, Thornbridge or Marble. A dark stout/porter a pale session ale and an IPA (like Jaipur) would be good. The kegs are smaller and easier to maintain than cask proper.
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Small but cosy. |
There is nowhere in Chorlton like this place, it has a different mellow atmosphere. The food's not quite as good as The Beagle, but that space is cold and not cosy. People don't go out to restaurants just for the food, and I think the Chorlton Green Brasserie will do well.
The food is good though (miles better than the unfathomably popular neighbour The Horse & Jockey on my last visit.) It's on a par with Parlour I'd say, and that's always busy.
All right thinking people agree that Sunday Times restaurant columnist AA Gill is a terrible man, but he was right about one thing. When asked about the best restaurant to go to, he answered something along the lines of it being that local little place where they know your name and always treat you like old friends. It's cosy and comfy like a pair of well worn slippers. (The slippers would definitely be from M&S here.)
This place with a few tweaks could be one of those places.
In fact I think it already is.
We paid £63.75 for 3 courses each including 3 glasses of wine.
Pretty good value for the area.
Service: Friendly but slow.
Atmosphere: Cosy & inviting.
Food: Good
Star dish: Pork two ways
7/10
Chorlton Green Brasserie.
137 Beech Road
Chorlton
Manchester,
M21 9EQ.
Opening hours: 8am - 11pm Daily
www.chorlton-green-brasserie.co.uk

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