Cockadoodlemoo, Stockport

Smoke, meat and shack. All words I enjoy reading in the same sentence and the three words which tempted us to visit CockaDoodleMoo for a post hangover Easter Sunday lunch. I was genuinely excited at the prospect of tucking in to a tray full of meats, smoked and then smothered in finger licking sauce. Yes please.

On arrival we were seated quickly at a very rustic looking table towards the back of the restaurant. We were offered some complimentary nuts by our waiter and asked for our drinks order. I went for a Raspberry and Amaretto Sour, my co-diner plucked (get it) for a cider, then we waited (and waited). Finally our drinks showed up just in time for the other half of our party to arrive. Once our friends sat down and we were a foursome, the beautiful wood table felt oh so small and wasn’t helped by the classroom style chairs which were actually pretty uncomfortable. Within minutes we had already decided on the Meat Shack Combo Platter (£15.95 each for a minimum of 4 people)  and we were sure the tiny table couldn’t handle it! Fortunately the place was only half full and we were able to sit on a lovely long table with tons of room – shame about the wobbly bench. We added on some Smoked Meatballs (£3.95) and Jalapeño Poppers (£3.45) and started to become really jealous of the food we could see leaving the hatch at the back. I would have loved to see a bit more of what was happening, perhaps some evidence of the actual smoking process even; I enjoy a touch of theatre.

We waited at least half an hour for the food to arrive at the table, meanwhile our glasses were empty and we had to track down someone to order some more drinks. Once the food began to arrive our waitress didn’t take the time to explain what everything was (our menus had been removed and we had forgotten just what was on the platter) which would have been helpful. It would have been nice for her to show any interest in what she was doing to be blunt, perhaps she was a bit down about having to work Easter Sunday – whatever it was, it showed.

When everything did arrive it looked like a dream. A whole chicken (quartered), shiny slabs of ribs cut up for the four of us, smoked sausages sliced in to hearty diagonal shapes, long thick strips of brisket , a dish of crispy chicken wings totally smothered in a mysteriously dark sauce and a bowl of tender looking pulled pork. On the side there was a slaw and we were all presented with our own portion of skinny fries. Our order came without the poppers but I eventually managed to make eye contact with someone to ask for them. I immediately removed the soggy bacon from round the outside and enjoyed the ferocious heat of the peppers with the oozy, creamy centre.

The sausages were fiery and tasty however they’d obviously been sliced up and left under the heat of the kitchen and had started to dry slightly. Perhaps it would be better for them to come out to the table whole and for the diners to take on the slicing. My chicken leg was deliciously moist however the skin could have taken more colour and crisp, I couldn’t taste any smoke at all but I didn’t mind, it didn’t really need it. The baby back ribs were quite hard work to chew and to eat; they were pleasant enough but I wasn’t wishing for more. Pulled pork was tasty and tender but again lacking in smoke – the watery juice at the bottom of the bowl didn’t help each mouthful pack a punch of flavour. I enjoyed the brisket but the chicken wings were overdone for me, they were starting to become tough and I found the sauce overpowering and a little bit obnoxious. The slaw needed an identity. It looked creamy but didn’t taste creamy, it had the texture of a citrus slaw but didn’t have any lemon or lime in it. The texture was perfect to enjoy with the meats so it’s a real shame there was zero flavour.

The intriguing selection of sauces on our table were all full of taste, especially the peach and scotch bonnet which had a good amount of allspice running through it. Had the staff taken the time to tell us what each one was, I would have been even happier – I’m not sure what ‘Bear’ sauce is and I didn’t want to have to try and make eye contact with someone again to ask them.

I left Cockadoodlemoo happy enough however there were a few things which could have made the visit that bit better. If I visit a smoke shack (their words, not mine) I expect to be told something about what the meat is smoked with and where, I want to know if they only use one type of wood or if they use a secret combination to get the best flavour. I want homemade sauces on the table (if they were I had no clue), I want a menu which doesn’t hit me in the face with the sheer amount of choice. The fact that they served salads, wraps and burgers made me doubt their smoking abilities and I wondered what came first. There were lots of nice things about the visit but if the service is very hit and very miss I tend to get a bit annoyed. I would probably go back if someone else suggested it, despite being just a touch underwhelmed.

http://www.cockadoodlemoo.com/

157 London Road, Hazel Grove, SK7 4HH

Around £30 per person with an alcoholic drink.

The Greek Kitchen, Sale

There’s a new Greek restaurant in town!

www.thegreekkitchen.co.uk

68 Washway Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 7RE

Tel: 0161 962 8484

On walking in through the main entrance to The Greek Kitchen, I was immediately impressed with the smart and stylish interior. We were greeted with big smiles from several members of staff and felt welcome straight away. Once at our table we read through the varied menu and ordered a large glass of wine each. I thought the wine menu was excellent – modern choices which had clearly been carefully chosen at a range of prices. I went for a Sauvignon Blanc (Chile £4.30) and Jason opted for a Cabernet Sauvignon (£5.50 Mendoza, Argentina). The drinks arrived in no time and were served in big, shiny glasses. Having ordered my drink, I spotted a Greek section on the back of the wine list – it would have been nice if the waiter had pointed them out to me and perhaps recommended one, as I think I might have opted for that instead. Where appropriate, food items have a recommended wine pairing which is denoted by a symbol and number on the menu, which I thought was a lovely touch.

While we were deciding on starters and mains, the waiter came over with some homemade bread and garlic oil which was on the house. The bread seemed to be some sort of bacon/ham flavour and was really very tasty, especially dunked in the warm oil.

To start, we went for Kalamari (£5.95) and a selection of 4 dips with pitta bread (£11.95). We chose aubergine, feta chilli, taramas (cod roe) and hoummous.

I really enjoyed the taramas and the (very garlicky) aubergine dip but I was disappointed by the hoummous, which was too loose in texture, and lacked salt and lemon. The feta chilli dip was creamy and spicy, having the zing and brightness of fresh chilli, as well as the warmth and smokiness of dried flakes too. The hot pitta tasted delicious but after a couple of pieces I did find it a little heavy, and would have preferred another lighter option in the bread basket. Jason wolfed his Kalamari, which was crispy and light.

For mains Jason went for chicken souvlaki (£12.95) and I chose a small portion of lamb chops (£5.95) knowing I would fill up on the dips and bread! As soon as Jason’s meal arrived I was jealous. Two huge skewers of juicy, marinated chicken served with a bright, oil dressed salad and the best tzatziki EVER. The friendly waiter was happy to run through his recipe with me once I’d mentioned how much I liked it, amusingly saying the one he makes at home is even better.

My chops were perfectly cooked, and melted in the mouth. They were garnished with onion and parsley and came with a massive wedge of lemon which I squeezed all over the top. Again, I added more salt to my own taste.

The atmosphere created by the thoughtful décor, friendly staff and smell of wonderful grilled meats made for a very enjoyable and relaxing time. The pace of service was just right, and everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there.

I am looking forward to returning to try a Greek wine and the lamb souvlakia, and I will be recommended to my friends and family. Open until midnight at weekends, it would also be a great place to go with friends for an evening of eating, drinking and laughing.

Bella Vista, Rochdale

Sophie reviews…

Bellavista Ristorante & Pizzeria

Wildhouse Lane, Milnrow, Rochdale, Ol16 3JW Tel / Fax: 01706 342479

E-mail: bellavista@sanrocco.co.uk

Web: http://www.sanrocco.co.uk/bellavista.html

As I drove home from work feeling depressed about having to stay late again, I knew the only two things that could cheer me up would be Dave and Annie, and a really nice tea. I was far too tired to contemplate cooking and the chances of Dave making anything edible were literally less than a pink elephant falling out the sky.

So it was takeaway, or out for a nice meal! As it was payday and we had been too busy to celebrate Dave’s birthday last week, it seemed we had good enough reason to go for a meal. I fancied Italian and I’d heard good reviews of Bella Vista. Knowing it was part of the San Rocco chain gave me some comfort that it would be better than average at least, so off we went including our one year old daughter, Annie.

First thing I noticed when walking in was the spacious bar area, loads of seating and every table had a bowl of olives, straight away they got some brownie points and I pictured Charlotte and I drinking Prosecco there on a Friday night. The restaurant was pretty empty which wasn’t surprising as it was a Wednesday night in Rochdale, so we were seated straight away and the staff didn’t seem concerned at all by the one year old who had woken up extremely bright eyed from her cat nap in the car on the way there (this was not the plan).

Mixed olives on the tables.

Service was completely acceptable and the staff were over to take our drinks order and food order within a few minutes. We ordered a bottle of Cabernet Savignon Reserva from Chile at a very reasonable £16.95. Before I order food, I always ask the waiter what their favourite thing on the menu is and tend to go for that. On this occassion the waiter seemed confident in his personal favourite of the seafood mixed grill so I trusted his judgement and ordered that!

We ordered the mixed bruschetta to start (£3.50), a trio of toasted ciabatta topped with goats cheese, mixed red and yellow peppers and mushrooms.

Mixed bruschetta

The mushrooms didn’t blow me away but were nice enough although I could easily have made the equivalent at home. The peppers were sweet and nicely seasoned – enjoyable but not exciting enough to want any more than the taste I had. The best bit was the goat’s cheese which was delicious. Being new to goat’s cheese, I prefer mine on the milder side so to me this was perfect; it was mild and unbelievably creamy. Straight away I wish I had just ordered goat’s cheese bruschetta and had three of them to myself.

So far so good, now time for the mains. Seafood mixed grill (£17.95) for me and lamb shank for Dave (£14.95). My mouth started to water as soon as I saw the waiter walking over with my dinner from the other side of the restaurant, as I could see the tower of seafood piled up high with half a lemon on the side. Dave also looked very excited, probably just by the sheer size of the lamb shank heading towards him.

I squeezed over the juicy lemon and tucked into grilled halibut, monkfish, king prawns and scallops. I was in heaven.

This was a last supper kind of meal. Everything was perfectly grilled, the fish was fresh and flaked as it should, the king prawns were juicy, and my personal favourite the succulent scallops, were crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. As far as the technical cooking of the seafood goes, I really don’t think anyone could have done a better job. The buttery, lemony, parsley sauce was a nice compliment to everything on the plate, however there was a little too much of it and it was a little too indulgent for my liking. That said, I was very impressed.

Mixed seafood grill with butter, lemon and parsley sauce.

Being a typical wife I had to try a sample of Dave’s humongous lamb shank which was served with roasted cannellini beans, plum tomatoes, garlic and rosemary. This was nearly as impressive as mine! The meat was tender and not too fatty (as lamb shanks can be), in a rich but punchy sauce. I could taste all the components of the sauce, sweet tomatoes, rich stock and red wine and the ‘herbyness’ of garlic and rosemary was carefully balanced to compliment the lamb. I also appreciated the fact that it didn’t taste as if it had been stewed all day long; it had been well thought out and the shank was giving just the right amount of time become tender but not sloppy or stringy.

Lamb shank with roasted cannellini beans, tomatoes, garlic and rosemary.

We were served the usual sides of cauliflower in a cheese sauce, roasted potatoes and green beans which were all good and well-seasoned, despite being more suited to Dave’s lamb than my fish dish.

After the very generous portions we didn’t have much room for dessert, but as it was a belated birthday celebration I wanted to make the most of it. I also knew Charlotte would be disappointed if I didn’t order her absolute favourite – tiramisu (£4.75). In honesty, I just did it for her but Dave then felt obliged to order the profiteroles (£4.75).

The tiramisu was topped with freshly whipped cream and the sponge was light. I was happy that the coffee flavour was not too overpowering and there was a lovely booziness about it, but as enjoyable as it was, there was no way I could have finished the portion size. Not much to report on the profiteroles and I’m not even convinced they we freshly baked on site, as they tasted just the same as you would get from the supermarket. On the plus side, Annie seemed to like them and helped her Dad to polish them off.

We were now well and truly stuffed, and my belly reminded me of being about 5 months pregnant!

So overall, the goat’s cheese and the mains were excellent, the service was good enough, and the restaurant has a pleasant atmosphere. I left excited to return and would definitely recommend (if I can drag any of my south Manchester clan to Rochdale that is).

Sophie