Sunday Roast @ Saison, West Disbury

When I left university and waved goodbye to my student house, Didsbury became home. West Didsbury to be precise. It was the first place outside of Bristol that felt homely and comforting and like the sort of place I would like to live.

I must've liked it, as I lived there for three years and am still a huge advocate of everything it has to offer - Burton Road, the river, the cafes, independent shops and restaurants that keep popping up, I love it!

One restaurant I was particularly intrigued by was Saison, having known it as the Violet Hour when I lived there. Anyway, they got in touch with me via a group on Facebook and asked if I'd like to come down and give them a try - and I jumped at the chance to get back on Burton Road!

It was the day after we'd got back from Portugal and although it was still (surprisingly) warm in Manchester, we were both craving something really hearty and homely, so roast dinner it was.

BUT before we tucked into roasts, we ordered drinks & went to town on the starter menu.

We shared two dishes - the five spice chicken lollipops with a hoisin glaze, and the Didsbury eggs.

I was a little nervous about getting the chicken dish as anything meaty described as a lollipop doesn't quite sit right with me but oh my god these were delicious: just look at the detail in the picture above! The meat was so tender and the sauce was a perfect addition.

The Didsbury eggs were phenomenal; I'm partial to a Scotch egg most of the time but these were fab - crunchy on the outer edge, with a soft black pudding sausage middle, wrapped around a boiled quail's egg, with a runny yolk - ideal!

After some lovely rioja and beer for James, our roasts arrived. I went for chicken, and James went for beef. The beef is cooked medium rare and both come with Saison's 'signature stuffing' which.is.LUSHHH. So so good.

You also get a heap of seasonal veg, crispy on the outside / fluffy on the inside potatoes, and a huge Yorkshire pudding. Oh and an insane red wine gravy.

Now, I love holiday food as much as the next person (fresh seafood, abundance of bright fruit & veg etc), but it was so lovely after a week of eating this to tuck into a warming, wholesome roast; I was craving it massively.

We definitely didn't need pudding, but when we saw the specials board mention a chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice-cream and raspberries, we had it have it.

We dove right in and finished it in minutes (there's always room for dessert!). My favourite bit was the gooey layer on top of the cake, mixed with a spoonful of ice-cream. It was delicious. The perfect way to round off a roast!

We sat in the window and watched Burton Road bustle away; it was a great way to see of a Sunday. The atmosphere in Saison is soo chilled and relaxing, I'd absolutely recommend going for a roast, or a cosy drink in the window. Thanks for having me, Saison!


*Saison very kindly paid for my food. I paid for my drinks. All opinions are genuine and have not been influenced by their generosity - they really do do great roasts!

The Best Curry in the World

(First up, sorry for the picture quality - as you can tell they were taken rather hurriedly on my phone!)

After visiting the Great Kathmandu in West Didsbury for the first time in 2012 it's been a favourite place of mine to eat (I ate there last Friday, and the one before that, ahem...).

I love the atmosphere; the place is always buzzing and the windows are always steamed up from the delicious sauces hectically (but perfectly) being marched out of the kitchen on to your plate.

It's won loads of awards but don't go there expecting an immaculate, spick and span surrounding - its imperfections are what makes it so charming. The decor is fine, the chairs and tablecloths too; sometimes if dining for two you'll be paired up with another couple you don't know on a table of four but hey, everyone's friends when curry is involved.

My favourite thing about the Kathmandu is the family behind the name - it was set up by Gopal Dangaol and is run by his generations that followed. Gopal is a regular at the restaurant, and often comes in and makes his way round the floor chatting to guests and asking how their food is. You can tell there's so much passion there, which is definitely conveyed in the food.

When we go, there are a number of dishes we can't bear to not order. We always, always start with a mountain of poppadoms and demolish the pickle tray (mint yoghurt, onion relish, mango chutney and chilli lime pickle).

We don't usually do starters but the last couple of times we've ordered the Chicken Chewla and my god, it gives a kick. It's really hot. Like not even a 'ohh-that's-a-bit-spicy-why-don't-i-eat-a-spoonful-of-mint-yoghurt-to-counteract' kind of hot, but very, VEEERY spicy - and absolutely flavoursome too. It's a dry dish 'cooked in Nepalese herbs and spices'.

Without fail we'll order a chicken shak-shu-ka (top dish in the pic) - this is a weird sounding one but it tastes divine. It's essentially chicken cooked in spices and sauce with mince meat and green herbs. We were recommended it on our first trip and haven't gone without it since... 

We were also recommended the 'award winning' makan chara (third dish down in the pic) - I can't even begin to explain this dish to you. It's creamy like a tikka masala, but it's also got this smokey, tomatoey, spicy and a little bit cheesy (but don't let that put you off!) flavour. It's my favourite dish. Mopping up the sauce with a peshwara naan is bloody heaven. 

I love the place so much, when Millennium Hotels asked if I wanted to take part in naming my favourite 'hidden gem' restaurant in Manchester in exchange for a Taste card (thanks!) I had to say this place.

The graphic they created includes a load of other people's hidden gems, so it's worth checking out if you're stuck for food places.

The full infographic can be found here - it's a bit small to read everything below, and it's worth a peruse.

Got any other hidden gems in Manchester I can check out?

Running Routes: my favourites in Manchester

When I was at school I hated running. I don't know whether it was my fourteen-year-old self's stumpy legs, teenage apathy or laziness, but running & I just didn't get on.

Fast forward a good few years, 2 half marathons & the Men's Health Survival Race later and I love it.

Fitness benefits aside, I think it's such a good way to explore your surroundings; it's invigorating, empowering and great for stress relief (and it's FREE!). There's nothing quite like the feeling of taking your trainers off after a really tough run.

When I'm 'in training', not hungover on a weekend morning or just need to get out of the house, these are my favourite running routes in Manchester.

West Didsbury & the River Mersey

This route is 5 miles and the perfect week night track (I wouldn't go alone when it's dark though - it's quite isolated.)

Chorlton Water Park

One loop round the lake is about a mile, so as long as you don't mind seeing the same thing over and over, you can track your miles pretty easily. The ducks and wildlife make a really nice change of scenery from road markings and traffic lights. It can get a bit busy around lunchtime on the weekends though, especially when the sun comes out.

I do this route for 7 miles, so it's perfect if you want to push yourself a little bit.

Fletcher Moss Gardens & the River Mersey

I discovered this on a 10k run yesterday morning. WHY have I never been to Fletcher Moss Gardens before!! Amazing! So many random gardens, tennis courts and woods, it's lovely. I'd imagine it would be great on a summer's day.

I was really in awe when I saw this boulevard type trail. Sounds silly, but it reminded me of something from a fairy tale. I ran through it to find myself back on the river bank in no time....

Do you have any favourite routes? I'm always looking for new trails so let me know if you've got a favourite..

PS sorry about the fuzziness on these pics - most of them are taken mid-run and on my phone!

Breakfast Time: Crazy Cow Cafe

You know those people who can't face food first thing in the morning? Yeah. I'm one million percent not one of them.

I wake up ravenous and my tummy doesn't stop grumbling until I've finished my last mouthful. I go through cereal boxes on a weekly basis and I don't think there's anything I wouldn't try once for breakfast.

It's not often I eat out for breakfast but I've had my morning feed twice recently in The Crazy Cow Cafe in West Didsbury, and each time has been lip-licking delicious.

James had a salmon, cream cheese & rocket bagel washed down with a cappuccino

I had honey porridge & a latte.

We went really early so were the only people in there (catching the worm and all that).

The staff are always so friendly and there's a real 'neighbourhood' vibe to it. If you're in the area, check them out. They do lunches too. Annoyingly, they're not open on a Sunday... so you'd better get your fill of Illy coffee on a Saturday!

They don't call it the most important meal of the day for nothing, kids! Eating breakfast can help stop you reaching for quick-fix sugar hits later in the morning, and will give you the energy you need to tackle the day ahead.

I also eat loads for brekkie. The way I look at it, you're better off having a big breakfast rather than a huge supper - that way you've got all day to burn off all the calories!

I'm loving porridge at the moment, it's so warming and wintery. I've been squeezing honey on top and sprinkling cinnamon all over it (I trick I learnt from Anna.)

What are your winter food staples?