Campo Blanco, Whitefield

About bloody time really. We shamelessly stalked the opening of Campo Blanco after a summer of whinging 'we need a good tapas place round here'. Then one day we saw a sign go up, there was activity inside, and we were poised. A right little temptress on Instagram, they were driving me crackers! Then on Sunday we finally found ourselves spending a damp afternoon sampling their wares.

We walked in to see a well stocked bar, packed with some unusual bottles and an eager barman. I got chatting to Aaron, who co-owns Campo Blanco with his fiancé Faye Jennings, who told me all about their future plans and how they've strived to make it as inclusive as possible. Gluten free-ers, veggies and vegans worry not, for you will be fully catered for. He talked passionately about their organic wines, and how they make families welcome whilst not interrupting couples wanting some peace. 

The menu is extensive without feeling like you're faced with a wall in a Chinese takeaway, and once agin provided the age old conundrum of 'what in the hell do we order?' I think we did alright you know. 

Flatbread with manchego and chorizo: Thin, crispy bread with cheese and meat, which I really wish we had saved to mop up sauces. Note for the future. Or just order more.

Mussels - steamed green shell mussels in a green chilli and parsley sauce: These were Phil's choice, as you know I don't do shellfish as a rule. I did however steal some of that sauce, which was absolutely delicious. He demolished these pretty quickly.

Fried peppers - pan roasted baby peppers drizzled in green mojo (homemade green sauce made with coriander, parsley, garlic, chilli, shallots and sherry vinegar): A lovely piquancy to these. Could have been a little softer, but still great flavour.  

Sweet potato fries with bravas sauce and fried onions: Poor picture, great dish. We both loved the large pieces of onion on these. Great for dipping in sauce if you've been greedy and eaten all your bread early doors.

Crispy chilli chicken - fried chicken thighs coated in a homemade spice blend served with chillies, spring onions and chipotle mayo: Imagine if KFC was actually good, and didn't leave you feeling dead inside. Bingo. Not a smattering of grease, these were beautifully spiced and that chipotle mayo was top notch.

Steak medallions - tender medallions of beef, drizzled in chimi churri (homemade green drizzle with pepper, onion, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika and ancho chilli): One of my two favourite dishes. Zingy, fresh chimi churri was utterly perfect on the tender beef.

Black pudding and blue cheese - traditional Spanish black pudding served with a blue pico cheese sauce: My other favourite. That sauce is unbelievable. If you don't like blue cheese, do not fret. It's incredibly delicate, and is the perfect partner to the local black pudding. I must insist that you order this. 

Churros with dulce de leche: Churros have to be ordered if they are on the menu. It's essential. I have to say, these are some of the best churros I've ever had, and this greedy girl has eaten a lot. They had the balance of crisp exterior and soft interior just right. 

We had such a lovely time at Campo Blanco that we are already planning to go back for brunch, and another trip for cocktails in the evening. I loved the passion of everyone involved, from the ideas being cooked up by Aaron and Faye, to their chef wanting every dish to look just perfect. They are nice people living their dream, and taking us along for the ride. I can't wait to see what they have up their sleeve in the future, as this seems to be an ever evolving venture.

Go here for a relaxed lunch, or enjoy the hustle and bustle of a busy evening service. Either way, you're going to eat some great food! I'll report back on that brunch.

http://www.cibdol.com

Levanter, Ramsbottom

I gave a huge cheer as Ramsbottom's Levanter won 'Casual Restaurant of the Year' at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards. I don't mind telling you that they got my vote after our visit a few weeks ago. Hidden behind the main flurry of shops and restaurants, Levanter and sister restaurant Baratxuri are nestled on Square Street, which feels like a peaceful little place to spend an afternoon eating tapas. 

First rule of tapas - staring blankly at the menu, fully aware of the fact that I will be unable to choose an adequate amount of dishes, owing to the fact 'they all sound so nice'. Cue a meat platter! Happy days. Lots of carnivorous 'bits' to keep me happy. Look at this meat!

I will always over-order carbs. Every time. However, Levanter's sourdough comes with these nice salsa and oil/vinegar dipping pots, which made me feel continental rather than greedy. 

Garbanzos - chickpeas, spinach and egg with cumin seeds, garlic and breadcrumbs: A festival of textures awaits in this dish. Not only is it packed with flavour, but the breadcrumbs and slightly toasted edges on the chickpeas gave a nice crunch too. Pop open that yolk!

Rabo de Toro - ox tail braised in Rioja, served with tomatoes, celery, carrots, butter beans and garlic: Star of the show. Beef in red wine will always be a hearty little number, but add in those smooth butter beans, which seem to have been steeped in the flavour of the dish, and it's sent to another stratosphere.

Merluza Y Salsa de Tomate - Hake fillet seared on the plancha, with sun-dried tomato and anchovy salsa: I'm not a fan of seafood but Phil is, so we always get at least one fish dish. He loved this one, which came served on a generous bed of salsa. This was a little too fishy for me, but even I loved the meaty hake.

It's always nice to have a ride out to Ramsbottom at the weekend, especially when wonderful food like this awaits. All the staff were warm and friendly, spoke about the dishes with some vigour, and seemed genuinely pleased to serve their guests. We got chatting to a nice couple who were sat next to us too, who were already planning their next trip, which would involve staying over and lots of wine! 

Go here for a relaxed dining experience when you have lots of time. Do not rush this one. Your food comes when it's ready, so you could happily spend all afternoon here without even noticing the time. We're also plotting an evening trip, and a visit to sister restaurant Baratxuri. 

La Vina, Manchester

I must have walked past La Vina hundreds of times over the years. There are loads of tapas places in Manchester these days, and I have to say, I've probably been to most of them, but somehow I had never quite made it here. What a fool I am. 

I have a real thing at the moment for 'nice people'. I know that may sound soft, but it's been a bit of a year, and niceness is really very important to me as a result. We walked into La Vina to be greeted by nice people. We were hurried in from the cold and seated on the balcony upstairs. The chap even turned the music down slightly in that area because it was a little loud. Cute.

Now then. We ate so much food that I'm not even going to go through every single one in detail, otherwise you'll be here all night. Plus, the pictures say more than I can anyway. I'll just chip in with a few of my favourites. I am going to make a point of telling you that once again I ate olives... and enjoyed them. I'm officially all grown up.

Quesa Manchego - Cheese from La Mancha made from sheep’s milk and aged for six months, served with quince jam.
Pan Tumaca - bread baked in-house, brushed with fresh garlic oil, grilled & served with freshly grated vine-ripened tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of smoked sea salt.

Chorizo reserva - cured chorizo with a sweet and nutty flavour: Cannot keep quiet about this chorizo. I sometimes find it a bit of an overpowering paprika party, but this was sweet and luscious and all sorts of magical. Order this.

Suqueta - a Catalan-style fish stew of prawns, white fish, mussels, and clams in a rich tomato, saffron and almond sauce.

Croquetas de Cecina - cured beef croquetas and piquillo purée.

Pollo con salsa - Succulent chicken breast strips in a creamy, sherry, spinach, almond and date sauce: No exaggeration, this was unbelievable. Sweet and creamy with those beautifully chewy dates. It's on the 'what could you just have?' list.

Gambas pil pil - King prawns in garlic, chilli & olive oil.

Pulpo - Octopus leg pan-fried with olive oil, garlic, chilli, lemon and smoked sea salt, with piquillo purée: Looks a bit terrifying, but watch it glisten...

La Vina dessert tabla - Churros, strawberries and marshmallows with dipping chocolate and dulce de leche sauces.

Torta de Santiago - Warm Galician Santiago almond cake with a honey and lemon drizzle served with custard ice cream: It wasn't even my dessert, but I stole quite a bit of this. We swapped the vanilla for custard ice cream too!

 I'm cruising for a bruising posting this picture, but it's just too good to keep to myself. Phil totally took one for the team and offered to have his picture taken with these lovely lasses, when I looked on in horror when they asked to take my photo! Cheers dude... but look how happy he is!

We both couldn't quite believe how good La Vina was. It was one of those lovely surprises, where everything is on point. The food, the service and the atmosphere were bob on, add in flamenco dancers and you're laughing! Those girls must have been frozen...

Disclaimer: I was invited to the restaurant to complete an honest review. I was under no obligation to say nice things!

Wahaca, Manchester - Summer Specials

God we've got about a bit recently. It seems that everywhere is launching an exciting new summer menu, and there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to try them all. Is that my belly rumbling, or just gout softly calling my name...? This hobby may well kill me before long. 

Last week my blogging partner in crime (Mexican division) and I were invited to Wahaca to sample their new goodies. Not exactly a tough gig hey? There's nothing better than an early dart on a sunny day, to find yourself surrounded by food and cocktails, giggling away without a care in the world. Once again, Lee was keen to write this one up as she was so enthused about the whole experience. She'll be putting me out of a job this one... So here's what we ate, and her accompanying thoughts.

Wahaca is a firm favourite of ours, so an invite to try the new summer specials was gratefully received!

Frijoles and tortilla chips - creamy twice cooked black beans served with crumbly Lancashire cheese and crema: We started with Frijoles and tortilla chips; I always love this kind of to start a Wahaca feast, and the Lancashire cheese crumbled on top is delicious.

We did our usual trick of ordering food for ten, for two! The summer specials of chorizo and cheese tacos served with fresh avocado salsa, and Devon crab tostada were amazing.

Chorizo and Cheese Taco: Sautéed British free range chorizo from Trealy farm with sweet roasted red onions, melted cheese and fresh avocado salsa.

Devon Crab Tostada: Handpicked Devon white crab meat, with creamy mayo, fresh lime and diced tomatoes, served on lettuce with crispy tortillas on the side: The tostada in particular has been playing on my mind ever since; fresh crab meat with mayo, lime, and tomatoes served with crispy tortilla. Fortunately for me, Rach isn't a massive fan of crab meat so I tanked the lot (and will be back for more soon). It's also worth noting that 20p from the sale of each of these dishes is donated to charities here in the UK and in Mexico, so you can feel good about eating your body weight in street food.

Sweet potato and feta taquito - roasted sweet potato, feta and caramelised red onion wrapped in crispy blue corn and dotted with salsas and chipotle mayo: We also ordered my old favourite, sweet potato and feta taquitos, these blow me away every time.

Mexico City style chicken enchiladas - two classic enchiladas, with grilled chicken, tomato salsa roja and topped with melted cheese: New to the menu were the larger Enchilada dishes, so we chose to try the Mexico City style chicken enchiladas. These were delicious, and although a much bigger plate, still allowed for gorging on other dishes when it was shared.

To accompany these gorgeous dishes we had a bowl of spicy slaw, creamy frijoles, and sweet potato chunks; all were wonderful additions to the meal. 

Sweet potato - crispy fried chunks of sweet potato, dressed with smoky caramelised mojo de ajo.

Frijoles - rich, creamy black beans cooked twice for flavour. Served with crumbled cheese and crema.

Spicy slaw - fresh crunchy slaw mix with our chipotle dressing.

Churros y chocolate - our favourite! Mexican doughnuts with rich chocolate and caramel sauces: We managed to fit a portion of Wahaca's churros in to finish, served with both sauces. Needless to say I didn't need to eat again till much later in the day.

Another delightful meal at Wahaca, accompanied by fantastic service and heavenly cocktails (you must try the Earl of Mexico - actual game changer right there!)

Strawberry & Basil daiquiri - golden rum, winter spices, fresh lime (left)
Earl Of Mexico - gin & Earl Grey lemonade with a hint of aniseed (right)

Classic - freshly squeezed lime with a hint of agave
Passion fruit margarita - A tropical twisted margarita

Many thanks to Wahaca for such a beautiful afternoon; the food never fails to wow us, and the service was top notch too. See you soon for more Mexican loveliness.

Iberica, Manchester: New Seasonal Menu

I was having 'a day'... you know the type; people being idiots and your 'get up and go' having already departed. Then a lovely little email from Iberica arrived asking if I wanted to come and check out the new seasonal menu. Yes, yes please. 

Iberica is one of our happy places. We first went to the Marylebone one before Manchester opened, and were then quick to suss out our new neighbour. After declaring it wonderful, we've been regular patrons ever since. My tapas partner in crime Lee accompanied me, and loved it so much, that she was rather keen to do the review. So here's what she thought. 

I really don't have the words to describe how much I love going to Iberica, from my first visit in London to my excitement when the Manchester site was announced, I have been obsessed with this fantastic place! So needless to say when Rach asked if I fancied accompanying her to try the Spring menu, I nearly bit her lovely little hand off.

After a long day at a conference in Harrogate, and a slightly fraught journey back, I felt myself relax straight away when I arrived and was handed a glass of cava. We were seated in the beautiful bar area and served a warming sherry as the food started to arrive. 

First up was a trio of hams, varying in region of origin each of these hams had a very distinctive taste, and each was delicious. We also tried beautifully rich Presa, alongside roasted tomato bread which added a tasty burst of freshness. 

Trio of hams

 Cured Iberian acorn-fed 'Presa' (Lomito de Bellota)

Toasted bread with tomato

After aggressively front loading on ham I soon realised I needed to pace myself in order to manage a try of each of the mains....this turned out to be easier said than done! We started the mains with a red berry and beetroot gazpacho, the flavours within this were unbelievable, sharp and fresh, even Rachel (genuine hater of beetroot) was sold on this.

This was followed by my three favourite tapas dishes of the night, asparagus toast with manchego and truffle oil, cauliflower tempura and serrano ham croquettes. The asparagus toast and croquettes are already firm favourites of mine, in fact I may have had dreams about the croquettes! The cauliflower was incredibly tasty with a zingy pickled cauliflower slice on top.

Red berries gazpacho from MercatBar by Quique Dacosta 

 

Asparagus toast - green asparagus with manchego, onion confit and truffle oil on toast 

 Cauliflower tempura - deep fried fresh cauliflower heads in sauce

 Iberica's croquettes - signature serrano ham croquettes

Next was time for fish, we tried hake with hollandaise and lettuce water, fideua with garlic and prawns, octopus gallega, and sea trout with almond purée. Each of these dishes were delicious and perfectly cooked, and despite being a little afraid of octopus I am told this is one of the best. Special mention must be made of the lettuce water served with the hake; Cesar advised that this is basically salad blended into a sauce. I could go for a mug of this!

Fresh hake with hollandaise sauce and lettuce water

 Fideua with garlic and prawns - a classic Spanish seafood dish originating from Valencia

The Iberica octopus a la galega - Galician style octopus with potatoes and pimento de la Vera (paprika)

 Sea trout with almond puree, pickled cauliflower and smoked olive oil 

Just when I thought I may pop we were presented with the finale, Gloria Cachopo, a tender fried beef and pork patty filled with cheese. I am a firm believer that all food can be improved by putting cheese in or on it, this dish confirmed it.

Gloria Cachopo - fried beef and Iberico pork patty filled with Asturian cheeses and mushrooms

For dessert we tried the rice pudding, Gloria cheesecake and churros. My favourite here was the rice pudding, rich and creamy with a crispy caramelised top, I was in heaven.

Caramelised Spanish rice pudding

Gloria cheesecake - served with parmesan and dried strawberries 

Churros with chocolate 

The evening was a huge success; delicious food and wine, excellent service and lots of laughs with new friends, who I hope to see again soon. Thank you Cesar, yet again you have blown us away with your talent (and you still look like a young Spanish Jeremy Piven).

A massive thank you to Iberica and Cesar for having us, Lee for writing such a lovely review, and our dining partners:

Charlie from Gin Fuelled Blue Stocking

Sarah from North West Nosh

Glen from MDOG

Stephen and Carl from The Gourmet Gays

Liz from Things to do in Manchester

Give their blogs a visit and follow them on Instagram for more food fuelled adventures.