Mockingbird Taproom – New Moon Rising! #Blog
Taste Cheshire
17th October 2014
It was always the plan and Paul Newman and David Mooney of the prestigious Cheshire based New Moon Pub Company are delighted that they will be launching on to the Chester dining scene this week with the Mockingbird Taproom! This follows on the back of their prestigious award which they won on Friday night at The Cheshire Business Awards, where they scooped ‘Business of the Year!’
The ambitious duo took over the lease on Linenhall, what once was the Chester institution of the Fat Cat, on Watergate Street by Chester Racecourse in July and following a couple of months of planning and a full refurbishment of the venue, they will reopen as the Mockingbird Taproom, this Saturday, 11th October.
The new and soon to be ‘legendary’ Mockingbird Taproom will serve an array of Pan-Gulf delicacies. From the fiery spice of southern America to the subtle spice of Mexico to the bare-assed flavour of the American Gulf states and the Eastern Seaboard.
The freshness, vitality and unique combination of flavours will bring a fantastic contemporary edge to their responsibly sourced foods. From a beautiful range of gumbos and fajitas, a stonking selection of burgers, including the colossal ‘Hoover Dam’ to fresh scallops, crawfish and shrimps. Ribs doused in cola, chilli & treacle will also be a favourite. Cheshire’s finest beef and blindingly fresh fish, all cooked with an abundance of styles & flavours representative of the Gulf regions. The New Moon ethos of quality, service & style will of course rein supreme, as you would expect.
A range of cocktails, lovingly blended from premium spirits and quality mixers, craft ales and an extensive list of wines and Champagnes by the glass, bottle or bucket will all be served.
High profile North West chef and enthusiastic restaurateur, David Mooney is the chef patron and co-owner of the New Moon Pub Company with business partner and ex Living Ventures director, Paul Newman. Dave is already well known in Chester but probably more so for his demos at the Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival, where his twitter personality @gobbychef precedes him.
Dave is also a serial media star with a 10 part series for North West regional TV ‘Food Hunter’ which ran for two years. Dave was particularly pleased to be so involved with the BBC2 series ‘Hairy Bikers Food Tour of Britain’ and appear in the Sept 09 programme representing Cheshire. More recently in 2012 Dave filmed ‘Perfect’ for Sky TV as a judge, a show about perfect pub food and in 2013 on ITV’s primetime ‘Tonight’ program, Dave championed a reduction in food waste! Previously he has also clocked up over 200 appearances as the ‘Granada Tonight’ resident Chef. From BBC Manchester he has completed live & pre-recorded segments for the Morning magazine programme, to include viewer advice on budgeting & food preparation. Radio work is too numerous to mention, cumulating in guest spots on food for on BBC Radio Five Live.
Business partner Paul Newman, an experienced North West based restaurateur, was a founder member and director with Manchester dominant, Living Ventures and was responsible for the launch of The Living Room concept, the first of which opened in Deansgate in December 1999.
Paul knows Chester very well, having lived there for 10 years. He also worked for Chester based Classic Wines & Spirits and opened The Living Room and the Blackhouse Grill in Chester. Said Paul: “Chester has always been on our list of priorities for a site, we have just been waiting for the right venue to come up . We are delighted we have got this site, it was perfect for our concept.”