‘All-Change’ at Barlounge… #Blog

Briony Wilson
23rd May 2018

Chester’s Favourite Bar & Restaurant Launches Totally New Menu Which Promises Small Plates and Big Flavours!

Innovative, quality driven and always exciting; Barlounge has been serving up the finest mix of classic British dining and superb cocktails since it first opened its doors almost twenty years ago.

Still under the same ownership and a firm favourite amongst locals and visitors alike, Barlounge has always been at the cutting edge of hospitality in the City and the new food offering is no exception.

The exciting new menu is a total departure from the much-loved steak pie and fish and chips style gastro-pub staples and promises to be a ‘must-do’ for food lovers from Cheshire and beyond.

No small change here, the current menu has been completely re-imagined and comes on the back of over 12 months of research and development by their passionate team of chefs.

Driven by Head Chef Ben Rutherford, the new offering champions an amazing array of exciting ingredients and powerful flavours from across the globe and diners can expect a totally new approach across the board.

‘We know that way people dine is changing, ‘commented Ben. ‘Guests are a lot more adventurous and really enjoy experimenting with new flavours and sharing dishes together. There have been a few heated debates along the way and several ‘cook-offs’ to agree the final line-up; but we really pleased with the outcome and cannot wait to launch our British Sharing Plate Menu here in the City.’

So What’s On The Menu?

Bold flavours, twists on classic dishes and quality ingredients from around the world; the new Sharing Plates Menu has something to suit every taste and is a dream for any self-confessed ‘foodies’ out there.

Barlounge director, Jason Bligh commented,

‘We’ve taken our influences from our travels across the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and the new style menu really reflects this.  We know our regulars well and although the menu is a big departure we’ve still stayed true to our roots and applied our own ‘Barlounge’ take on some real global classics.  We hope our guests will enjoy exploring these dishes and discover a few unexpected flavours along the way. More importantly Sharing Plates are all about having a glass in one hand and a fork in the other, so perfect to share with your favourite tipple!’

Highlights include the Italian inspired sausage and Mozzarella dish. Created with the finest, creamy Burrata cheese and spicy Sothern Italian ‘Njduja’ sausage; this perfect pairing takes this classic combination to a whole new level.

Another Italian classic, the fresh Panzanella salad is like summer on a plate; packed with the ripest and tastiest heirloom tomatoes and tossed with chunks of home-baked sour dough that absorb their flavours and juices to perfection. This is all about simple flavours and quality ingredients.

Never afraid to embrace new trends, the team have also been heavily influenced by the UK’S massive 700% increase in vegans over the past three years and it’s fair to say that plant based diners are extremely well catered for with the new menu!

‘Clean eating is a big deal for a growing number of our guests and we wanted the menu to reflect this’, commented Jason. ‘There a few really interesting new veggie and vegan dishes on there and we are really looking forward to seeing what people think.’

‘The twist the guys have come with on a traditional hummus is pretty special. They’ve created a delicious sweet roast carrot alternative that’s not only great to look at – its full of flavour especially when you add the spiced chickpea and salsa Verde into the mix!’

As anticipation grows in the run up to the new menu launch, the team’s decision to go with such a drastic change has come up against some resistance. The famous Barlounge sausages, or potential lack of them, has caused outrage amongst some regulars and the ‘Save Our Sausage’ campaign has gathered momentum on social media over the last few weeks with over 3,000 comments from die-hard sausage fans!

When pushed on the matter Jason said that is was still ‘unconfirmed’ whether the sausages would make an appearance on the new menu. He did however confirm that that eternally popular Sunday Lunch would be remaining firmly on the menu.

‘We’ve still got a great selection of steaks on the menu and plenty of classic options interspersed with the more unusual dishes,’ commented Jason, ‘so there really is something for everyone.’

The new menu launches on 22^nd May, to find out more please contact [email protected] www.barlounge.co.uk