The Wild Goose Restaurant – definitely a great chase #Review
Gaile Wundke
16th March 2017
A couple of weeks ago a leaflet popped through our door advertising the about to be opened and brand new, Wild Goose Restaurant located within Chester Lakes, 100 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes on the outskirts of Chester, a place we knew for fishing and camping, but until now, not for dining. It is always exciting when a new independent restaurant opens, particularly one in such a beautiful setting and so when Taste Cheshire were invited to review The Wild Goose, we were more than delighted to accept!
For those not familiar with Chester Lakes, it is situated off Church Road, Dodleston and the restaurant can be found at the end of the long driveway. There is ample parking, which is another bonus, and children under 10 are welcome up until 7.00pm inside, or on warmer evenings, up until 9.00pm in the outside dining area. Unfortunately, because of the varied wildlife, ducks and geese, dogs are not allowed.
We had booked for 6.45pm and as we walked through the door we were greeted by a very cheery ‘hello’ from two members of staff and shown to our table which even had a little card with our name on! Having taken our seats we were able to sit back and admire the extremely impressive décor. It was obvious that a lot of time has been spent on getting the look just right and that time really has been rewarded as it is superb. There was a roaring fire with a huge pile of logs ready to refuel, big comfy settees, planters crammed full of daffodils, vases filled with tulips and candles adding their twinkling magic. It almost felt as if you were at a friend’s house, rather than a restaurant and to create that sort of ambience is not something that many people are capable of.
So, onto the crux of why we were there, the food! Our lovely waitress Jo explained that the Wild Goose specialises in small plates and diners can choose from Vegetarian, Fish or Meat options. They suggest three plates per person or of course diners can order several different plates to share or alternatively just one as a starter, followed by a main course.
Regular readers of my reviews will know that I quite often prefer to just order starters when I go out for a meal, rather than a main course, so this menu really was right up my street! I chose Beer battered cauliflower fritters, with chilli crème fraiche and salsa verde £4.50, which I asked to be served as a ‘starter’ followed by, Pan fried mackerel with roasted chicory and red pepper ketchup £7.00 and Duck pastrami, peach puree, buffalo mozzarella and pea shoots £6.50. My husband and son decided they would prefer starters and mains and chose Salt and pepper chicken wings, with chilli and spring onion salad £5.50 followed by 8oz rib eye, sweet cured tomato, wild mushrooms, bone marrow and parsley butter served with French fries £19.50 and Teriyaki steak salad with pickled ginger, radish, cashew nuts and pak choi £7.00 followed by Grilled cod fillet, prawn and caper butter, charred broccoli and crushed potatoes £16.00. We also ordered a very nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and some iced water, which was attractively presented in an old-fashioned bottle with a sprig of mint.
Our starters soon arrived and we could see we were in for a treat. The cauliflower fritters were not something I had tried before, but they were absolutely delicious and the crème fraiche with sweet chilli and the fresh salsa verde gave two completely different flavour combinations which worked so well with the slight bitterness of the cauliflower, a dish that I will definitely be trying at home! The chicken wings kept our youngest diner very quiet as he made his way through them, with plenty of finger licking and sounds of appreciation and the Teriyaki salad was so enjoyed that it was devoured well before I was halfway through my fritters! It was already clear that the chef at the Wild Goose knows his stuff and unlike so many meals that we have experienced, we didn’t once have to reach for either the salt or pepper as the seasoning was perfect.
And so to the mains and firstly the rib eye, our diner asked for it to be cooked rare and rare it was, the bone marrow and parsley butter rich and delicious, the wild mushrooms again perfectly seasoned and the sweet cured tomato was described as tasting like the best pizza sauce! Finished with a portion of hot crispy fries, this dish was a winner. The cod fillet was beautifully cooked and the unusual prawn and caper butter added a real depth of flavour to the dish. The broccoli, so often overcooked and under seasoned was faultless and the crushed potatoes were so good that I had a little taste and had to stop myself from going back to eat the lot!
The small plate of Duck pastrami with peach puree, mozzarella and pea shoots was excellent. The duck was pink and melted in the mouth, the peach puree sweet, but with a hint of acidity and the mozzarella beautifully soft. Combined with the freshness of the pea shoots this was a really light and refreshing dish in which all the flavours married together and the presentation was beautiful. The pan-fried mackerel was, like the cod before, perfectly cooked and the bitterness of the chicory worked well with the oily fish. The red pepper ketchup was a little on the sweet side for me and I found myself craving some acidity to offset the richness, but overall it was a very tasty little dish.
As always when we are invited to do a review, by the time it gets to dessert, there’s never much room left, but we couldn’t resist ordering the Apple tarte tatin with cinnamon ice cream £5.00 and a couple of scoops of Cheshire Farm ice cream £4.50. We were advised that there would be a 10 minute wait for the Tatin (as there should be), as it is freshly cooked to order and it was well worth the wait! Crisp pastry, soft apples coated in sticky caramel and a blob of ice cream rich with cinnamon, absolutely delicious and it disappeared faster than the Teriyaki steak! The scoops of ice cream were served with a shard of honeycomb which was a lovely touch and so much nicer than some of the shop bought biscuits that so often accompany ice cream.
And so our evening had come to an end and what a lovely evening it had been. From the moment we walked in until the moment we left we were made to feel very welcome and as I hinted at earlier, almost like old friends. The staff at the Wild Goose are lovely and I have no doubt that everyone will be made to feel as comfortable as we were. Whether its a cup of coffee next to the roaring fire with a paper, afternoon tea with a slice of homemade cake of the day, lunch with friends or dinner with family, whatever the occasion, you will be well catered for. And it doesn’t end there, outside there are Beach Huts overlooking the lakes and woodland beyond and complimentary blankets are provided when there’s a chill in the air. They really have thought of everything!
This is a new restaurant with a difference and a difference I’m sure you’ll enjoy. The owners are passionate about what they do and it shows. If you want a smart Country pub with great food, magnificent views and excellent staff then this is the place for you, enjoy!