During his 20 odd year career at United, Ryan Giggs had plenty to celebrate on the first night of the week, but can he make a success of Monday nights at his restaurant in Worsley?
I’ll admit themed nights sound a bit cheesy but don’t worry, there’s no fancy dress or decoration, just a different cuisine each week and a bargain price of £20 for 3 courses. So we left the beret at home and headed over to the French night at George’s Dining Room & Bar to get a little bit Gallic.
A couple of summery gin based numbers got things underway, it was a pretty warm day and the dining area really benefits from windows that run right across the building’s front. You’ll also find a terrace round the back that would be a fair sun trap of an afternoon, it could well be worth a return visit just to set up camp there for a few hours.
I reckon showcasing different countrys’ culinary achievements is a pretty good idea for spicing things up and giving your kitchen a chance to try new things. And what better place to start than with France, a land that’s probably got more iconic dishes to its name than some continents, and none moreso than frogs legs which was where we started. They were nicely crisped with light breadcrumbs and enough meat on their slender bones to warrant the effort of a couple of bites. I’d been a bit apprehensive about the accompanying pearl barley as I find it can be a bit bland to be honest (I had a rubbish pearl barley risotto in veggie restaurant 1874 that was enough to put someone off for life) but a delicious herb oil kept things interesting. The classics were coming fast with moules mariniere next on the menu and it was well executed, tender seafood in a creamy flavoursome sauce. Both starters were excellent and a real steal for a fiver.
Mains arrived next though and were, in fairness, a bit disappointing. The beef bourginon had a rich enough sauce but the meat was too tough, either a different cut of meat or a longer cooking time was required. Similarly the coq au vin was a bit chewy, and was only accompanied with grass-like crispy shreds of leek which did nothing to mop up any of the broth they were propped up in. Fair to say both dishes needed a bit of tweaking and were a bit stingy, although the relatively small portion sizes are perhaps justified by the price of the meal. Besides I don’t often go away from three courses with my belly rumbling anyway, and didn’t here either.
Our desserts looked all the more inviting, first a cherry souffle, which was nicely risen but a bit on the sweet side for me, alongside the sorbet it had a flavour more reminiscent of a Wham bar than of fine dining. The tarte tatin on the other hand was a genuine return to form, a slightly savoury, warm piece of fruit-topped pastry balanced perfectly with cool vanilla ice cream.
It would be fair to say our meal felt like a bit of a work in progress, but I’d say it was definitely worth a return visit on that basis. The upcoming Fish Night on 24th July definitely looks promising, and with mains for a tenner, then starters, dessert and cocktails for just £5 there’s value to be had in an attractive venue with friendly attentive staff.
George’s Worsley
17-21 Barton Rd, Worsley, Manchester M28 2PD
0161 794 5444
