PROMOTION
THERE was a village fete on Worsley Green as we walked to George's restaurant. On the steepest canal bridge in the world a bride and groom were being bossed by a wedding photographer. A narrowboat nosed through the Willy Wonka orange of the Bridgewater Canal. An eagle swooped, wilderbeest swept majestically across the plain.
Our meal began with a real highlight, a black pudding and pork scratching pre-starter which showed off the skill and imagination of chef Andew Parker.
Ok, the last bit is a fib but if you park on Worsley Road and do the scenic route across the Green to George's it's all lovely. Really pleasant. You might want to move.
Willy Wonka canal and sunshine in pretty Worsley. For those who wish to know the Bridgewater Canal is that colour because of the iron leaching into it
In George's Restaurant the tranquil mood is maintained. You sit and dine, lingering over attractive food with views back over the broad terrace through the trees to the canal.
The staff come and go, models of friendliness and efficiency. The customers dress up, the women particularly. There's something of Liverpool in the look the ladies adopt. A lot of tanning is going on somewhere close by.
George's and the terrace
Our meal began with a real highlight, a black pudding and pork scratching pre-starter which showed off the skill and imagination of chef Andew Parker. This came with a ticklish mustard and golden raisin purée.
Proper starters of oysters (£6) and a collection of sushi (£8.75) set the meal off with an elegant and light touch, while the homemade bread (£3.95), with an excellent salted butter, bolstered the beginning.
Oysters - big fat ones
Other fascinating dishes included the seatrout main (£12.75) with pickled cucumber and cunning squid gnocchi. There was 10oz ribeye too (£19.25) which came two ways and was wolfed down by the seventeen year old son. He also seemed to snaffle all his peppercorn and Bearnaise sauce in double-quick time. The pork wellington (£15.95) was a clever construction with a lush interior.
Sea trout rides the foam
Puddings were immaculate culinations. The honey parfait (£6.50), all flower bedecked was the pick, although the lime brulee (£6.50) wasn't far behind. Give the pastry chef a pay rise.
If there is a negative about the meal it's that Parker doesn't need to give us so many different flavours with some mains. Toning things down might bring more clarity.
George's is named after one of the great nineteenth century British architects Sir George Gilbert Scott. He designed the fine St Mark's church up the road for the Duke of Bridgewater.
Inisde St Mark's - thanks to JPGUK from Flickr for the image
Back then this area of Worsley was industrialised, dirty, now it's the very opposite, a place for lolling with a good bottle of Paddock Chardonnay through a long afternoon.
Legend has it the Duke of Bridgewater demanded the bell at St Mark's should toll thirteen times instead of just once at 1pm. He was worried his workers wouldn't hear a single ding-dong and therefore wouldn't rush back to work at the end of their hour long lunch break.
There's no need for haste at George's. People watching, drinking and eating at your own speed is the order of the day.
George's Restaurant, 7-21 Barton Road,Worsley, Salford, Manchester M28 2PD. 0161 410 0106.
Fine bread
Black pudding and pork scratching
Honey parfait
Lime lovely
Ribeye
Pork wellington
Inside George's
View from George's
The fickle finger of fete
