Cocktails Launch At The Chop And Ale House, Cheadle

Being a food and drink blogger I have been fortunate enough to drink and dine in some amazing places. Some of these places I would never have known about had it been for my blog and for that I am truly grateful. I have to say though I was incredibly excited when an invite dropped into my inbox for a venue inside a hotel I know really well. The Chop and Ale House  inside The Village Hotel, Cheadle.

I’ve lived in quite a few places but grew up in Cheadle, a village in Stockport. Most of my oldest friends still live there and my family also own a shop on the high street. It is home and I visit often. Unfortunately the bar scene in Cheadle has deteriorated massively over the years. As a teenager there were numerous watering holes with DJs playing allowing us to drink and dance into the early hours. This is no longer a feature and, apart from some decent local pubs, there isn’t really a ‘bar’ in the village now. That is until The Chop and Ale House re-launched a few weeks ago.

Residents of Cheadle and surrounding areas, you now have somewhere to drink cocktails! I can’t tell you how excited I was. So excited that I went to the event on my own and sat at the bar to sample the delights. I loved the disco ball decorations on the bar and the barrel lighting.

Whilst the Chop and Ale House is set out like a restaurant there are also areas where you can just grab a drink. The cocktail menu is extensive and, let me tell you, really well put together. They’re not just trying to keep the pub goers happy here, there is something for everyone and if you prove me wrong? Just ask the bar staff and they’ll be happy to whip up something bespoke for you.

The English Garden (at the top) was lightly fruity yet floral with elderflower and had a real kick from the Hendrick’s gin. Yes you read that right, no Gordon’s here. I could not believe my eyes. Now I have a sweet tooth but the Straight Up Vanilla was too much for me. Marketed as an adult take on a cream soda others lapped them up though, it is nice to have options for all palates especially in a village where there isn’t an array of cocktail bars to try.

The Kim Sha (at the top) was a favourite of most guests and it isn’t hard to see why. Vodka with peach liqueur, passionfruit syrup. It almost reminded me of a sophisticated take on the Sex on the Beach cocktails I used to drink as a teen. Much more fruity than the sickly sweet drink I used to have though. The frozen strawberry daiquiris were also popular and blended to order.

As if the cocktail menu wasn’t enough to keep me entertained I also got to sample some of the menu. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the brie with apricot jam but it worked surprisingly well with the slight bitterness of the apricot cutting through the creamy cheese. I didn’t think it needed the bread it was sat on but then I’m not eating much bread at the moment anyway. The butternut squash soup had a lovely kick of spice whilst the lemon tart had the sharp bite that I often miss in this dessert. Not bad for the restaurant within a hotel in a little village.

I was bid farewell with a rum (they know me too well already) cocktail and a little goodie bag with chocolate and a cocktail mixer, the former I scoffed on the train on the way home. Well I did walk from Gatley train station and any local people will know that IS a long way, ahem.

As a resident of Cheadle I would never have thought to come into the Village Hotel to eat or drink but that has now changed, the samples of the food were promising and the cocktails, well, you must know me by now. If I haven’t got halfway through the menu by the time Christmas arrives there is something wrong.

I attended the launch of the Chop and Ale House as a guest and was not asked to pay for my food or drink. This is a genuinely unbiased review and I can’t wait to drink something other than Gordon’s gin in Cheadle in the future.