January. The month many set resolutions to shed a few lbs or get fitter. A newcomer to the fabulous and growing Cutting Room Square area of Ancoats can help you not lose sight of those goals and keep on track whilst still eating delicious food. Give a big, warm welcome to The Counter House.
The aim is comfort food with a healthy twist, and they deliver. Oh boy, do they deliver. I was lucky to be invited to their launch night and given a seat at the pass. Right in front of the chefs at work in their open kitchen, meaning I could watch all the food they prepared and enjoy their cheeky banter. If you get the opportunity, I would highly recommend it.
We started the night with, what can only be described as the healthiest cocktail I’ve ever been presented with. Cold pressed carrot and orange juice with a good glug of vodka. Simple yet delicious and, whilst breaking Dry January for some, surely those juices make up for it. I won’t tell if you don’t.
The starter was a trio of dips – carrot and cumin hummus, beetroot baba ghanoush and white bean with artichoke. All served with a generous pile of lightly toasted flatbread and raw vegetable sticks. Hummus is one of my biggest weaknesses when it is in my fridge so it won’t come as a surprise that the carrot and cumin dip was my favourite of the three. Earthier than a standard hummus yet a touch sweeter from the carrot too, just delicious. The beetroot baba ghanoush was almost creamy in texture and beautifully smooth, whilst the white bean with artichoke had more texture with a nuttiness that made it truly unique. I enjoyed all three but that hummus, it is what will encourage me back time after time.
Next up was Eggs Royale – Tea smoked salmon, baked avocado wedges and a runny egg on top of a slice of toasted bread with a drizzle of hollandaise sauce. I am not a fan of avocado but it turns out, I do like it when it has been crumbed and baked! The thin slices also took that weird smooth texture away that I dislike to leave all the flavour, which I do like. The salmon was wonderfully flavourful and the slightly tart hollandaise finished it off perfectly alongside the rich egg yolk.
The third course was truly unique and something I have never seen before on a restaurant menu. Turmeric roasted cauliflower with spinach, chick peas and a tahini dressing. The cauliflower almost had a meaty consistency thanks to the roasting and flavour of turmeric. The light tahini dressing bound the whole thing together whilst the smattering of pomegranate seeds gave a fruity edge that brought out all the flavours in a truly explosive dish. As a meat eater, I would definitely order a massive bowl of this and be perfectly happy.
The last savoury dish of the evening is The Counter Houses’s interpretation of a katsu curry. Buttermilk chicken was crusted with crushed almonds before being served on a bed of wild rice mixed with edamame and topped with a coconut curry sauce. It has none of that gloopy texture that other versions of this dish can have and the sauce is only lightly spiced, with full focus being on that coconut flavour. The edamame added more depth to the rice, in fact, I would have happily chomped through a full bowl of just the rice on its own. The chicken and sauce is a truly added bonus.
Onto dessert and this small yet perfectly formed coconut yoghurt cheesecake. The date and walnut base topped with coconut yoghurt had been gently frozen so the cheesecake held its form without being ‘frozen’, so to speak. In fact, chef told us they had been tinkering with the recipe and the amount of time in the chillers for some time to make sure it was just right, and it was. The sweet and fruity blueberry compote topped it off with a little crunch from a sprinkle of seeds.
The evening was truly a delight and, even though the dishes tasted wholesome and healthy, I didn’t feel like they were missing anything. I can’t wait to go back and try more of the menu. Especially for the fact that they are dog friendly! Healthy food that I can enjoy with my pooch, what more could a girl need?
I was invited to dine as a guest of The Counter House and was not asked to pay.
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