NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 11/08/2010 10:54 -
Updated: 11/08/2010 11:04
If rustic fine-dining takes your fancy then The Swan at Salford is the place.
Only a ten-minute drive from central Milton Keynes, The Swan is set in the middle of the beautiful countryside which Salford boasts, and the atmosphere is that of a traditional country pub, with a new head chef whose cooking is an absolute delight.
The restaurant has a select menu for each season, and the summer menu is packed with delicious options. And - as if it wasn't hard enough to choose from the menu - they also have a specials board which looks equally as enticing.
As my friend and I pondered the menu we were treated to efficient yet friendly service, and with the help of the waitress' advice we finally came to a decision whilst enjoying a bowl of olives and fresh crusty bread.
I had a starter of rare roast beef with a fresh and delicious watercress and stilton salad with pickled shallot dressing. The beef truly stood out, being juicy and tender with a deliciously strong taste, further exaggerated by the stilton.
My friend's starter of grilled tuna steak, saffron and black olive linguine and roast red pepper butter was truly outstanding.
The tuna was cooked perfectly - pink with a cooked outer layer. This was combined with a linguine which although tasty, did not compare to the excellence of the tuna.
For the main I had Turkish-spiced lamb steaks served with tabbouleh and aubergine chutney - a rich dish with turkish spices, the tabbouleh giving the dish a strong, Arabic feel. The lamb, although a little fatty, was tender and tasty, and the portion was very generous.
My friend chose the aubergine and tart fine served with parmesan and a truffle cream. The dish contained plenty of juicy aubergine much to Adam's delight, and the plentiful truffle cream was strong yet creamy.
Though the dish was little smaller than he would have liked, it left plenty of room for dessert.
For dessert I chose the chocolate and mint bavarois with a dark chocolate mint crisp which was rich and delicious, even making my friend envious.
He chose the cherry pie with vanilla ice cream which although simple had a homely taste, fitting the rustic gastropub feel.
Make sure to sample the winelist, carefully constructed co-owner, author and wine-selector Jo Eames.
The Quinta do Noval 10-year-old tawny port is a dessert wine not to be missed.
