Dianne Bourne visited the area in the ‘Golden Triangle’ to try one of the best Sunday roasts around
Navigating a way through the flurry of Ferraris, Range Rovers, Maseratis and Porsches zipping around the tiny village of Prestbury, you might stumble across one of the UK’s finest Sunday lunches in the area. When reporter Dianne Bourne visited the charming village of Prestbury, renowned for its Premier League footballer inhabitants and their extravagant mansions, that’s exactly what she found.
The village sits at the heart of Cheshire’s glamorous Golden Triangle [the area between Wilmslow, Alderley Bridge and Prestbury]. In its centre is Bacchus, a restaurant that exudes an old-school charm, offering classic dishes, pristine white tablecloths and service delivered with a genuine smile.
Its Sunday roast is legendary in these parts, and it’s easy to see why. However, Dianne advises potential diners to be prepared to bring their appetite as it’s served as a four-course set menu for £33.50.
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During her visit, the place was bustling, but thanks to booking well in advance, she had secured a prime window seat. It offered views across to the village church and provided the perfect vantage point for people-watching and supercar-spotting, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Dianne said “Unfortunately, there were no footballer sightings on this particular Sunday, despite the village being home to several big names (I suspect many are preoccupied with the Euros at the moment). But that didn’t stop the parade of jaw-dropping vehicles that frequent these parts.
“As we settled into our table, we were greeted with a full a la carte menu to peruse, as well as the set Sunday lunch menu which was my main focus. The menu boasted a variety of starters, mains and desserts, concluding with coffee and homemade petit fours, all for a reasonable £33.50.
“I decided on what I assumed would be a light Waldorf salad starter, while my companions opted for a duck spring roll that arrived looking more like a log due to its size. My salad was surprisingly substantial, featuring crunchy lettuce leaves paired with large candied walnuts.”
Ready and eager to chow down on the main event, Dianne said: “Of course, everyone has their own idea of the perfect Sunday roast, but for me, it’s all about tender meat that melts in your mouth, veggies that actually taste like veggies, and a sizable Yorkshire pudding with just the right mix of crispiness and fluffiness.
“I prefer my plate drenched in gravy, and if I’m fortunate, I’ll discover a truly cheesy cauliflower cheese hidden somewhere. So, Bacchus was a real treat as it delivered on all these fronts in spades. For me, this was one of the best Sunday roasts I’ve had in a long time. The beef, just look at it, served pink with crispy edges, was the perfect meaty partner to a selection of simple, well-cooked fresh carrots and greens.”
Having discovered a generous dollop of cauliflower cheese hidden underneath Dianne was delighted and she said “the roasties were the ideal mix of crisp exterior and fluffy interior.”
Bacchus also offers options for roast lamb or chicken, as well as a pan-fried seabass fillet for those wanting something different, or a vegetarian mushroom and asparagus fettuccine.
For dessert, Dianne was drawn to the warm banana loaf with caramel and cinnamon ice cream, while her friends opted for the selection of British and Continental cheeses (for a £2 supplement on the set menu price).
Enjoying the sweet treat, she said: “The pudding was wonderfully nostalgic and comforting – although I didn’t think it needed the crunchy oat accompaniment scattered around the sides. The cheese selection was also impressive, served with a plate of colourful crackers to sample it all with.”
As for the drinks selection, you know you’re in high-end territory when the wine list resembles a leather-bound phone book. And with a name like Bacchus (the Roman god of wine), you know you’re dining at a restaurant that takes its drink selection seriously.
The menu offers a range of French vintages and bottles priced up to a hefty £750, not to mention 11 different champagne options .
Dianne added: “For those on a more modest, (or journalist’s) budget, there are also some bargain “bin end” deals at the back of the menu, with whole bottles starting from just £25. House wines are also available by the glass from a reasonable £4.25. Luckily, during my visit, I was joined by wine enthusiasts who kindly offered me a taste of their superb Italian Amarone.”
Setting aside the vintage wines, the lunch-loving reporter left feeling that this was an incredibly good value Sunday lunch, considering the generous four-course meal and the wide variety of choices within it. She also had high praise for the friendly service style, which she found faultless during her visit.
Dianne rounded up her Sunday lunch experience saying “One thing is certain, you’ll leave with a full stomach and likely in need of a long walk – which we did, taking a leisurely stroll around this charming little village, its main street lined with a mosaic of historic buildings.”
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