Ultimate Guide to Chester and Cheshire

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eviewed... The Scottish Steakhouse A night at Chester’s Scottish Steakhouse does wonders for one ageing writer; one steak in and she felt like a new woman. “The problem is, I just don’t feel that old.” One of my oldest friends was explaining how he, as a dad of three, ended up at 2am, cocktail in hand, swaying along to Afro Beats in a sweaty basement nightclub. “Give over, you’re older than Violet Brown.” My friend said nothing, just raised an eyebrow that said a) no, I’m not and b) wait, who is Violet Brown? “She’s that Jamaican woman who’s 117,” I answered, before our waitress saved me from certain death by enquiring as to whether we’d finished our mains or not. Said friend and I were in the Scottish Steakhouse, the restaurant that sits within the four-star surrounds of the Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel. The hotel itself is a historic beauty, a 400 year-old building that’s within haggis-hurling distance of the Eastgate Clock. Or, to put it another way, you don’t get much more central than this – though it’s curiously quiet inside (when we step out afterwards, it’s into the maelstrom of a Saturday night in Chester, but more on that later). While the hotel has an oldworld feel, its restaurant is all booth seating and stripped-wood floors, the shining glasses that stand on tables catching in the light, a glossy sheen to everything that feels very Cheshire (but without, as can often be the case going completely overboard). In fact, the restaurant prefers to riff on the hotel’s more northerly roots, going for a Scottish theme that includes steak sourced from Scots farms, a black pudding Scotch egg and ‘Mrs. Macdonald’s’ fish pie, though I think we can safely assume it wasn’t made by her own fair hand (it’s actually the work of local chef, Daniel Hostead). 56
Everything is carefully executed here, the service quietly attentive, the menu peppered with classic dishes (steak, fish of the day, posh burgers) – and while there’s nothing here that will blow a gastronome’s mind, there’s nothing that isn’t done well, either. My steak came with a smoke-infused taste and texture, the result of cooking over a charcoal grill; served with a peppercorn sauce and fries it reminded me how good simple cooking can be. My friend’s fish pie had a rich, creamy sauce and a certain bite – far better than the bland offerings so often banged out by less assured hands. Our starters deserve a mention, too, especially a haggis ‘bon bon’ that sat sweetly on the plate, its crumbling texture given a grainy zing thanks to the mustard dressing. By now our waitress had intervened on more than one occasion, as conversation veered from German sauna etiquette to why it’s annoying when your mum rearranges your sock drawer (conclusion: you’re still her little baby, even if you’re squaring up to the big 4-0). A baked New York cheesecake appeared and was swiftly demolished, the only quibble an orange sorbet that was too sweet for such a stellar, creamy slab. On the other side of the table, two giant profiteroles appeared, swimming in a sea of chocolate sauce. “Good?” There was no reply; my friend was too busy eating. And so it went: eating and talking, eating and talking, with the Scottish Steakhouse forming the perfect backdrop for a conversation-heavy night – for two friends enjoying a rare chance to chat, to endlessly take the mick, to remind ourselves of what it used to be like, back when we were kids. We settled up and stumbled out of the New Blossoms Hotel, tilting headfirst, or so it seemed, into a Saturday night in Chester. And so it came to pass that I ended up, not quite at 2am, swaying along to Afro Beats in a sweaty basement nightclub. “Hey,” I shouted to my friend. He raised an eyebrow. “You’re right. I don’t feel old at all.” Reader, I’ll leave you to guess how old I felt the morning after. Everything is carefully executed here, the service quietly attentive, the menu peppered with classic dishes 57
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Ultimate Guide to Chester and Cheshire

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