Martlet Kitchen - Sunday Menu Launch

Last weekend the team recently headed over to Martlet Kitchen, set within the fantastically opulent Rochdale Town Hall.  It's fair to say that I've not visited the town in many years, and the level of investment made in the area centre is clear to see. The Town Hall area itself is simply stunning.

As for Martlet Kitchen; what a little hidden find!  A stunning dining room nestled within the heart of the Town Hall itself, with menu offering dining for all times of day, but on this occasion we were focused on the Sunday Lunch offering.

We kicked things off with a Black Pudding Scotch Egg, based around the iconic that iconic Bury Black Pudding, encasing a gooey egg then coated in crumb before going into fryer to make the magic happen.  Some piccalilli sauce finished the plate, and balanced out all that richness wonderfully.

Prawn Cocktail was our next starter, and reminded us why it's such a timeless and versatile classic.  Fresh, crisp baby gem with a generous helping of delicate prawns, topped with a couple of meatier ones, all doused with lovely Marie Rose sauce.   It's a dish which never goes out of fashion.

Stuffed Mushrooms (v) were our final starter of the trio, and added a great vege option to the menu.  Meaty portobello mushrooms with Yorkshire Blue cheese and garlic, were a real crowd pleaser and absolutely delicious.

Onto the main event, and the reason why we visited; the roasts!

Any proper roast has to include Roast Beef, which is this case is sourced from the impeccable Frosts Butchers, who are one of the region's very best.  This was fantastic quality protein, which is the bedrock of any great roast.  The traditional accoutrements were also great in both quality and volume.  The hassleback potatoes may irk those expecting traditional roasties, but they were lovely.  And gravy on the side as per the menu's description would have been preferred, but this was a top-notch roast.

Roast Chicken was another quality plate of food, comprised of half a chicken so more than ample in size.  The bird itself was perfectly roasted, superbly juicy, and again of great quality.  The sides were the same as on our beef roast, so double the joy.

Cheese Pie (v) was a lovely addition for those who perhaps don’t want a traditional roast, but still don’t want to miss out on the action.  A textbook buttery crust, filled with a rich, comforting and deeply cheesy filling; it was the ideal alternative to the meat options and came with all the same traditional accompaniments, aside from the Yorkie!  A side jug of gravy was gladly provided by the lovely team too, and it's fair to say that most of it disappeared.

Sticky Toffee Pudding (v) was the table's first choice from the pudding menu, and this was a delight.  An individual pudding doused in a delectable toffee sauce, with a ball of quality vanilla ice cream and some fresh fruit.  It's quite simply a dish that you'd struggle not to love.

Creme Brulee is yet another dish which has a huge fan base for good reason.  Deliciously creamy in a portion size to befit the biggest appetites, with that trademark brulee'd sugar top giving the perfect snap.  The entire table grabbed their spoon and joined the action.  The creme could have been a bit smoother, but there's still no denying that the whole table enjoyed this greatly.

And finally, we finished strongly with White Chocolate Cheesecake, which was as delicious as it was eye catching.  A lovely biscuit base, with dreamy white chocolate topping.  The blue plate worked wonders with the presentation, and a garnish of peanut brittle completed the plate.

The Martlet Kitchen is headed up by well-regarded Exec Chef Darren Parkinson, and the roll call of suppliers in use speaks volumes about the general quality on offer.  Darren works with big names such as WH Frost, The Bury Black Pudding Company, Jackson's Farm, Dewlay Cheesemakers, Grandpa Greene’s, Porcus, Ralph Livesey, Phoenix Brewery, Brightside Brewing Company, Defiance Distillery, and Birchall Teas.

And at just £28 for 3 courses, or £25 for 2 courses, it's also an absolute steal.   We seldom accept press invites on a Sunday as it's a day we like to keep free to spend time with friends and family and cook a roast at home after eating out much of the week. Luckily for us Martlet Kitchen fitted our Sunday needs without the actual cooking or doing the dishes!

We came away knowing that we'd return in the near future for a non-work related visit, which is the highest praise that you can ever bestow  upon any venue

** Our experience was gratefully comped **