A Westhoughton restaurant is hoping to bring the 'flamboyance' of Manchester city centre to Bolton - after a £1m makeover.
Ewe opened in this month promising modern British cuisine, 'theatrically-served cocktails, a baby grand piano, live musicians and DJs on weekends.
Its name was inspired by its rural location and its menu takes its cues from the elements of earth, water and air. Water/sea-inspired dishes include lemon sole fillet with butter sauce, capers, Morecambe shrimps, grilled artichokes, figs, prosciutto chips, and red vein sorrel (£22).
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Gressingham duck breast (£21.50) and corn-fed chicken supreme (£17.50) feature under the 'air' section of the menu. Meanwhile the 'earth' options are the restaurant's signature red meat dishes such as beef wellington (£28), shepherd's pie (£16.50), herb-crusted lamb rack (£25), and crispy pork belly (£19.50).
Vegan options include beetroot and savoy cabbage wellington (£18) and spiced yellow lentil dahl (£14). There are also pizzas, pasta, salads, and small plates available.
Operations manager Nathan Baxter promised that the meals would be served up in an 'artistic' and 'visually exciting' way. "We wanted to bring something that was an immersive dining experience to the local community," he said.
"We've looked at other restaurants in the area to see what was missing and we feel like while Manchester city centre has a lot to offer in terms of immersive and flamboyant dining, once you hit the suburbs, it can be a bit boring sometimes. So we're trying to bring that cosmopolitan vibe from the city to Bolton, while still keeping that local rural feel."
"We feel what we're offering is of a higher calibre to our competitors in terms of presentation, which comes back to bringing some of that city life to the suburban area. It's not just about slapping a Beef Wellington on a plate with some chips and salad. It's quite artistic in the way it comes out so visually you're excited before you eat it and our chef Maros Surovka is very talented.
"We'll be open late and we're encouraging people to come down and relax in the lounge areas. We think the bar's going to be a bit of a community hub.
"We've got a baby grand piano going in. We're going to have live music, DJs playing 80s, 90s, and 00s classics. We're not going to be a club but we're going to have a nice vibrant atmosphere where you want to stay after you've eaten."
The Chorley Road venue was previously Indian restaurant India Gate, before being taken over by the team behind Manchester's 'Club Liv' and 'Yours' eight months ago. It has since undergone a £1 million facelift, with local designer Gary Macpherson aiming to create a 'rural, cosy feel', with wool textures and exposed wooden ceiling beams.
In the main restaurant section of the building there are models of sheep heads on the wall, in keeping with the name of the venue. The bar, serving up cocktails with names such as Smoking Tractor, Wheelbarrow, In the Meadows, and Pink Ewe, has onyx tiles and is topped with aged copper. An outdoor terrace with views of Rivington Pike is also set to open next year.
Talking Manchester Evening News through the refurbishment, Nathan added: "When we took the building over, it was dated and quite 90s. It looks a hell of a lot homelier now. It's been a long, long journey though because it was in disrepair. We had to rip the ceiling down, there were problems hiding behind the walls, we've had leaks, we've had electrical problems, but it's all been worth it."
Ewe can seat up to 150 customers and is taking bookings for Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. For more information and to book, visit the restaurant's official Facebook page.
Ewe Restaurant and Bar, 370 Chorley Rd, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3NB
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