Red Cat

So it’s known as the Red Cat Crank, the meaning of which evades me. This is another answers on a postcard moment. All I know is that it means I want to call it The Red Cat Crankshaft. Or does that amuse only me…
Whatever, I’ll be moving on now. Ahem. How many ways can I say lovely? This is one of the most welcoming places I’ve ever experienced. It’s so adorable. The only thing missing is an actual red cat which I’d have happily played with while enjoying my meal. I’m one of those rare ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ pets people, I’d happily either have a dog or a cat whereas most people I know are polar opposites. *Covers Phantom Red Cat’s ears* … although if I’m brutally honest I’d have a slight leaning towards dogs. *Uncovers* Oh when oh when will I get to the point? Fresh is the name of the game here, when it comes to the food, which is served in two separate sittings — two hours at lunchtime and then a nice long evening service concluding at 9.30pm.
The ambience is warm and friendly, and everyone seems to know one another. The dishes are truly awesome… an enormous amount of starters to choose from like stilton fritters with berry compote, three kinds of garlic bread, hearty soups, Mediterranean salad, smoked salmon roulade, Lancashire cheese and bacon tartlet with their own onion relish… and the quality more than lives up to the ambitious nature of the dishes. Traditional mains are on offer too, the likes of steak, lamb, pies, several types of chicken (one even incorporating haggis), fish and a veggie selection which even though it only includes three dishes, quality more than makes up for quantity. The three mustard mushrooms looks amazing, the rustic pappardelle pasta with sundried tomatoes and roasted peppers equally so but their harvest pot pie was what I couldn’t resist. Enough even to convert the carnivores, there’s no way you miss the meat in this bad boy.
Light bites like baguettes, jackets and sandwiches top off a menu that has just about everything, it’s all homemade right down to the accompaniments and there are children’s options as well as a really good beverage selection.
This is one Cat that definitely got the cream. You should definitely give it a try, see if it makes you purr as much as I did.