I LOVE Olivers Restaurant

Woodford’s best kept secret….If you’ve never visited Olivers restaurant in Woodford then you are missing out on one of the best dining experiences in the local area.

Situated just opposite The Davenport Arms pub, Olivers has developed a long standing and loyal fan base under the careful management of the O’Neil family, In recent years a full refurbishment has given the restaurant a brighter, more contemporary feel and this hidden gem has begun to be discovered by a new generation of foodies.

ILoveBramhall.com met up with James O’Neil who has ran Olivers for the past 14 years and he told us,

“When people walk through the door they often tell us that they’ve heard great things about us but had never quite got round to visiting”

Olivers’ long family-owned history dates back 40 years to when James’s Uncle opened their first restaurant, a french bistro, in Macclesfield in 1978. The restaurant has occupied its current site for 27 years with James taking over the helm 14 years ago. And when reading through the mouthwatering menu, we noticed that a subtle french influence still bubbles under the restaurant’s contemporary British offer. 

The dishes on the menu certainly had ILovebramhalll.com drooling, and our choice of the day was a starter of cured sea trout, pea and herb salsa, lime crème fraîche and focaccia, followed by a main course of pork fillet with black pudding, apple mash, spinach, dijon and mushroom sauce, topped off by a dessert of sticky gingerbread and pistachio pudding with custard ice cream.  You would have to travel a lot further than Woodford to find fine food such as this.

We asked James to tell us about the restaurant’s vision,

“Our approach is simple, great food beautifully cooked. We buy our ingredients fresh every morning and everything is cooked the same day. When it’s gone, it’s gone” 

Olivers is proud to showcase great produce from local suppliers, sourcing their beef, ice cream, tea, local ales, and cheese from Cheshire producers. James has recently begun a new relationship with Wincle Brewery, and we spied a specialist gin from Macclesfield (of all places) named Forest Gin which is infused with wonderful notes of wood, berry and grass.

James added,

“Our Head Chef Steve, the restaurant team and I are focussed on delivering the best quality food and service possible. We like to keep our finger on the pulse to constantly evolve our offer. We cater for the individual diner who wants something different to what is found on the High Street ”

The team’s approach to wine is equally well considered. The wine menu features individual wines from selected vintners to provide customers with something a little bit more exclusive. Regularly supplemented by special, featured labels, the wine list is also updated to match the changing seasons. We were pleased to find some very good wines, plus an impressive range of whiskies on offer at prices that would shame other restaurants selling lower quality labels for more money.

The same goes for the food. The restaurant’s core menu during the week is £17.95 for two courses.  There’s also a lunchtime express menu offering a main course and a glass of wine or half a lager for £10.95. In our opinion the standout lunchtime dish on the express menu was chargrilled sirloin steak, chips and either peppercorn or garlic & herb butter sauces.  Olivers is unbelievably good value for the quality of the food.  And being a family business, Sundays are a big focus for Olivers, welcoming families to join them for a two course Sunday lunch featuring prime Cheshire roast beef with all the trimmings for £16.95.

With a new website recently launched, the word is spreading fast and people have been quick to sign up as an Olivers Privilege diner to receive exclusive offers and discounts all year round.

James summed up the secret of the restaurant’s continued success,

 “For me, a great restaurant experience comprises of simple dishes, beautifully cooked and well presented together with interesting wine, but most of all enjoyed in great company!”

• Facebook : Olivers Restaurant Woodford
• Website : oliversrestaurant.co.uk
• Phone : 0161 440 8715
• Address : 547 Chester Road, Woodford, Cheshire, SK7 1PR

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