ON A cold, wet January night it was a joy to find myself walking into the warm, friendly and stylish bar of the Swan at Tytherington.
My first impression on entering was how busy it was at a time of year when most people are happy with a bottle of wine and the TV - regulars were chatting at the bar while tables of friends poured over menus.
Taken over by Nikki and Shane Clark in 2017, the bar area has been tastefully refurbished to create a cosy, traditional atmosphere which is also modern and stylish.
It has everything you would expect in a country pub – a large bar, which serves excellent real ales, exposed beams, wooden flooring plus a wood burner but with the addition of well-thought out design touches.
An old mangle and a gramophone in the entrance add character while chic lighting adds a touch of sophistication.
The reasonably priced menu caters for most tastes and has vegetarian, gluten free and vegan options.
Starters include chilli king prawn ciabatta (£7.50) and grilled halloumi (£5.95).
For those wishing to share a platter, options include baked Camembert (£9.95) and a fish platter (£18.95) and there are also pub classics such as liver and bacon (£12.95) plus homemade sausages (£12.95).
You can also choose from the ‘something different’ selection which includes duck breast (£17.95) and beetroot, lentil, and kale wellington (£12.95) while specials when I visited featured the likes of seabass (£14.95) and stuffed mushrooms (£13.95)
There is also a grill selection including sirloin (£20.95), homemade beef burger (£12.95) and cauliflower burger (£11.95).
The service is extremely efficient and friendly and there were quite a few members of staff on duty which meant no one had to wait to order.
My starter of duck and Cointreau pate (£6.95) came in a thick, indulgent slice with Melba toast, salad and a sweet, gooey homemade chutney.
For mains, I opted for slow braised beef brisket (£14.95) which was beautifully presented, the meat glistening on top of a neatly placed portion of creamy mash. It was pure comfort food, perfect for a miserable winter’s night - tasty beef and heavenly mash with a sharp horseradish tang. After two rich dishes, I fancied a small portion of mint choc chip ice cream (£2 per portion) but other options include sticky toffee pudding and winter berries tart (both £5.95).
The Swan really is a flourishing eatery and well worth a visit.
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