Where The Light Gets In - Stockport

Don't let them wait for months for a table, this is only the joy of what they will enjoy. tonight was a tasty bite for my mother's birthday, and the team had a few extras for me, including a card and some glasses fizz for our arrival. we had the luck to have the bonus of the cook table that gave a wonderful view into the delicacies of the dishes we should enjoy. the whole team we were interacting with was beautiful and wishing to mama a happy birthday. the eating was incredible, the thoughts and considerations that go into these creations can be seen by the months of work in the preservation, biting, drying a countless products that make up the walls. I look forward to coming back in the future.

Incredibly friendly and accommodating restaurant. Having considered eating here, and trying to get a table which you had to book months in advance we were also initially daunted by the price and exclusivity of the restaurant. We were also concerned about the fact food was foraged, and fixed menu, as we don't eat meat. When we enquired we were assured our dietary requirements (pescatarian) could be accommodated. We decided to book for the taster menu with wine pairing. Our initial booking had to be moved as we caught covid, but the restaurant were very understanding and we were able to transfer our booking to another date. When we arrived early, we were invited to have drinks ahead of our reservation time. You get to watch the kitchen as food is prepared, which is surprisingly entertaining and each course and wine pairing was carefully explained to us by the chefs and sommelier. The food and wine were exquisite and a pleasure to sample. Although each course was small, the number of courses means that we were left completely satisfied at the end of the meal. Although the restaurant is expensive, the value for money and service and ambiance is excellent and we are already planning our next visit! Thank you for looking after us and for exceeding all our expectations.

One of the best meals I've ever had, no exaggeration. The atmosphere was lovely and the staff were so friendly and welcoming, but the food was the highlight, it was superb. The only downside is that I'll be comparing all meals to this one. I enjoyed the surprise element where you don't know what will come next or how many courses would be served. Would love to come back soon, what a treat!

Could I really give this place less than 5 stars? I think I have to.

This restaurant underwhelms and is very pretentious. The 9 course tasting menu plus an amuse- bouche of duck broth is overpriced at £110, the amount shown on our bill not the website, and lacks imagination and flair. There is neither style nor elegance in the courses served. I suspect the ethos of sustainability overshadows any aspiration to a full Michelin Star as opposed to a green one. Each course, served approximately 20 to 25 minutes apart, and is given an explanation by the server, without which we would indeed be wondering what it was all about. But to start at the beginning. The amuse-bouche is served as you arrive at the foot of a metal staircase, so anyone with mobility issues please note, behind which is a barbecue so one hand rail is very hot, inside wood tables and chairs adequately spaced but note two of them are in full sun (WTLGI – yes I get it if it’s a sunny day, pretty uncomfortable to eat at and nowhere to move them. The toilets are up another flight of stairs and the sink outside the toilets is two planks of wood which slope together, do I detect style over substance? On to the food itself; the main event after all. First is a pickle plate, six pieces a little bigger than a thumb nail and two carrots (dried? about 2 inches by a ¼ inch with three spots of black garlic. Two oysters follow which were admittedly tasty then chunks of sourdough (from local Yellowhammer bakery with duck rillette are next. Kholrabi with a gooseberry puree follows; gooseberries from a chap in Marple (sustainability . Cornish mackerel in a corn chowder was I felt a bit odd, we were told it also had mussels in it; my portion had half a mussel but for the life of me I couldn’t find any more. Then the main event; confit of duck leg finished somewhere to render down the fat and crisp up the skin. Needless to say neither mine nor my husband’s was rendered or crispy, such a classic rooky error, just undercooked fat – yuck. Finally an upside down plum cake which was admittedly light in texture but hardly palate cleansing. Oh and a cobnut macaron. Cheese is extra. Drinks? A 125ml glass of wine is between £12 and £19 and a bottle somewhere between £69 and £110, soft drinks and beer £6/7. Stockport’s finest (tap water is free and plentiful. Regretfully I cannot recommend this restaurant nor, probably to their relief, will I be back.