I have never been to a branch of Giraffe before, so I was eager to find out what it was all about on Friday night at Cheshire Oaks.
Giraffe in Cheshire Oaks
Giraffe serves feel good food from brunch, burgers, stir fries to salads all from around the world.
The only way I can think to describe this restaurant is like an explosion on a Dulux factory- it's bursting with colour and vibrancy and you need a moment to take it all in when you arrive. The Cheshire Oaks branch is international meets industrial. The striped wooden floors, urban lighting, wall art, shelves decked with sauces, trinkets and potted cacti is a unique and eccentric design concept. There is so much going on visually around you- but somehow it just works.
We were served by Matthew who admitted he had spent two weeks eating the food and learning about the menu as part of his training, so consequently he was very knowledgeable about the menu. We played it safe as we weren't sure of portion sizes and ordered a sharing starter of Crudités and Hummus- fresh crunchy carrots, cucumber, celery, red pepper, snap peas and radishes with red pepper and harissa hummus. Though many restaurants maintain their food is freshly prepared- in Giraffe- you can taste it. The dipping vegetables were crunchy and made a welcome change to heavy, thick breads or pittas that are generally served with this dish. The hummus had a little kick to it, so teamed perfectly with the clean veg and there was just enough to share so we weren't too full for our mains.
As a vegetarian and lactose intolerant I was pleased to see the varied chose of veggie options, however a lot of them contained cheese. I told Matthew and he kindly asked the kitchen to prepare the Falafel Deluxe Burger with grilled pepper, carrot, beetroot, alfalfa, mixed leaves and harissa hummus in a hand crafted sesame and poppy seed bun without the halloumi. So if something contains an ingredient that you have trouble with- just talk to the staff. I have to say it was the best vegetarian burger I have ever had. Topped off with sweet potato fries it was simply perfect and I may have to be boring and have the same again when I return I liked it so much.
My husband was being indecisive, so Matthew suggested the BBQ and Ribs chicken combo- ½ rack of glazed ribs, piri-piri grilled chicken, and corn on the cob, creamy coleslaw and skin on fries. This is the ideal meal if you are not sure what you are in the mood for. A bit of everything will satisfy the fussiest of eaters. And for the hearty eater what more can you ask for on a slab of wood?
For desert Matthew advised my partner to have the Rocky Road Sundae- double chocolate and very vanilla ice cream, marshmallows, chocolate brownie and warm chocolate sauce. Given that he is not the biggest fan of brownies in desserts- he ate this hastily so it must have changed his opinion!
I had the Fruit Sorbet- 2 scoops of Jude's mango sorbet, fruit salad and strawberry coulis. For the health conscious and the intolerants (lactose or gluten) this is the best way to end your meal- a light, fruity palate cleanser that doesn't leave you feeling too guilty. Many sorbets I have had in the past have been very tart, but the mango was mild and fresh.
It is not often that we come away from a meal and repeat how much we enjoyed it afterwards- but this experience was cause for praise all the way back to Warrington. Matthew was enthusiastic and passionate and made sure we had everything we needed. We have eaten in a number of the restaurants in Cheshire Oaks now and I can say without a doubt that you should choose this over any other because it caters for everyone- even vegans. The energy of the décor matches that of the staff and that atmosphere they create- you will have lots of fun in this friendly and exciting new restaurant.