Lost and Found is perched on the edge of Knutsford- a town that wouldn’t look out of place on a chocolate box. Having seen the pictures, I was intrigued by what seemed to be a very unusual setting to have an evening meal.
Lost and Found
Parking isn’t ideal- you might find yourself circling for a space down the side streets but if you are lucky enough to find a place- it’s free between 6pm and 8am- perfect for evening meal times.
When we arrived, we were escorted up the staircase to the first floor of what turned out to be a converted town hall. Given the history of the building, we were greeted by high ceilings, exposed beams, and tall, lancet windows that let the light flood in.
Diana was looking after us for the night and she showed us to a window seat so we could look out over the beautiful arrangements of flowers that lined the roads below. Even on a drizzly Friday night, it was worth taking a peek at the surrounding area.
Lost and Found is renowned first and foremost for its cocktails so we began with one each- chosen from a menu that looked like a leather bound storybook.
My husband started with the Florida Holly- Pink Pepper Infused Tanqueray Gin, Briottet Manzana Verde, Cointreau, Lemon Juice and Eager Apple Juice. He’s a huge gin fan so he jumped at the chance to experiment with the flavours. Might I add that he was going to drive home until he saw the menu and that soon changed.
As I was now the designated driver (!!), I opted for the Summer Orchard- Apple Juice, Lime Juice, Mint and Elderflower Syrup, which was just the refreshment I needed to accompany my starter. The mint reminded me of the herb garden my nana used to have, so the smell of the garnish brought back lots of memories for me. It was wonderfully tart and fruity- everything I want in a drink.
The great thing about the huge selection of cocktails is- even if you can’t drink for whatever reason you can still enjoy some of the offerings from the menu.
For starters- Diana kindly checked up on the camembert sharer for me as I’m vegetarian and wanted to make sure it definitely wasn’t veggie friendly. As it turned out- it contained rennet so I had to give that one a miss.
With that said, I was far from disappointed with my starter. I chose the Roasted Tomato Soup- Smoked Mozzarella, Basil Oil, Brown Bloomer and Salted Butter. I may sound very uncultured here- but I have never eaten cheese in soup before but it offered a lovely smokiness against the sweetness of the tomatoes and a chewy texture alongside the smoothness of the soup. Something I will be having again if it is on offer!
My husband decided on the Sautéed Garlic Chestnut Mushrooms, Crispy Prosciutto Ham and a Béarnaise Toasted Muffin. A twist on a classic garlic mushroom dish- he said the ham was a little too salty for him- but enjoyed the flavours of the mushrooms and the béarnaise sauce.
Before our mains, we had another cocktail- my partner had another gin inspired drink- The Waterhouse Fizz- Warner Edwards Rhurbard Gin, Prosecco, Briottet Rhubarbe, Briottet Crème d’Abricot, Raspberries, Lemon Juice and Elderflower Syrup. He said he enjoyed this one the most of the two and judging by his rosy cheeks- it was doing the trick in helping him to wind down after a week of work!
I had The Hedgerow Cooler- Blackberries, Eager Apple Juice, Soda, Lemon Juice and Lavender Syrup. This was another long, fruity and cooling drink- perfect to sip on throughout the main course.
I asked Diana on her opinion as I was torn between two dishes and she highly recommend the Pea, Courgette and Green Bean Risotto, with Fresh Mint and Feta as it was made with fresh ingredients. When it arrived, the portion looked modest, but that’s where risotto always fools you- it’s very filling even if it doesn’t look to be a massive amount on the plate. It was indeed fresh and the peas offered a satisfying pop in the mouth alongside the softness of the rice. The crumbly feta on top gave it another layer of creaminess to the dish- and I was stuffed at the end.
My husband went for the 25-day aged 8oz Rump Steak- which was served with a Portobello mushroom, grilled tomatoes and fries. He also ordered a side of Sea Salt and Vinegar Onion Rings to accompany, the addition of the flavouring made a lovely change to the usual restaurant offerings- (yes I did pinch a couple!).
As a creature of habit, my partner chose the Banoffee Pie, Honeycomb, Pecans and Toffee Ice Cream for dessert. Luckily for me- he doesn’t like honeycomb or pecans so he gifted me the candy treats from his plate. As always, this is a winning combination but made a little different by the addition of the decorations-even if your partner ends up eating them for you!
I am a self-confessed chocaholic so I had the Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Shard with Vanilla Pod Ice Cream. I have to say, it defeated me and I had to leave a small piece of it behind. Sadly- it was a little grainy in texture for my liking so it didn’t quite have the chew that one would normally expect of a brownie but it was tasty nevertheless.
Lost and Found is a quirky little eatery and place to get your cocktail fix. The building is a real talking point between customers and staff- it’s like nowhere I have ever eaten before. With that in mind, I would recommend you give it a try for somewhere different to spend a date night with your partner. Depending on what you fancy, you can have a meal and cocktails upstairs or just a few drinks in the bar downstairs.
Diana was very kind with me, as I know I’m an awkward customer and was happy to chat to us throughout our visit. A big thanks to her for being so accommodating and for her recommendations- we couldn’t have asked for a more enthusiastic host.
Tagged in Vegetarian