Simply Heathcotes - Wrightington

This restaurant has a picturesque location with great views over the surrounding countryside, located in The Wrightington Country Club Hotel, conveniently situated just minutes from junction 27 of the M6. The style is contemporary yet comfortable with warm and friendly service.

Their Head Chef Michael Noonan prepares great British dishes from the open kitchen while Adam Condron, general manager, welcomes you to the restaurant. It is an ideal location for a relaxing lunch, when you don't feel like cooking in the evening, or want to enjoy a classic Sunday lunch with friends and family. The restaurant also has two private dining rooms which seat up to12 and 20 guests making it perfect for business and social events.

As always with one of Paul Heathcote's restaurants the menu mixes old traditional favourites with some tempting modern variations on the theme of English food. Should you be racked with hunger consider the appetisers that include a platter of savouries, or some baked English brie, Anya potatoes, gherkins and grissini.

If however more modest pangs are your lot you might start with yellow pepper soup, oregano, cream and olive oil, or try some of the legendary Heathcote's black pudding, with tomato and butter bean casserole, or potted Goosnargh duck and Westmorland ham, with spiced devilled sauce. Potted Morecambe Bay shrimps are served with chilli and mace and excellent toasted rye bread.

Main courses continue in a similar theme offering such choices as slow cooked pork belly with fresh water cray fish, pea puree and red wine vinegar or a grilled rump steak with handcut chips and marmite butter. Go one better and plump for a rib eye for just a little more. Or even better, with a dish for two of Rhug estate organic rib of beef, with fondant potato, roasted onion, creamed garlic and watercress.

A whole baked sea bass is a very popular dish nowadays, or there's pan fried organic cod with crisp potato, chorizo, curly kale and single estate olive oil. And well done the Heathcote operation who have the wit, never mind the ability to produce attractively served side dishes such as baked cauliflower cheese, spinach with pine nuts and golden raisins, and Chantenay carrots with tarragon.

Room should always be left for their delightful English puddings such as bread and butter pudding, with a compote of apricots and clotted cream or rhubarb, baked caramel choux with burnt caramel ice cream, or a glazed apple tart with goat's cheese and lemon thyme ice cream. They also have an excellent selection of homemade ice creams and British cheeses accompanied by artisan biscuits, Hawes fruit cake and chutney.

The menu changes seasonally - 3 times a year - for Spring in February, June for Summer and Autumn/Winter in October. To view more information about Simply Heathcotes in Wrightington, including their choices designed with children in mind, a visit to their Website is recommended, where you will find their latest menus and details on special offers.