Taste Test
In the Stocks What the Silicon Valley is to technology, the Douglas Valley is to food, so it’s not surprising that residents of Wigan head north when in need of a good feed! The Dicconson Arms in Appley Bridge, The Star in Roby Mill and The Wayfarer in Parbold have all picked up awards for the quality of their food. The newest member of this exclusive club is the Stocks Tavern in Parbold, which was once the haunt of village ne-er do wells, but is now laying down credentials for the rest to follow.
With so much competition, Gareth knew that he needed a top chef to attract local diners, and wee Glaswegian Marti Cameron was top of that list. Marti’s impressive CV includes a spell at the plush Rusacks Hotel in St Andrews and the Head Chef’s position at Rigalettos in Wigan. More recently, Marti was the guy who transformed the fortunes of The Star at Roby Mill and then he joined the staff at Wigan Athletic, working as Head Chef at their Christopher Park training ground. The grand opening of Sally’s at The Stocks happened a couple of months ago and performing the honours on the night was Latics manager and local resident Roberto Martinez. We waited til the fuss had died down and went to Parbold to check out The Stocks Tavern.
It’s been a long while coming, the building has been standing since 1810 on the site where the village stocks once stood and local miscreants were pelted with rotten pears, but the word is out that The Stocks Tavern is the new place to eat in 2013!
This is the classic friendly village pub; cosy, with open fires, welcoming smiles, beamed ceilings, great atmosphere and a couple of little private nooks for the romantics amongst you. The choices on offer were plentiful; there’s an a la carte menu, an Early Diners and even a Ramblers menu. Just as we’d warmed up, our starters arrived.
Local guy Gareth Caunce, who formerly worked across the road at The Wayfarer, was an ex-regular at the Stocks and when he was offered the chance to manage the pub by a well-respected local businessman, he snapped it up. Focusing first on the beer, Gareth has built up the Stock’s reputation for real ales; the pub appears in the Good Beer Guide for 2012 and 2013, and they have just been awarded CAMRA Locale status too.
I started the night with Sally’s Scottish Salmon, Chilli and Herb Fish Cake, served with petit coriander salad with a tomato concasse. Spicy, packed with a hell of a kick, this dish wakes up your taste buds with the culinary equivalent of a Glasgow kiss! Don’t forget a squeeze of lemon to add a bit of zest too. Just as you think you can’t take any more, the tomato concasse comes along to add a soothing balm to your palette.
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