Campo Blanco, Whitefield

About bloody time really. We shamelessly stalked the opening of Campo Blanco after a summer of whinging 'we need a good tapas place round here'. Then one day we saw a sign go up, there was activity inside, and we were poised. A right little temptress on Instagram, they were driving me crackers! Then on Sunday we finally found ourselves spending a damp afternoon sampling their wares.

We walked in to see a well stocked bar, packed with some unusual bottles and an eager barman. I got chatting to Aaron, who co-owns Campo Blanco with his fiancé Faye Jennings, who told me all about their future plans and how they've strived to make it as inclusive as possible. Gluten free-ers, veggies and vegans worry not, for you will be fully catered for. He talked passionately about their organic wines, and how they make families welcome whilst not interrupting couples wanting some peace. 

The menu is extensive without feeling like you're faced with a wall in a Chinese takeaway, and once agin provided the age old conundrum of 'what in the hell do we order?' I think we did alright you know. 

Flatbread with manchego and chorizo: Thin, crispy bread with cheese and meat, which I really wish we had saved to mop up sauces. Note for the future. Or just order more.

Mussels - steamed green shell mussels in a green chilli and parsley sauce: These were Phil's choice, as you know I don't do shellfish as a rule. I did however steal some of that sauce, which was absolutely delicious. He demolished these pretty quickly.

Fried peppers - pan roasted baby peppers drizzled in green mojo (homemade green sauce made with coriander, parsley, garlic, chilli, shallots and sherry vinegar): A lovely piquancy to these. Could have been a little softer, but still great flavour.  

Sweet potato fries with bravas sauce and fried onions: Poor picture, great dish. We both loved the large pieces of onion on these. Great for dipping in sauce if you've been greedy and eaten all your bread early doors.

Crispy chilli chicken - fried chicken thighs coated in a homemade spice blend served with chillies, spring onions and chipotle mayo: Imagine if KFC was actually good, and didn't leave you feeling dead inside. Bingo. Not a smattering of grease, these were beautifully spiced and that chipotle mayo was top notch.

Steak medallions - tender medallions of beef, drizzled in chimi churri (homemade green drizzle with pepper, onion, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika and ancho chilli): One of my two favourite dishes. Zingy, fresh chimi churri was utterly perfect on the tender beef.

Black pudding and blue cheese - traditional Spanish black pudding served with a blue pico cheese sauce: My other favourite. That sauce is unbelievable. If you don't like blue cheese, do not fret. It's incredibly delicate, and is the perfect partner to the local black pudding. I must insist that you order this. 

Churros with dulce de leche: Churros have to be ordered if they are on the menu. It's essential. I have to say, these are some of the best churros I've ever had, and this greedy girl has eaten a lot. They had the balance of crisp exterior and soft interior just right. 

We had such a lovely time at Campo Blanco that we are already planning to go back for brunch, and another trip for cocktails in the evening. I loved the passion of everyone involved, from the ideas being cooked up by Aaron and Faye, to their chef wanting every dish to look just perfect. They are nice people living their dream, and taking us along for the ride. I can't wait to see what they have up their sleeve in the future, as this seems to be an ever evolving venture.

Go here for a relaxed lunch, or enjoy the hustle and bustle of a busy evening service. Either way, you're going to eat some great food! I'll report back on that brunch.

http://www.cibdol.com

Levanter, Ramsbottom

I gave a huge cheer as Ramsbottom's Levanter won 'Casual Restaurant of the Year' at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards. I don't mind telling you that they got my vote after our visit a few weeks ago. Hidden behind the main flurry of shops and restaurants, Levanter and sister restaurant Baratxuri are nestled on Square Street, which feels like a peaceful little place to spend an afternoon eating tapas. 

First rule of tapas - staring blankly at the menu, fully aware of the fact that I will be unable to choose an adequate amount of dishes, owing to the fact 'they all sound so nice'. Cue a meat platter! Happy days. Lots of carnivorous 'bits' to keep me happy. Look at this meat!

I will always over-order carbs. Every time. However, Levanter's sourdough comes with these nice salsa and oil/vinegar dipping pots, which made me feel continental rather than greedy. 

Garbanzos - chickpeas, spinach and egg with cumin seeds, garlic and breadcrumbs: A festival of textures awaits in this dish. Not only is it packed with flavour, but the breadcrumbs and slightly toasted edges on the chickpeas gave a nice crunch too. Pop open that yolk!

Rabo de Toro - ox tail braised in Rioja, served with tomatoes, celery, carrots, butter beans and garlic: Star of the show. Beef in red wine will always be a hearty little number, but add in those smooth butter beans, which seem to have been steeped in the flavour of the dish, and it's sent to another stratosphere.

Merluza Y Salsa de Tomate - Hake fillet seared on the plancha, with sun-dried tomato and anchovy salsa: I'm not a fan of seafood but Phil is, so we always get at least one fish dish. He loved this one, which came served on a generous bed of salsa. This was a little too fishy for me, but even I loved the meaty hake.

It's always nice to have a ride out to Ramsbottom at the weekend, especially when wonderful food like this awaits. All the staff were warm and friendly, spoke about the dishes with some vigour, and seemed genuinely pleased to serve their guests. We got chatting to a nice couple who were sat next to us too, who were already planning their next trip, which would involve staying over and lots of wine! 

Go here for a relaxed dining experience when you have lots of time. Do not rush this one. Your food comes when it's ready, so you could happily spend all afternoon here without even noticing the time. We're also plotting an evening trip, and a visit to sister restaurant Baratxuri. 

Mezzaluna, Whitefield

Am I the only one who is desperate to eat outside when it's nice weather? Don't get me wrong, the current 'Hades' levels we are experiencing at the moment are even too much for me, but on this particular day it was about 23C, which is perfect. Then comes the question, where can we eat outside, which won't be full of Stella fuelled idiots with no tops on?

Mezzaluna in Whitefield is a bit of a hidden gem on the al fresco dining front. I had no idea they had a beautiful garden, until we drove past and could see the doors open at the back. It was gorgeous. Picnic benches with optional parasols, pretty flowers, and food and drink flowing in the blazing sunshine.

My favourite type of food on a nice day is 'picky bits', and Mezzaluna was perfect for this. A pizza, sharing board, and chips appeared to be the perfect garden picnic on a warm day. Real picnics are a bit too much faff!

Antipasti platter: A selection of lovely strong cheeses, a full ball of mozzarella, continental meats, salad, olives, honey and bread. Now let me tell you, it turns out that mozzarella and honey are my new favourite thing. I may have recreated this in my own garden. Twice.

Pizza with fennel sausage, broccoli and mushrooms: Cannot for the life of me find this on the current menu, but noticed you can still build your own to this effect. Broccoli and sausage is such a wonderful combo that I have it wherever I go. If you've never tried it, I really must insist that you get your act together.

I kind of didn't want to tell you about this place, as it was serenely quiet in the midst of summer mayhem. Hidden away behind a busy road, this really is a little oasis for sunny days. Go here for a relaxed afternoon where you can pretend you're in the Mediterranean, not Manchester. Drink wine, eat some lovely food, and laugh with your nearest and dearest.

Nonsense, Prestwich

I'd heard a lot about this little place. One of my work buddies had been telling me all about it, so I was dying to see for myself. Nestled in the heart of Prestwich, Nonsense is one of the new kids on the block, who promise to revive Bury New Road. Although there are a number of established eateries nearby (notably Slattery, Cuckoo, All the Shapes and Solita), at first glance, I think Nonsense might be doing something a little bit different.

Owners Alex and Jeanette are having a bash at living the dream; running their own business, where they can bring the kids to work, doing something they both love. Alex appears to be running the coffee house side of proceedings, whereas Jeanette is busy creating pieces of art to sell in the shop at the front.

Photo credit: Renata Stonyte

We were lucky enough to visit on a rare sunny day, which flooded the shop with natural light. Seems to me like they love cacti at Nonsense, which I have to admit, I became a little fascinated with whilst perusing the goods. It's filled with bizarre magazines, quirky jewellery and the kind of items I suddenly have the urge to buy for no specific reason. We absolutely loved the little pots some of the cacti were housed in, which appeared to be painted by hand.

At the back of the building there are two smaller rooms. The first has a larger table with a chalkboard wall, which was a huge hit with the kids (reminds self never to let husband within a meter of this - cannot be trusted to play nice), and then a quieter room behind it. Families seem to gravitate towards the larger of the two, whilst the room we settled in was full of people just like us, enjoying a brew and having a natter.

Despite being in a coffee house, neither of us are huge coffee drinkers, but it did smell outstanding. Alex promised me I would not be considered a heathen for snubbing it! Now I've seen at least one leaf on the ground, I am in full autumnal swing, therefore it had to be chai for me. No dusty teabags here. I was presented with a glass mug full of boiling water and a small strainer packed with loose-leaf tea. It's also worth mentioning that for those less adventurous tea drinkers, they have Yorkshire Tea! King of the standard tea bag in my humble opinion. Lee opted for the cutest can of coke I have ever seen, in fact, she had two.

Although Nonsense don't do food as such, they do offer a lovely array of simple snacks, but the kind that go perfectly with the drinks they offer. There were a number of bakes to choose from, including a rather interesting looking brownie, but I was sold on sourdough toast when I heard that legendary bread-makers Trove were supplying the goods.

No exaggeration, best toast in the west - possibly beyond. Simplicity at its very finest if you ask me; soft bread with tonnes of flavour, a firm crust, salted butter, and jam the WI would fawn over. Loved it. I'm as confident as I can be that I could snaffle two rounds with ease (then followed by a little whinge about my own gluttony perhaps).

It's early days for Nonsense, but it's looking very promising indeed. Space is somewhat limited, but in the future I'd like to see a slight expansion of the food on offer, perhaps bagels or crumpets, and a wider range of baked goods. However, they seem to be achieving what they have set out to do. When I visited, the gift shop was buzzing, and the seated areas were full of families and friends having a chilled Saturday afternoon. Plus, what's more inspirational than a family quitting everything to follow their dream? Good luck to them.

Disclaimer: The folk at Nonsense had no idea I was visiting to complete a review, and I paid for our refreshments. They have not asked me to say nice things about their cacti, and my toast received no special treatment.