Grilling for glory

3:04pm Wednesday 5th December 2007

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It is warm, lush and opulent. A taste of pure exotica and, as far as I can remember, womb-like. The desire is to linger for days and days, soaking in the cubist art, the monochrome photographs and the prevailing air of, perhaps, a bar from some romantic cruise-liner drifting in a bygone age.

Pure decadence in the heart of Cheshire. Get your kicks on the A49.

"This isn’t a bar, it’s a genuine restaurant and it’s somewhere where we feel things are done correctly."

Francis Carroll

We are in Cabbage Hall near Little Budworth.

Once the rural drinking den of farm boys, reborn to the creative talents of Francis Carroll, celebrity restaurateur and creator of Manchester's Reform Club, Brasserie St Pierre, Lounge 10 and Altrincham's Gilt.

Francis, who lives on the premises, cuts an unlikely figure. As I sit waiting, he bundles into the interior darkness, part elegant dinner host, part Hell's Angel.

Amiable, exploding with a curious energy, ferociously talkative, obviously intelligent and instantly likeable.

It has been 18 months since he opened Cabbage Hall and introduced this quiet corner of Cheshire to a new level of restaurant, where the culture of fast' contemporary food, delivered in a mid shopping spree, is openly challenged.

"People do come and spend a whole afternoon here...a whole day, sometimes," he said.

"They linger in the bar before...they might go for a walk in the gardens in summer and generally there is no hurry.

"It is relaxation and quality. This isn't a bar, it's a genuine restaraunt and it's somewhere where we feel things are done correctly.

"That doesn't mean imposing our ideas. or the notions of some stubborn chef on people.

"If they want something done a certain way, then that is fine.

"They are the customers and we created this new Cabbage Hall with them in mind."

Which may seem obvious and so many restaurants and contemporary bars are guilty of imposing their own, often intimidating level of elegance on hapless customers.

This is a theme particularly relevant to the post-regeneration Manchester.

"I moved out of Manchester. I think, in terms of restaurants, it is going completely the wrong way," Francis said, rather adamantly.

"I really think that Manchester is based on a drinking culture and that is what drives the restaurant economy.

"That's why I left the city, initially to Altrincham, but I was really looking for something else. When we found this place, it seemed right.

"I didn't carry out intensive research or anything, but Cheshire is a sophisticated county and we are also within easy reach of not only Manchester, but Liverpool, Chester, Stoke on Trent...and people do come regularly from all those places."

His reputation for fearless excellence has gained him a considerable and loyal following.

There can be few restaurateurs who so resolutely grasp their own vision, regardless of prevailing trends. This is certainly true of Cabbage Hall which has no noticeable contemporaries.

"I can't think of anywhere else like this," he admitted.

It does seem unlikely. Not only is Cabbage Hall aloof from any city or town, it isn't even in the centre of a village.

That stated, its position on the ever busy A49 does attract attention from the endless parade of vehicles heading to Whitchurch or Warrington. The location therefore, is not necessarily so bizarre.

"I can understand why it might seem strange to be located out here and there are problems," he said.

"Even the staff have to travel out to get here. But it also means that we retain a club-like feel. Cabbage Hall is something that people come to be a part of, rather than just somewhere to eat."

This club ambience is prevalent throughout the restaurant, with tables situated in many different alcoves and areas, each providing a variation in ambience and feel.

At any time of day or night, Francis can be seen strolling through the alcoves, chatting amiably and, no doubt, checking quality. This, too encourages the feeling of closeness between customers and staff.

But at the heart of everything, of course, is the food. True to the Carroll tradition, this remains wholly individual.

"It's always difficult to explain what kind of food we serve," he said.

"It is our food. In the old days you might go for an Italian or Chinese or Indian. That has altered a bit with fusion today...but we go a step further.

"We are not governed by any cuisine at all and there are elements of many different cuisines within our menu. There are five quality chefs working here and they all contribute. So do the customers.

"We are in the middle of Cheshire, one of the most productive counties in Britain, so if we are governed by anything, then its the freshness of the available food. Same with the fish, which I buy fresh all the time and the menu changes accordingly."

Sitting beneath the dark canopy of a bar that boasts a stack of books by his good friend Marco Pierre White, sipping Italian beer and breaking off to occasionally offer greetings to departing customers, Francis seems content within his creation.

"Can you imagine this room, when people came here to play pool and drink beer?" he asked.

It's difficult, although beyond the power of the decor, a pub shape remains.

"We are diners only now. You can't just come in for a drink. It doesn't work like that.

"If one of our customers buys a bottle of champagne before a meal, he doesn't want to be sitting next to four lads drinking lager. Cabbage Hall exists as an alternative to all that.

"That's not being elitist, it's just providing a service. There are many pubs and many bars...and many restaraunts. But there is only one Cabbage Hall."