This review was undertaken on July 9, 2008.

Having recently reviewed The Black Horse in Woburn, I was full of high expectations when invited to review their sister pub, The Swan, Salford which has a lofty reputation for serving food at it’s finest. Neil Simons has recently taken over the reins in the kitchen, and this seemed a good time to pay a visit and see how he had settled in.

Just a 10 minute drive from Central Milton Keynes, I can confidently say that if you visit this wonderful place once, you will certainly be itching to return.

My guest and I decided to be seated immediately on our arrival but there is a large bar, with some comfy leather seating for guests to sit, chill and have a drink before their meal if they so wish.

Décor                                                                                                                                                                                            If you walk through the main entrance there is a large bar which almost hides the restaurant situated behind it. The bar was quite busy with a buzz about it but also welcoming at the same time. The restaurant has chunky, spacious tables with a variety of leather seating or pine chairs with high backs. A huge mirror adorns one wall, and I was rather taken with the partly frosted window that allows you to see into the kitchen where there was a flurry of activity.

Atmosphere                                                                                                                                                                                    I felt the music was slightly too loud but the restaurant was also busy with lots of chatter and the two combined to create a buzzing atmosphere with a warm, friendly and relaxed ambience. When the food, service and décor are first class like it is here; the atmosphere really does tend to take care of itself.

Service                                                                                                                                                                                      The waiting staff were attentive, efficient and friendly. I was impressed when our waiter reeled off the daily specials from memory with only a very quick glance at the board towards the end to ensure everything had been covered. This was a young, knowledgeable team with great maturity, lead by the admirable Leanne who does a fantastic job in ensuring everything at The Swan runs smoothly. First class!

Food                                                                                                                                                                                           To accompany our meal I went for a Rose and chose the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Rosato San Girolamo. Real Pinot Grigio with a copper hue. This was not the lightest  wine you will ever taste, but was smooth and much enjoyed. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes white wines and would like to try something slightly different.

The Swan, very much like The Black Horse, provides a menu which has something to suit all tastes.

To start, I chose the Rice Noodle Salad of Sugar Snaps, Oyster Mushrooms and Red Peppers, Teriyaki Dressing (£5.00). This dish was immaculately presented, full of colour and it absolutely smacked of freshness. It looked great, and tasted great too. Zingy and light, this was an impressive starter. My guest ordered the Caesar Salad, Free Range Chicken, Crispy Bacon and Anchovies (£5.75). Caesar salads can vary greatly from restaurant to restaurant, and if there was any hint of dissatisfaction with this dish, it was a lack of salad. My guest still loved every mouthful and was almost speechless when I asked for her thoughts.

For mains I opted for the Moroccan Spiced Lamb Steaks, Lemon and Mint, Chickpea Couscous. (£14.50). The thinly sliced steaks were placed on top of the delightfully tasty and moist couscous and it seemed a shame to ruin what was another superbly presented dish. I normally order lamb pink, but simply for a change and to see how this dish would arrive, I ordered the lamb well done. With credit to the Chef, it was still tender. I decided not to order a side dish with this meal and unless you are very hungry, I doubt you would need to either as it was quite filling. I found this to be a simple yet very affective combination bursting with flavour. 

My guest chose the Sea Bass Steamed with White Wine and Fennel, Cherry Tomato’s and Olives (£13.50). My guest commented that the fish was very soft and tasty whilst the dish as a whole was full of lots of different flavours without being too harsh or overpowering and all the different textures combined well.

I was not impressed when my guest ordered the Chocolate Brownie, Vanilla Ice Cream (£5.00) as this is a dessert I wanted to try. Served almost hot, crunchy on top, moist and gooey in the middle this was “one of the best chocolate brownies I’ve ever had” remarked my guest. I promptly stole some from her plate and yes, this was a mightily impressive dessert with fantastic homemade ice cream.

I ordered the Pistachio Parfait, Crème Anglaise (£5.00). Again, another masterpiece in presentation; this was an enjoyable dessert which was light and tasty.

In summary, if you’re one of the seemingly few people that I have spoken to who have yet to try The Swan, Salford, then quite simply, you’re missing out on something special. Make sure you visit soon!

(To read an earlier review of The Swan, Salford, please click here)