Paul Morris from Disley is the author of Time Traveller Danny and the Codebreaker, the only current children’s novel to feature the wartime computer genius Alan Turing. With two novels and several children’s books approaching publication, Paul still manages to find time to dine out with his wife, Judy.
La Dolce Vita
27 Stockport Road, Marple, Cheshire SK6 6BD
0161 449 0648
La Dolce Vita was a regular pre-cinema date for us when we were students 30 years ago, and it’s better than ever. The smart bar/lounge frontage means you can drop in for a leisurely drink, but stay and you can choose from a tempting wine list and from an arm-long menu that includes dishes from the increasingly on-trend Northern Italian cuisine. Or should that be ‘cucina’?
Olivers
547 Chester Road, Woodford, Cheshire SK7 1PR
0161 440 8715
www.oliversrestaurant.co.uk
Olivers is less than five minutes’ drive from the former home of wartime codebreaker and computer genius Alan Turing, who features in my current book. Olivers have a simple philosophy: locally-sourced quality ingredients, beautifully cooked and presented in a relaxed and stylish setting. Mission accomplished, chaps. One of the two best meals I’ve ever eaten was at this restaurant: they should put up a statue to the genius who cooked that Tournedos Rossini.
Stolen Lamb
70A Grove Street, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1DS
01625 419571
www.stolenlamb.com
A hidden gem tucked away at the end of busy Grove Street, Stolen Lamb is our regular Saturday lunch refuge from the Wilmslow shopping bustle. George Hadjiyiannis’s kitchen produces Cyprus-inspired Greek dishes from Cheshire produce with finesse. Ask for the off-menu wild boar souvlaki with a sweetly fiery honey mustard dip, a meat-and-fire class act starring local pigs.
Chinese Delight
15 Bridge Lane, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 7HJ
01928 733383 / 733863
www.chinesedelightfrodsham.co.uk
You can tell that the Chinese Delight is going to deserve its name from the moment you step inside and cross the bridge over the stream – complete with resident koi carp – that runs through the rather grand oriental interior. The seemingly endless menu features familiar favourites and some truly unusual special dishes, all of the highest quality and served with lightning efficiency by the friendly and attentive staff. The impressive selection of rare brandies reflects the owner’s refined tastes.
Simi
The Old Harbour, Limenas, Thassos, Greece
0030 25930 22517
Cool in the plane-tree shade by the harbour’s edge and backed by the ruins of Thassos Town’s ancient market, the Simi is the ideal retreat after we’ve spent hours wandering around the island’s quite spectacular archaeological museum, one of the Aegean’s best-kept secrets. It’s a chance to sit and people-watch. The stifado (rich beef and shallot stew) might just be the best in Greece, I sometimes wonder whether the house wines might actually be supplied by the wine god Dionysos himself. H’mm... Yammas!
