Guests at a Cheshire Life luncheon soaked up a Mediterranean vibe at the glamorous ski-themed restaurant, Piste in Sandbach.

Great British Life: Piste, SandbachPiste, Sandbach (Image: Archant)

As the seemingly endless summer rolled on, the ‘secret garden’ at Piste in Sandbach was clearly the perfect place to gather for a pre-luncheon drink and nibbles.

The fizz, a dry, elegant Vigneto di Fiori Prosecco Spumante was the perfect accompaniment to canapés of salmon and cream cheese, prosciutto, pear and pomegranate and feta beetroot and bresaola and suited the ‘life on the Mediterranean’ vibe.

If we ever needed convincing that there should be more long lunches in our days on earth, then this was the way to do it.

Piste is housed in a characterful building in the heart of the town and is one of those places that has helped to create something of a dining scene in Sandbach, since opening 16 months ago.

Great British Life: Piste, SandbachPiste, Sandbach (Image: Archant)

The owner of the vintage style ski-themed restaurant, James Hughes, explained that this lunch was a celebration of the two kitchen teams who are cooking up a storm here at Piste in Sandbach and at the original Piste in Tarporley.

Heading up the Tarporley team is Thiago Fernandez, while head chef at Sandbach is Nina Blount.

‘Rather than doing the same menu in both places we are now letting the chefs get creative,’ says James.

‘People could go to Tarporley and have a completely different menu there if they wanted but there will still be some core dishes for them to enjoy too.’

Great British Life: Piste, SandbachPiste, Sandbach (Image: Archant)

He also revealed that the dishes we were enjoying at the Cheshire Life lunch showcased those that diners are likely to find on the summer menu.

‘We thought we would also mark the change of personnel right across the board,’ he says.

‘It was an opportunity for the new team to show off their ideas and what they can do,’ he said.

A starter of three types of sourdough bruschetta topped with tomatoes and basil, spiced king prawn and feta and broad bean, with a creamy mushroom bruschetta for the vegetarians, was a real crowd-pleaser, marrying fresh summer ingredients and a soupçon of indulgence.

Pan fried sea trout accompanied by grape beurre blanc rested on a potato rosti infused with thyme was a lovely light main course, while the vegetarians were transported back to chef Nina Blount’s Italian homeland with a creamy classic mushroom risotto.

For dessert, a crème brûlée, served with Cheshire Farm vanilla bean ice cream had added pizazz, thanks to raspberries and a kick of Drambuie.

Guests lingered in the restaurant over coffees and home-made chocolate fudge and the excellent, superbly-matched wines served at lunch supplied by the Nantwich wine merchant Rodney Densem.

From the menu

To start

Sourdough bruschetta misti; tomato and basil, feta and broad bean, spiced king prawn

To continue

Pan-fried sea trout, grape beurre blanc, tenderstem, thyme rosti

To finish

Raspberry and Drambuie crème brûlée, Cheshire Farm vanilla ice cream

Coffee Advocates ‘Advocate Blend’ and home made chocolate fudge

To drink

Vigneto di Fiori Prosecco Spumante (Venento, Italy)

Ten Rocks Sauvignon Blanc 217 (Marlborough, New Zealand)

Santa Alba Pinot Noir 2016 (Bio-bio valley, Chile)

Details

Piste

45 High Street,

Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 1AL

01270 768923

pistesandbach.com