Our team member Sophie Flint visited Where The Light Gets In which is based in Stockport just before the UK's second lockdown. As restaurants across the country close their doors for a second time we want to remind you of the beauty of fine dining through our insights.
Take a read of her experience of WTLGI,a restaurant who’s menu changes with the seasons, providing locally sourced ingredients and flavours to guests, below is her write up about the experience...
"My recent visit to Stockport's Where The Light Gets left me wanting more, as each course came and went I was holding on to it hoping that the night could last longer so that I could savour this special time.
Unlike other dining experiences Fine Dining is not just about the food, everything matters and this was clear from the moment I made my reservation with WTLGI. After I hung up I was excited, and to be honest not really sure what to expect.
When we arrived we walked up the stairs to and from the outside we were the none the wiser about what to expect, however the front door to the restaurant was like walking through the wardrobe in Narnia, from being in the centre of Stockport we were transported to a magical setting, with a warm and calm ambience.
Inside it’s a spacious, open plan apartment, high ceilings and a few tables, no menus but this added to the surprise and anticipation.
I felt like I had an invitation to an exclusive show, the tables were set with chairs facing the open plan kitchen where I could see the chefs hard at work, the ingredients part of the decoration, with drying corn delicately hanging from the ceiling and jars stacked neatly filled with herbs and spices.
As a vegetarian options in restaurants can sometimes be limited, but here each dish was filled with flavour, texture and something different.
The first dish was halloumi beetroot and honey, it came delicately wrapped in perilla which is an edible leaf. Not only did it look special but it tasted it too. I was impressed, the halloumi which was made in house with locally sourced sheep's milk, had no unpleasant squeak to it and the simple flavours combined were soft yet delicious.
As I don’t drink alcohol we were given the option of a juice menu, which I was really glad about. With not drinking alcohol you can sometimes feel as though you’re missing out on an experience, especially when wine tasting is involved, however the juice pairing was a nice touch and I felt completely included in getting to experience how different drinks accompanied the dishes we were served.
The next dish was deep-fried fermented potato and smoked pear, the crunch of the lightly deep-fried potato was enjoyable and the flavour of the smoked pear really brought this dish to life.
Other plates we were served included new sweetcorn fabulous, a corn soup with a cheesy flavour which was made with fresh corn, Holbrook and celeriac, and Crown Prince squash tart which was made with local mushrooms.
My favourite dish was the Crown Prince squash tart which served with mushrooms, it was both sweet and savoury and the lightness of the pastry was extremely pleasant to taste. However, I also really enjoyed the sourdough bread and mushroom pate - it was addictive! We had to have a second order of bread, I have never tasted bread like it. The mushroom pate was incredible, I could have eaten it over and over!
When each dish arrived a different member of the team brought it over, they spent time explaining the components of the serving and how it was made. The herbs in each course were taken from the rooftop of the restaurant where they grow their own.
Having a member of the team explain each dish thoroughly not only added to the experience but it educated me on what I was eating and the components of it. It made me hungry for more experiences like this, as it was interesting to hear about and made me connect more with the food I was consuming.
The final dish was a sheep's milk pudding with plums and malt, a pudding which dates back to medieval times! It was an interesting texture, but the plums brought it a rich and fruitier flavour.
The whole night had a steady calmness to it, made pleasant by the attentiveness of the staff, the warmness of the interior and the tasty dishes. I felt cared for and more interested in the process of cooking than I ever had before, it was magical to watch the chefs working away as I anticipated whatever dish would be coming next.
When the final dish was served I have to say I was sad to know I had to leave, but I was also excited to book my next fine dining adventure!"
By Sophie Flint, The Food Obsessions PR executive
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