Dining at The Galley...

The Galley in Ellesmere Port is a restaurant I have been meaning to visit since it opened, but somehow I have never got around to it until last week when my partner booked us a table there on the spur of the moment. The first thing which struck me about the restaurant is the attractive location; it is situated on the riverbank and the tranquil views immediately set a relaxing mood.
Inside, The Galley has a welcoming feel, which is fitting since this is a family business and the space is bright and cheery, with windows overlooking the river and plenty of natural light. We decided to skip starters, though options like Thai salmon fishcake and their renowned bubble and squeak cake sounded tempting.

I had of course already checked out the menu online and I was drawn to the roasted butternut squash curry with chickpeas, spinach and coconut milk, but I eventually settled on the spinach and ricotta tortellini with a side of chips, since I was in the mood for comfort food! There is a good variety on the menu, with mains like pork tenderloin saltimbocca sitting alongside classics such as steak and fish and chips.

My dining companion perused the burger choices, as I had already seen The Galley burgers on Instagram and they looked more than impressive. He ordered the crispy marinated chicken BLT burger served with bacon, lettuce and tomato. I started the night with a gin and tonic and our mains arrived rapidly with both of us struck by the generous portion sizes, which I always appreciate. My spinach and ricotta tortellini was elegantly presented, garnished with beautifully fresh peas and broad beans and a silky basil pesto cream sauce. The dish was light and full of fresh flavours, while the homemade chips were chunky and golden. The sheer scale of my dining companion's marinated chicken burger was gargantuan and it matched its size with big, bold flavours of tender chicken, crispy batter and smoky bacon. I hesitate to use the word 'epic' when describing food, but sometimes only the word epic will suffice and ordering this is a must for burger fans.

They source their ingredients with care at The Galley and it shows in the quality; local provenance matters here and on a recent Sunday lunch menu there was a white onion, marrow and cider soup made with marrows grown on a nearby allotment. It does not get much more local than that!

On to dessert and we had spotted the special of banana split on the chalkboard, so it had to be that, as I was happy to see such a fun and retro dessert on the menu. This was pure indulgence, with a trio of locally made ice cream scooped on top of banana, topped with chewy chocolate brownie, cream and sprinkles. Even though I declined my own dessert I naturally had to try some of this and it was just so good. Yes, I cracked open the Italics. It was that good!

We had a lovely evening at The Galley and we left just in time to see a rather spectacular sunset. This was our first visit as I mentioned and I certainly hope it won't be our last - with afternoon tea and Sunday roast also on the menu, there are plenty of reasons to keep coming back for more. 

It is good to see a family restaurant thriving and deservedly so, since the great food was paired with attentive service and we left feeling like we had been friends with congenial Chef Patron Tom forever. Be sure to pop in if you are ever in the area, this place is well worth a visit. 

The Galley 

1 South Pier Rd, 

Ellesmere Port 

CH65 4FW

https://thegalleyep.com/

What do you all think, do you like the sound of The Galley and which of these dishes catches your eye? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post!

Until next time,

Camille 

xo