 | |  | | | Sams Chop House Restaurant Manchester - reader comments | | "I ordered the venison which was too salty. The waitress tried it and agreed after going to the kitchen. My friends had finished their meal when I was offered the menu and told my meal would be free. My next choice was the Steak Pudding which was over cooked and stodgy. To my amazement, I was indeed charged for this. We left a small tip but I'm not sure why. I have in the past had many happy times in Sam's but I will not be returning." - diane, worsley 14/1/09 (visited on a friday evening) |
|  "After visiting Tom's Chop House, we went to Sam's, which has the exact same menu but, to be honest, a lot cosier restaurant to dine in. I highly recommend the Corned Beef Hash, it has to be one of the tastiest dishes I have ever had! The staff are not overly friendly but it's still a nice place to visit and I recommend you try it if you fancy traditional English food at it's very best!." - Michelle, Rochdale 24/12/08 (visited on a sunday lunch) |
| | "We've visited Sam's before and been very happy but this time it was poor. The Sunday lunch of Roast Beef was overcooked, with a Yorkshire pudding that was dry, carrots that were soft and cold and roast potatoes which were overdone. We also had a main course of Bubble & Squeak. It was little more than two small rissoles with a nondescript red sauce. Don't order this if you are hungry! The desserts were a mixed bag, with a chocolate tart passing muster but a sticky chocolate pudding that was anything but sticky. It was hot in places and cold in others. Has something happened to this place that we haven't been told about? Has the chef left? Are they now pitching it at a lower level? We noticed other people getting a poor service from the kitchen, such as the group on the next table who were served a dried up plate of peas to go with a main course that had been eaten by the time they finally arrived. We're sad to say that we won't be visiting Sam's again." - David Gaynor, Worsley 8/12/08 (visited on a sunday lunch) |
| "Last night, we found ourselves in town, seeing off a Spanish friend who is moving home shortly. When dinner options came up, something English seemed appropriate, since it wont be easily accessible in Spain. Strangely enough, after deciding on English food, we realised that this wasnt easily accessible in England, nevermind Spain. Anyway, after some thinking, we popped into Tom's Chop House for a drink, on the way to Sam's for dinner.
So that we could try a few things, we opted for Ox Tongue and also Fish Cake starters to share, and mains of Steak & Kidney Pudding, Devilled Kidneys and Corned Beef Hash.
My personal choice of the pudding, was to be honest, one of the best I've ever had. Real hand made suet pastry, with a rich filling of meat. Whilst the filling was a touch dry, it came with a mini boat of gravy to give you the choice of how saucy you wanted the dish. The chips were brilliantly done too. I can eat a fair bit, but this was a massive pudding, and I was well filled. The other mains were also very nice, with the hash deserving special mention. I've not had many variants, but this was definately the best Ive had, and a far cry from the saucy, semi soup like hash which you could dip some bread in, which I was raised on as a kid. Desserts of Eton Mess, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Cherry & Almond Tart were also fine. The tart was a little overcooked, but other than this, all very nice.
Another Trusted Reviewer has said that that place is expensive (below), but to be honest £90 for 8 courses, bread and a bottle of nice Spanish wine, is good value. Also, claims of Holland's making better puddings, really is ludicrous. I like Hollands pies, what Mancunian doesnt, in fact I had them this week, but they are mass produced, and it shows. Sure, they cost a quid, but how does that make them better than paying £12 for the pudding and chips at Sams. Is a Ford better than a Mercedes just because it's cheaper? £30 per head to eat out in town is totally acceptable.
Anyway, I'd whole heartedly suggest Sams for anybody who wants a traditionally English feeling meal, in a world where our own regional cuisines have pretty much died a death unless you got to a countryside pub. Even the toilets had pull chains! It's warming, filling, slightly stodgy, very tasty, and brings back childhood memories left right and centre. Give it a go instead of a now traditionally 'English', Indian or Chinese next weekend, especially now the very traditional weather is making a come back." - Chris Handley, Salford 9/8/08 (visited on a friday evening) |
| |
| |  | |  |
|
