Cascades, Blackpool
Life! Magazine (Blackpool Gazette Supplement - Saturday, February 21, 2009)
If location really were the be-all and end-all of success then Bately Variety Club would never have re-invented big name cabaret in industrial Yorkshire, Las Vegas wouldn’t be in the middle of the Nevada desert and Blackpool’s beautiful White Tower restaurant with its art deco splendour and magnificent elevated views of the illuminated promenade would still be part of the resort’s future rather than another name consigned to the dustbin of its past.
What’s more the owners of the excellent Oliver’s Bistro in the Lancaster House Hotel on Central Drive would have thought twice about their view with a room and more recently the friendly folk at the award winning Vidella Hotel on Dickson Road would have stayed with their regular trade rather than risk branching out into a finer dining experience called Cascades.
Cascades? Don’t worry, our taxi driver hadn’t heard of it either - and he lives in central Blackpool. Whilst the hotel has been under its current ownership for more than five years , the intimate restaurant only came on stream last November, taking its name from a large water feature on the wall of the 46-cover dining area and its inspiration from the fact there is a dearth of quality eating experiences in this part of town.
Fortunately, enough people have heard of it to make a Saturday night comfortably full of a mix of hotel guests upping their stay with either the tempting table d’hote menu (two course for £14.75 or three for £19.95) or guest pushing the boat out from the surprisingly adventurous a la carte selection. Whilst Michelin rated chef Stephen Brennan would never admit to actually rejoicing in the White Tower’s demise, too much sympathy could rank as crocodile tears. With Cascades clearly out to attract any former regulars of the South Shore destination prepared to experiment with an evening “uptown”.
Entrance to Cascades is via the hotel foyer – a rather too spacious area for comfort, but turn immediately left and there’s a comfortable bar to start the evening in whilst you make your selection relaxing over a drink. The restaurant itself is a fusion of traditional (chandeliers, bay window, flock wallpaper) and modern (brown and cream decorations and furnishings plus a functional parquet floor). The service is delightfully old school – friendly, efficient and with a good eye for detail (our table candle had barely snuffed out before a replacement was installed, the ice bucketed wine was waiting to be opened and tasted by the time we arrived at the table, explanations of what was on offer were informative and correct). Had this been a week day there were ample selections on the table d’hote to interest us but weekends are special and Brennan clearly knows how to tempt discerning diners. Had duck not been my main course I would have weakened to the warmed carpaccio of mallard (7.65) but instead opted for the warmed sauté slivers of chicken fillet with Chinese leaves and tangy citrus based salad, crisp smoked bacon lardons and soy glaze (£5.95) – a king sized and very tasty serving which far outlasted our other starter, a homemade tomato soup (£4.95) decorated with a spiders web of fresh cream. Another time the lobster and green peppercorn ramekin with scallop and Chardonnay sauce and brown breads (£8.25) or the chicken liver, brandy and shallot parfait on a rocket and coriander salad with sage and fig jam would have been just as tempting.
A signature dish here is the Cascades’ Fruit De Mer (oysters, clams, crevettes, langoustine, lobster, tiger king prawns, mussels, queen scallops and marsh samphire – all left in the shell and served over ice - £44.50 for two). But this was a cold enough evening and the slow roasted cinnamon infused duck on forest berry potato cake with a red wine and blueberry sauce (£16.95) sounded too inviting to turn down. Likewise, when so many fish dishes tend to the bland, risking the oven roasted Fleetwood cod with sautéed leeks, Pernod spiked creamed potatoes and roasted vine tomatoes was worth a gamble.
Neither dish disappointed – the duck was plentiful though my preference would have been for it rather pinker. However, the infusion was interesting and the sauce in sensible rather than over-abundant supply. Daily fish deliveries meant the two sizeable cod steaks received a huge seal of approval – succulent tasting and falling apart at the thought of a fork.
Likewise the accompanying vegetables – asparagus, broccoli, green beans and cauliflower – were restaurant crisp rather that hotel stewed.
Normally we would have called it a day there but we had been tipped that Stephen Brennan “takes his desserts very seriously.” It would therefore been churlish not to experiment with the warmed oven baked fresh figs poached in port on sweet pastry discs with butterscotch and raisin ice cream (£5.45) – an artwork of a dish decorated with raspberries, cream and a sugar strand nest. The discs seemed dangerously like flying from the plate if any attempt to skewer them was made – but the figs were delicious and the contrasting tastes perfect.
The requested half portion of chocolate mocha mousse still turned out to be overfacing, even without the chilled pouring cream and chocolate shavings (£5.95) – but was voted excellent.
The wine selection is short but balanced – half a dozen red and whites ranging from £15.45 to £28.75 and a quartet of roses sparkling and champagnes from £14.95 to £32.75. We opted for a New Zealand Savignon Blanc at £18 which was fruity but full enough to work well with both the fish and poultry.
Fresh and refreshingly strong coffee finished the proceedings. The bill – including pre meal drinks and gratuity – was in the region of £90. Not cheap but its quality worth paying for, in a venue, brave enough to buck the current depressing downsizing trend.
Robin Duke