Borage

Borage is a very well-mannered restaurant in a well-heeled suburb. Exactly the sort of place you’d expect to find in Bowdon. It’s a charming place and makes a lovely setting for an early date before you get to know someone’s foodie aversions and perversions. The flavours are rather delicate and there are no discordant notes. Everything is very well-executed, fresh and seasonal with no controversial Marmite moments.

The home-made bread is excellent and the tasting menu is good value. Across the a la carte and the tasting menus, you’ll find dishes like confit salmon with tomato, courgette, basil and pine nuts, braised pork fillet, with crumpet, peas and peanut sauce as well as a silky chocolate mousse.

It’s classic cooking if a little timid. Sometimes you just wish the flavours could shout a little louder and not be so polite. There are dishes that achieve this and they really shine – the beef fillet with Roquefort croquette is a fine example of what the kitchen can do. It’s a very good restaurant, but let off the leash a little, it could be a glorious one.

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