The Golden Fleece

A Mediterranean style restaurant sheltering inside a village pub; a cosy candlelit dinner for two in a secluded corner; a gasp at the discovery of the splendid terrace hidden at the rear of the building. All these awaited us at the Golden Fleece, a traditional English pub and restaurant at Denshaw in the heart of the Saddleworth countryside.
A warm welcome greeted my wife and I as we stepped into the main restaurant, at the foot of the stairs leading to the main dining room. We were immediately impressed by the relaxed atmosphere and instantly liked the intimate layout of the wooden tables set out on the flagstone floors.
We were invited to the table by our charming waitress Vicki, who was polite and attentive to our needs throughout the evening, without being over fussy. Landlord Mike Mahoney was close at hand and presented us with the superb menu prepared by the in-house chef Stephen Hufton.
From this I plumped for the Brushetta di pomadoro starter, while my partner chose the Melon with sorbet & seasonal fruit coulis.
For our main course, I selected Minted Lamb Chump from the specials board, which was served on a bed of rosemary and garlic mash with a cordon of Port demi-glace. My wife went for the Salmon on a bed of asparagus complemented with a lemon bain rose sauce. Both dishes were accompanied by a selection of Mediterranean vegetables.
Finally for desert I had Parfeit Mela Menthe and my wife opted for the Sticky-toffee Pavlova.
The food, which arrived quickly, was beautifully presented, cooked to perfection, and tasted as good as it looked.

The delicious sauces and a bottle of the house red wine made for a mouth watering combination. The bill, including wine and coffee, came to around £52, which we both agreed was very reasonable for the sumptuous food and quality of our evening.
Afterwards we went upstairs into the Golden Fleece’s bar lounge, where candles again created a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Here an alternative extensive menu is available with good wholesome hearty pub-food, cooked to the same high standard as that of the Mediterranean restaurant.
It is easy to relax and enjoy the Med on the terrace and we were reluctant to leave.

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A High-quality exceptional Mediterranean restaurant

Serving wines from around the world and food of the highest standard

41 Oldham Road, Denshaw

Tel: 01457 820851