Nothing calls to you more on a sunny Saturday, than to grab your favourite person, jump in the car and escape the hustle and bustle of city life to go to pastures new! This was exactly the case last Saturday when myself and my man friend decided to depart Manchester and journey to the beautiful Knutsford to see what delights it had on offer. We were after something EXTRA special as we were celebrating our 4th anniversary too. Little did we know that we would be discovering the jewel in the crown of this gorgeous town in the form of The Lost & Found. Yes, click this way and get lost in food heaven with us…your seat is waiting…

A mere 14 miles out of Manchester city centre with great transport links, you feel you are in another world in the picture perfect town of Knutsford. Walking around the pretty streets, we seemed to find a plethora of glorious boutiques and eateries waiting to be discovered. It seems apt therefore that The Lost & Found is housed within the former Town Hall, the pinnacle of Knutsford. The place has been lovingly converted into possibly one of the most stunning restaurants I have had the pleasure to visit! Upon arrival we were met not only with the warmest welcome by the front of house staff, but by the gloriously airy and light space which homes an artistically eclectic decor, with bar downstairs and restaurant housed up a gorgeous black and white tiled, sweeping staircase. The upstairs dining space is a colourful parade of pattern and textures, mixing old school 1920s glamour with a highly modern breath of fresh air. Bathed in the sun of possibly the nicest day of the year so far, it was utter #interiordesigngoals!

We were seated by the period windows, which bathed our table in sunlight and greeted by our lovely waitress, Diana, who was as sunny as the day itself! To mark the start of our celebrations, it would have been rude not to peruse the cocktail menu right? Right! With a wide selection of extra special, botany-inspired libations – I found it hard to narrow down my choice?! Thank goodness for Diana who asked what I liked and took the time to make suggestions of what tipple would tickle my fancy. I ended up going with “The Kraken’s Sacrifice”, which was a cheeky mix of passion fruit, vanilla, mint, cinnamon and of course, Krakens Rum – served icy cold in a frosted chalice. Sensationally sweet yet cheekily tangy this was THE perfect refreshing drink for such a summery day. My boyfriend Mike opted for one of the wide various of seasonal beers on offer to start proceedings nicely. CHEERS!

With the drinks in, it was time to get the food menus out on the perfectly polished marble tables (NB. fellow bloggers – this place is THE place for flatlays!). And what a menu it was! With a selection of mouth-wateringly inviting dishes on offer, again, it was hard to make a decision. This menu is perfect for a varied group of diners, as there is literally something for everyone to enjoy. A classical yet modern menu which promised to deliver fresh, quality and exciting food! Flavour is high on the agenda at The Lost & Found. In fact, they have a Josper charcoal oven which is used on some of their dishes which promises to infuse them with extra WOW! It is fair to say that after gazing at the fare on the menu before us and seeing what was coming out of the kitchen to other tables, we could not wait to dive on in.

I opted for the Josper roasted mussels in a cream, garlic & shallot sauce, with fresh lemon and parsley, served with toasted sourdough. Mike went for the crispy black pudding Scotch egg with a warm tomato salsa. Our dishes arrived in next to no time (about 10 minutes after ordering) and looked almost too good to eat…well, almost! We stopped just long enough to get photos before we basically devoured them in the most graceful way we could.

To say that my dish of mussels was utterly divine is an understatement. Mussels are always a firm favourite of mine, but it is quite easy to get them wrong and overcook them to taste like rubbery bullets! These were buttery, yummy, melt-in-the-mouth lushness. Truly – these are possibly the juiciest I have tasted, imparted with a richness not only from the creamy, garlicky sauce with the sweet kick of shallots, but a depth from the Josper charcoal oven. The fella’s black pudding scotch egg was cooked to perfection, with the yolk still runny. The combination of meaty flavour, smooth yolk and tangy salsa topped with peppery watercress was a just another level! With our palates in full-on party mode, we were ready for the main event.

Again, choosing a main was a serious moment of dilemma! From classic mains such as fish and chips and sausage and mash, to sourdough pizzas with inviting and interesting toppings, by way of Josper charcoal oven cooked steaks and a delectable offer of salads and sides – how was a gal to choose? As I said earlier, there is truly a dish for everyone here at The Lost & Found, so it is easy to get lost in the menu and find your new favourite from what’s on offer. After much deliberation and the trusty assistance of Diana, I went for the duo of duck. This was made up of honey-roasted duck breast and a duck leg croquette, accompanied by Pommes Anna, braised beetroot, butter kale and a redcurrant sauce. The bf leaned towards his inner caveman and went for 35 day aged 8oz Sirloin, which came with triple cooked chips, truffle butter, charcoal grilled vine tomatoes and a Josper smoked Portobello mushroom.

After, again, a not too long wait, but enough time to sip on drinks, drink in the relaxed buzz of the restaurant and have a natter, our mains arrived. My duo of duck was fair to say, sublime. The breast of duck was pink, just the way I like it and was rich with taste which was enhanced by the redcurrant sauce which burst with tangy sweet/sourness. The sides of butter kale and braised beetroot (which was just a riot of intense, layered flavours) were the perfect accompaniments to balance out the richness of the meat. And the Pommes Anna? Well, I could have eaten those creamy, soft, crispy topped potatoes all day errrrr day! But the stand out for me was the duck croquette, which was out of this world and packed with flavour. So much so I proclaimed, rather too loudly possibly, “OH MY GOD! YOU GOTTA TO TRY THIS…NOW!” before I rammed an over-sized mouthful into my boyfriend’s face?! Thankfully he enjoyed it as he thought it was delicious too.

After MUCH persuasion, my lovely man allowed me to try his steak. I could see immediately why he didn’t wish to lose one bite of his sirloin! The taste imparted from cooking over the 400 degree coals made this steak taste AMAZING! Imagine the best BBQ cooked meat you’ve ever had and times that by 100. Cooked rare to perfection! The accompanying triple cooked chips were a revelation – crisp on the outside with a fluffy cloud of potato inside. Utter food porn! The vine tomatoes and mushroom added freshness and rounded out the dish wonderfully.

Once the plates were cleared away we considered dessert, but decided we were too full. Yes, you will not leave feeling hungry as the portions are generously hearty. That being said…we wished we had had dessert later that night and discussed what we would have had from the delectable offer available. We did however opt for a couple more drinks. The gent went for a deliciously refreshing Kiwi, Lime and Mint drink (as he was the designated driver) and the lady went for “The Stansfield Sparklet”!

With an extravagant mix of Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial NV, Absolut Kurant Vodka, Briottet Crème de Mûre, Blackberries, Blueberries, Lemon juice and vanilla syrup, “The Stansfield Starlet” will give you serious “Great Gatsby” vibes in a glass. Sipping on this whilst chatting away was the perfect way to round out a divine meal, celebrating four awesome years with the boyfriend on a gloriously golden day! Perfect!

It is fair to say that once you have found this foodie gem, you will never be lost for a place to go again (for those in Birmingham and Leeds, there are branches there too)! Few places deliver both style AND substance, but this restaurant bar does in bucketloads. Whether you are after a place to enjoy a bottomless brunch with the girls or a romantic dinner with your special someone – this is the one! The vibe is warm and relaxed, the staff are amazing – attentive, informed and friendly, the food and drink is delicious – what more could you ask for? The Lost & Found, Knutsford – true food heaven! We WILL be back…

If you have enjoyed this post – be sure to check out our other Food and Travel posts on FDJ LDN!

Until next time fillies,

Leigh at Fashion Du Jour LDN HQ x

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This post contains PR samples but, as ever fillies, all opinions are 100% our own!