It’s happened. I’ve had an epiphany. I think my eternal nirvana could be a tapas restaurant in Preston.
Preston. My birthplace and home until about 5 years ago is the administrative centre of Lancashire, home of the second biggest bus station in Europe and the legend that is Tom Finney. Much as I love my hometown, it isn’t renowned for its thriving café society and culinary experiences (unless you count butter pies and parched peas as the height of gastronomic excellence).
Last week I was attending a course at the University of Central Lancashire so booked myself in to stay with family. My aunt announced she was going to take me to an ‘amazing’ new restaurant in Preston called Duk. Having lived in Preston for 26 years, noticing the opening of many high end eating establishments such as McDonald’s, Greggs and Subway, I wasn’t expecting much.
Tucked in a basement under an unassuming row of shops in the centre of Preston, Duk doesn’t look much from the outside. But descend the steps and you could be in any city, anywhere in the world. On a Wednesday night the place was packed, but in a comfortable way. Cosy enough to be welcoming without being cramped and subtle decoration that combined rustic wooden seating with giant cushions and soft candle light.
Our party of three was shown to a corner table, our drinks order promptly taken and menus left to be salivated over. Their style of service is comparable to any fine dining restaurant in Manchester, with subtle nods of the head and glances enough to get you exactly what you need. I never had an empty glass or dirty plate in front of me any longer than needed.
By the time the drinks arrived my menu was drenched from my dribbling over the array of gorgeous dishes, from Manchu Picchu fillet with dragon pate to Chorizo with Scallop. This isn’t your average tapas bar, with influences from countries spanning the globe, including South America and Africa. Until recently all the cooking was done by self taught chef and owner, Andrea Mellon. The runaway success of the restaurant has entailed bringing in new staff who seem more than capable of emulating Andrea’s passion and skill.
Our food arrived very quickly and piping hot. I’d plumped for Scallops with Bacon and Mozzarella salad but I couldn’t help tucking into my companion’s delicately cooked lamb, and beef so soft it melted in my mouth. As a foodaholic and not-half-bad amateur cook, I was blown away by the clever use of spices and herbs, each dish complimenting the others (which is a feat with more than 100 dishes on the menu). It’s easy to spot that they use locally produced, seasonal and organic products – the quality shows through in every dish.
As we chatted while eating, I lifted a spoonful of food to my lips (a Peruvian meatball if I remember rightly). Ka-boom, a taste explosion, soft meat, herbs and spices. All I could do was wave insanely with my fork at the empty dish while shaking my head in amazement. My dining companions (veterans of Duk), smiled at me self indulgently. They know the Duk secret. And the secret is out, Duk are about to expand with a new bar planned in Preston and future plans to bring their combination of fantastic service and truly stunning food to Manchester (yippee!).
So if you ever find yourself stranded in Preston then seek Duk out, find Andrea and see if you can convince her to give you the recipe for those meatballs (and then send it to me).
