REVIEW
ay system d-safe one-w
Attractive o
utdoor se at
ing
Garlic pasta with shredded chicken
Covi
Home-cooked delights in Mold
The café h
as a bran
d new kitc
hen
We visit the Woodworks Garden Centre & Café to find out why its lunches, specials and afternoon teas are so popular
Delic
anini
rm p
wa ious
T
he café at The Woodworks Garden Centre has a reputation In addition to the afternoon tea, the n chard Skelto for good “home-cooked” food prepared by professional café’s warm panini was delicious, grilled Head chef Ri chefs in the on-site kitchen. Customers are increasingly turning properly with the brie melted, and we were away from mass-produced food filled with preservatives, and impressed with the size of the chef ’s special – the staff at the Woodworks know that home-cooked tastes a creamy, garlic pasta with shredded chicken better – especially when prepared by a professional chef ! and thick slices of homemade garlic bread. “The garden centre created a café based on good, wholesome As it was for all other cafés, lockdown home-cooked food run by local people,” says manager Fiona Coke. was tough for the Woodworks, but it has “The café got very busy, and they wanted to move the business on, worked out a reliable Covid-safe system which is where I came in seven years ago. The café was made twice that has helped make it more popular than the size and now we also have a new kitchen.” ever. “We have a one-way Fiona and her team, which includes head chef and there are dividers Garde “The afternoon system, n centr e surro Richard Skelton, know from experience what their between all the tables,” says unding tea is a s customers like. “We’ve got natural flair in our kitchen, Fiona. “People can book to sit marvel… and over the years we’ve tried different recipes. Now our outside, and they’ll be allocated menu is full of the dishes that are the most popular.” their own gazebo surrounded by beautiful flowers, or to sit everything Among those is the afternoon tea. “We’ve got lemon inside on cooler days where it’s nice and cosy. We allocate fresh and drizzle cake, carrot cake, cherry bakewell, and a fruit and an hour and half for each sitting, which gives us plenty of homemade” a plain scone, as well as a selection of finger sandwiches time to sanitise for the next customer. During track and including cucumber, which we’ve just added because trace we took addresses, and we could see how far people it’s more traditional – and really popular. We offer were coming to visit us – and a lot of people reserve their takeaway boxes as very often people don’t finish it! The afternoon tea is next visit when they leave. And we’re now seeing a lot of new people popular when people want to celebrate something special like Mother’s coming back as they notice how safe it is here – that is our priority.” Day or a baby shower, but also just for catching up with friends.” We agree that the Woodworks Café afternoon tea is a marvel. A The bill selection of beautifully made crustless finger sandwiches Afternoon tea for two: selection of sandwiches, £28.95 are arranged on the top tier of a serving cakes and scones, served with tea or coffee stand, with cakes, scones Smoked bacon, brie and cranberry panini £6.75 and strawberries Special for the day: chicken and broccoli in a creamy garlic £8.95 below – everything sauce with fusilli pasta, served with homemade garlic bread about it says fresh and homemade, with Turn to page 72 to see a Woodworks Café recipe you can try at home! great attention to detail. The sandwiches Woodworks Garden Centre & Café are quintessentially Wrexham Road, Mold CH7 4HE British – we had Café opening times forgotten how nice Monday-Friday, 9am-3.45pm (last orders) a cucumber sandwich Saturday, 9am-3.45pm (last orders) with real butter is – Sunday, 10am-2.45pm (last orders) Breakfast is served until 11.45am each day and each cake is an individual delight. You Book online at www.woodworksgc.com can now buy these in the n tea oo or call 01352 752555 rn te af A classic garden centre shop too. July/August 2021 | SHIRE MAGAZINE 77
Restaurant Review JulyAug 2021 FINAL.indd 1
25/06/2021 12:03
