The most recent of The Lost & Found brand has opened in the old Town Hall in Knutsford. Billed as a haven away from the hustle & Bustle, our Charlie hopped on a train to see if it does just that.
Rating
Appeals to
Absolutely everyone. Families, ladies and gents who lunch, dates, nights out with friends. Easy, inadventurous diners.
Cuisine
A little of everything. Brunch, lunch and dinner, sandwiches, pizzas and mains that lean on the star of their kitchen, the Josper grill.
In a Word
Inoffensive
The Ambiance
The space at Lost & Found, or Emily B Kingsley as it’s also known, is separated onto two floors. Downstairs is a bar – perfect for pre or post meal drinks, or a post work pint. Upstairs is a restaurant, in the high-ceilinged space of the old Town Hall.
Many of the old features have been kept, the arched windows, the beams in the ceiling, the delicious ironwork of the stairs, but it’s had a modern lift with neat tiling, hexagonal wood panelling and mixed seating.
And it’s perhaps one of the best features of the upstairs space that lets it down a touch. The high ceiling is decorative and gives the feeling of space and light, but it also makes the space loud, noisy and a peal of loud laughter from the other end of the room is enough to put a quite date-like conversation on hold.
The Food & Drink
The grill and the wood fired pizza oven (visible from the restaurant) are strong on the menu which means there’s plenty of meat – including a good range of aged beef.
But it’s not all meat heavy – there are plenty of salads and pasta dishes, and perhaps the biggest bargain on the menu is seafood – the mussels.
The drinks menu is pretty substantial, with 28 cocktails, and then a good range of wines, beers and softs.
We were also impressed when the bartender thought to check whether we wanted our drinks sweet, balanced or dry – although the use of syrups rather than fresh fruit was a little bit disappointing (although not uncommon).
The Verdict
I feel very mixed about Lost & Found. The food was great, I loved the nods to the past of the venue, with the typewriter in the stairwell, the arches, and that they’ve not detracted overly from the fabric of the building.
I loved watching the chef work with the pizza oven, and must admit I fell in love a little bit with the wine humidor. It was rather impressive, not just in size, but in contents.
But the decor feels a little carbon copy despite that, and the noise levels in the restaurant were uncomfortable for me (though I admit I’m a little sensitive on that scale).
Maybe I just need a second visit.
The Details
The Lost & Found, Old Town Hall, Princess Street, Knutsford WA16 6BY
knutsford@the-lostandfound.com
http://the-lostandfound.co.uk/knutsford