The Salt Bar, Macclesfield

It's not very often that I get so excited about a restaurant but I literally could not wait to blog about my recent visit to The Salt Bar in Macclesfield. I believe I have found a real gem and Coeliac food heaven which I hope to visit time and time again. Friends and family are probably sick of hearing me rave about this place but if you visit it yourself you will find out what I mean.

Happy Birthday to me!

I heard about The Salt Bar on Twitter about 2 weeks ago and I instantly knew this was where I was going for my birthday meal. The restaurant specialises in Scandinavian food and drink which is a cuisine I've always wanted to try and one you just can't get anywhere else in my local area. The best part - about 75% of their menu is GLUTEN-FREE! They have recently changed dishes on the menu that previously contained breadcrumbs and now use polenta instead. This is amazing news for Coeliacs like me!

What I like about the menu is that it's fairly small but they've obviously worked really hard on perfecting each dish. I found there was still a great selection of dishes to choose from and I actually found it quite difficult to decide what to have - even more reason to go back and try something different! You know you are getting authentic Scandinavian food because it's all cooked by their Swedish chef, Anders.

I was pleased to see that the restaurant was busy which is great especially as they have only been open for about 5 weeks. I can see this place going from strength to strength as more and more people find out about it and spread the word.

What did I have?

To start I went for the leek and potato soup, gluten-free of course. Sadly there isn't gluten-free bread yet but our waiter told us that this is something they hope to introduce once they have established themselves. To be honest though, the soup was so lovely and creamy that I didn't really miss having bread. I could eat a bowl of this soup on its own any day of the week. Delicious!

For my main course I had Swedish meatballs in a cream sauce with fries but you could choose mash as an alternative. The meatballs were absolutely fantastic, like nothing I've ever tasted before, cooked to perfection and so full of flavour. I can't explain how amazing they were you will just have to go and try them for yourself.

My husband went for the Swedish burger with onion sauce and pickles and a side of fries. I was delighted to discover that this was also gluten-free and is something I would love to try next time I visit. Surprisingly this burger didn't have a bun but had an extra burger instead. Meat eaters you will love this.

I was pretty much stuffed at this point but there was no way I was leaving without trying dessert, especially as there was a gluten-free chocolate mousse on the menu! I had assumed this would be a small light mousse but I was so very wrong. It was luxurious, velvety, and rich with swirls of white chocolate. It came served in a cute little jar with a lid - top marks for the presentation.

So yummy

Stick a fork in me, I was done! I can honestly say that this was the most perfect meal out I have ever had - even pre-Coeliac - I just can not fault this place.

The Salt Bar is like a breath of fresh air in an area which is crying out for more Coeliac-friendly places to eat - and just 12 miles from Leek (I actually work in Macclesfield so it's even closer on a work night) it's perfect. Next time I get frustrated by the lack of gluten-free places to eat in Leek and Stoke-on-Trent I'm heading to Macclesfield. I highly recommend The Salt Bar for a sophisticated dining experience, something unique and quirky, in a small intimate setting with amazing Scandinavian food. Definitely book a table though as I can see them becoming VERY busy over the coming weeks and months.

You can follow The Salt Bar on Twitter @thesaltbar or find them on Facebook.