Match of the week
Runaway American Brown Ale and chicken poutine
Last week I was in Manchester for lunch at the new Hawksmoor, a restaurant I can hardly review given it’s one of my son Will’s.
However I think I can fairly point out that the outrageously good chicken poutine barm in the bar (which you can also order in the restaurant) is the perfect match for local Runaway Brewery’s American brown ale.
Poutine, for those of you who are not familiar with it, is a Canadian fast food dish of chips with cheese curds and gravy. What the kitchen’s done here is replace the curds with pulled chicken - and crisp shards of chicken skin - add an egg and stuff the lot into a soft bread roll or barm as it’s known locally in Manchester. It comes with a jug of gravy on the side which is the element that makes the brown ale pairing work so well.
Sound filthy? It is but it’s soooo good!
Runaway is a new Manchester brewery and also makes a cracking smoked porter I’m told. There's a list of the other places you can buy or drink it on their website.
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