Mark Birchall Launches The Barn at Moor Hall
Chef/patron Mark Birchall launched Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms in Aughton, near Ormskirk, in spring 2017 and capped a phenomenal first six months with the award of a Michelin star in October. He’s now unveiled a second dining room – The Barn - featuring an informal 65-seat dining room on the first floor in the converted building adjacent to the main manor house. The interior design features original beams and rustic brickwork, with an open kitchen and integral bar.
Over the next few months, the ground floor will include a small dairy, bakery, meat-aging and curing room and a mini brewery – these facilities, along with the extensive gardens at Moor Hall, will make the food operation increasingly self-sufficient and sustainable. Mark and his kitchen brigade do also source ingredients from local farmers for much of their menus, in both The Dining Room and The Barn. Collaborating with Mark Birchall will be The Barn’s Head Chef, Aaron Harris, who was previously at Sixty One Restaurant in London.
At lunch, The Barn offers a three-course set menu at £23 (or two courses at £19), while at dinner there will be a more extensive a la carte menu. Typical dishes include Baked scallop, leek and potato; Mushroom risotto with marrow and crispy chicken wing; Goosnargh chicken with celeriac purée, grilled gem lettuce, grains and cheese; and Herdwick lamb, broccoli, whey onions and anchovy; to 35-day Aged rib eye steak; Chocolate délice with almond and bitter orange; and Carrot cake with salted caramel, walnut and gingerbread ice cream. Starters are priced from £6-£13, main courses £12-£33, and desserts at £7. The 50-bin international wine list features 15 by the glass (from £4), with bottles from £20. There’s also a good choice of cocktails and a range of craft beer.
