News
Hello everyone,
I am just sending a very quick message to all our subscribers letting you know that on Monday there will be some for sale signs going up! The fishery is going back on the Market as my family have decided to retire and start enjoying the fruits of thier labour at long last! I am very happy about it because it means I get to see both my parents again over a glass of wine not over a stack of paperwork (although with the amount of holidays they are already booking, I may not end up seeing them at all!)
This however is in no way altering The Weird Fish. Just want our regulars to be confident of that as I think we all know what sort of overdrive the local gossip mills can go into given a juicy story like this!
However, the title of this email is slightly misleading! There is one big change. That is that in two weeks Ellie will be leaving us and moving onto pastures new in her real home, sommerset. I'm sure you will all miss her as much as we will and hope you can all make it for a toodaloo coffee before 18th July.
Much love
Gem n co
Gem n co
Date posted: 2010-07-04
Just a quickie to say thank you to all of you who attended our Sampling and Press night last Tuesday, it was a great success and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves on luckily what was a lovley summer's evening. We hope you all went away with some 'food for thought' and if there is anything you want to ask or any dates you want to check please feel free to get in otuch through the usual means.
All images of the night taken by the creative love Roger Moore (yes that is his real name!) are avaiable to view on our facbook page (link below)...have a look and see if you have made it into The Weird Fish archives!!
We have had a fantastic write up in both The Garstang Courier and The Longridge Post last week which was fab, I will be posting them to our facebook page so if you havn't read them yet have a look! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Weird-Fish-St-Michaels-on-Wyre/107130495975806#!
Also Jane at Flower Design in St Annes has been lovely and included us in this week's blog....take a look!!! http://flowerdesignstannes.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post_19.html
We are super busy at the moment with Outside Catering and Private Parties as well as our usual busy lunches and brunches and so we are looking for an extra pair of hands in our kitchen. If there is anyone you know of that would like to just make a bit of extra cash and is a fab cook please ask them to get in touch it would only be about 12-15 hours a week!! :)
In the meantime....COME ON ENGLAND I suppose!!? fingers crossed, we all need something to raise our spirits after the outcome of the budget...I never thought three letters would offend me so much V.A.T! :(
Lots of Love
Gem
Date posted: 2010-06-23
Just a quick one to get you all to have a look at an article on The Times website from earlier this week featuring our very own Lancaster based Coffee Suppliers, Sue & Ian Steel!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article7110826.ece
A brilliant write up for two well deserved local food heroes. If you havn't visited Sue and Ian's divine shop on China Street in Lancaster you HAVE to go. It is a total one off and I, along with Ellie, are so proud to have our own special Weird Fish blended coffee made by Ian's fair, (or not so fair after all that coffee bean handling), & accomplished hand. If you want to step back into nostalgic coffee lover's paradise get yourself down there now!!
It is a Bank Holiday so we are flat out but I shall be writing next week to update you on some altered service times and some exciting menu and kitchen developments for the summer months!!
Have a lovely & indulgent Sunday everyone, safe in the knowledge that the alarm clock will be staying quiet come 7am tomorrow!!!
Much Love
G & E
XX
Date posted: 2010-05-02
To Celebrate the arrival of spring and the sunnier weather we are now holding a Ladie's Lunch Club on a Friday. We should all spend more time with our girlie friends and this is the perfect excuse!
'Ladies that Lunch' is a weekly changing menu of a starter of soup followed by a delicious, yet healthy salad, accompanied with your choice of Red, White, Rose House Wine or a Sparkling Fruit Punch
Whether you are on your lunch break or have the whole afternoon to while away on the terrace at £12.00 per person it's an unmissable summer offer!
Date posted: 2010-04-16
Hi All,
Just a quick note to say our facebook page is up and running. There are loads of albumns on there of events and food and most importantly the construction of the Weird Fish! Which shows what and how we created everything!! My dog Murphy is star of the show being the very best worksite foreman you could get! So please add yourself as a friend of the Weird Fish and we will upload it constantly with interesting links, offers, pictures, everything for the food lover!
We also have a blog page to follow now which is posted on the website. I am not sure I am doing it right but hey ho, it's there anyway.
This weekend we are open right through as normal and 10am - 7pm on Bank Holiday Monday. We will be serving our Special Offer Sunday Roast on Sunday and Monday and just to remind any of you that have not dined with us on a Sunday before, this is 2 Courses £10.95 and 3 Courses £12.95. We will be serving this along with our usual menus and a cake cabinet stocked to the brim with traditional Easter treats all day. If you are planning on calling in for more than a coffee please do book as it is our busiest day on a normal weekend and we're only ickle!
There will be a chocolate fountain with Strawberry Skewers and Easter Colouring Competitions for children with homemade chocolatey treats as prizes!!
The new Spring Seasonal Menu will be on the website within minutes of this email dropping into your inbox so please feel free to have a look! The Peter Rabbit themed starter was my idea!! (I love Beatrix Potter!)
Hope to see you over the Easter Break!
Much Love
Gem
Date posted: 2010-03-30
Hello everyone.....as always I begin my newsletter with an apology of lateness! Anyone that knows me will know I have inherited my Mum’s gene of constantly running around with a million things on at once trying to be efficient but always, unfortunately, running late!
Well, as always lots has happened in our crazy Weird Fish world in the past calendar month. As you will have read in your update email we sent to you all at the end of February, we have changed our evening opening hours slightly to accommodate the ability to have a life!
I have to be honest and say it really is one of the best things I have ever decided to do. As I am sure you all know, sometimes something takes on a life of its own and you can not see the woods for the trees. It certainly was the case for me. Now we have a much easier working day we are enjoying our time at work so much more. So thank you to all our regulars for being so understanding and we are sorry to anyone that has missed out on a reservation on a Sunday-Wednesday evening.
I can thankfully say we seem to have at least our tip toes in Spring even if it has taken an age to reach us! (I think I shall remember this winter as my own personal ‘Winter of Discontent’, although it is not 1978 and the country is not on strike, I felt like declaring myself on one on some of the icier December mornings I have to say!) To greet Spring, in the most joyful of fashions, we are holding a Spring Wine Tasting Evening on Friday 26th March. This will take on a similar format as last year’s
Wine Tasting Evening, in which we pair up with Lakeland Vintners and bring you a selection of 6 wines and champagne to sample whilst enjoying a Sharing Platter of homemade breads, antipasti and scrummy nibbles. As with last year all wines sampled on the night are available at a discounted price to you to order at the end of the night by the case or by the bottle. Please do take a look at our Seasonal Menu page on the website to view the full menu.
As our secondary menu in the evening is the ‘Season’s’ Menu, it is also only proper that we represent this time of year of daffodils and lambing with a new ‘Spring’ Menu. This is being worked on as I type and will be up on the website within the next week or so. So look out for it and let us know your thoughts. I will send a note out when it is updated for you all to have a look!
Mother’s Day was a roaring success so thanks to all of you who chose to treat your mum with a visit to The Weird Fish!
Some sad news from me is that mine and my family’s dear friend Josephine passed away earlier this week after losing her very brave battle with Motor Neurone Disease. All the fund raising events we have held at the Weird Fish, the Halloween Hog Roast being the most recent, have been in support of The Motor Neurone Disease Association due to such a close friend suffering with the disease and so plans are underway as to what we are going to do next to raise money for what is, to me, now an even more poignant cause. Any ideas or support are, as always, welcome and we will keep you informed of anything we decide on.
You can now also follow The Weird Fish on our Twitter and Facebook pages to see what we are all up to and we are almost there with our website’s blog page, which, after speaking to a few blog addicts I know, I shall soon (apparently), be obsessively updating late at night about everything that is happening day to day in the world of Weird Fish!! I am saving all my pennies at the moment for my birthday trip to New York on 8th May so have very little social life and so I am actually scared that blogging is going to take over my life :? Speaking of New York, if anyone has any tips on some exquisite restaurants I could get booked now for my birthday meal then please let me know and you will save me the cost of the Zagat Guide I have my eye on! Skies the limit as my friend is paying!!! Heehee!!
We are also now also listed with Secretly Famous, a guide to special places in Lancashire to eat drink and sleep. All the places listed in Secretly Famous’ guide are the cream of the crop our county has to offer and we are proud to be set alongside them. (If you are out that way The Jumble Room in Grasmere is just my idea of heaven!!!) Have a look at our listing and offers to Secretly Famous Member’s on the website www.secretlyfamous.co.uk
Until Next Time!!!!
Happiness and Sunshine from Gemma & The Weird Fish!! 
Date posted: 2010-03-17
We hope you all enjoyed Valentines Day! We have finally confirmed a date for our eagerly awaited Wine Evening, it is Thursday 11th March and we are taking bookings now!
The menu is in a trio format and will consist of seven ‘taster’ courses, each complimented by a specially selected wine to compliment the flavours. The trio of quail is looking like my favourite at the moment, to decide on you favourite bit please feel free to view the menu which is on the Seasonal Menu page on the website now. At £39.00 per person including a wine to compliment each course we think you will agree it is value for money for what has proven to be a very successful event so please do book now to avoid disappointment!
The wines will be available to buy at the end of the evening at a special reduced price, so if your wine stocks are low and you would like to try before you buy and get a feel for what flavours to put with a bottle or two at home then you know where you have to be on the 11th March. If you’re struggling to decide on a present for mother’s day why not bring her to this special evening and treat her to a bottle of her favourite from the night?
Since this time last year we have seen the Venue Hire and the Events and Outside Catering branch of The Weird Fish really take off and we are getting more and more bookings for the 2010 party season. This combined with how busy we are at weekends has meant, as a team, we are all working a huge amount of hours, as I am sure you will agree, few places are open 12 hours a day seven days a week!! Therefore we have decided to reduce our opening hours slightly on the quieter evenings.
From Sunday to Wednesday we will be open from 10am as usual, however, we will close at 5pm and our opening times from Thursday to Saturday will remain 10am-Late.
If you have any questions or queries about organising an event with us or to make an evening booking Thursday through to Saturday, please feel free to give us a call or contact us through the booking page on the website.
From Corporate Lunches, on or off site to Geek Grills and Aussie BBQ’s, we cater for an array of different occasions to suit every taste and budget, so if you are looking to have a party but want to eat fresh, handmade food from your very own bespoke menu then the Weird Fish is the place for you!
We also have our Handmade Produce Selection available now for you to order from and collect with up to 48hours notice. So either email us for a full price list or ask next time you’re in.
The sun is shining and its nearly spring so I think everyone should be happy! We can’t wait to see you all very soon @ The Weird Fish!
Lots of Love
Gemma, Ellie & The Weird Fish Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date posted: 2010-02-17
February is upon us and we have a new A La Carte menu as well as our new Season’s Menu beginning now. Our new Seasons Menu will replace our Early Bird menu as a more substantial selection of dishes made up of the best locally sourced ingredients using the lowest available mileage to ensure that the ingredients are at their freshest while not costing the earth, whether it be your pocket or the environment!
These menus will be available from Monday to Thursday 6.00-7.30pm and will change just as the seasons do, with a bigger selection you won’t get bored and at £15.00 for two courses, midweek dining has never been such good value!
Once again Lee has surpassed himself with the spectacular creations available on this month’s
A La Carte Menu. From the Pepper Dusted Fillet with Blackstick’s Blue Sauce right down to the Iced Pear Parfait , I can’t actually decide which one is the winner yet!
With Valentines just 13 days away (Yes I’m counting) the big question is, have you booked yet? With the menu running over the Saturday & Sunday due to massive demand we are nearly fully booked already so if you’re not (or rather your other half hasn’t sorted it yet) get it done today! Just send us an enquiry and we’ll be sure to get back to you!
As for The Fat Duck, it was amazing, everything that I could’ve wished for! Thanks to Gem for abstaining from champers & driving while I got well & truly merry, it has to be said it was one of my favourite birthdays ever although for now I would like to forget the age!
Please see our twitter page theweirdfish for all the photos! We also are lacking in followers so we know you guys follow us on here so why not on twitter??
Due to popular demand our gift selection has been widened and replenished and is now bursting at the seams with little gifts perfect for your valentine, or maybe its just time to give that special friend a little pressie just to remind them how much they mean to you. Whatever the occasion I’m sure we have a special something to charm even the most grumpy mother-in law!
Did you realise that we are fully licensed? Even though we have been serving you good people for nearly two years now and a lot of people still don’t know that we are fully licensed to serve alcohol. So if you’re looking for somewhere cosy for a cheeky glass of wine after work but your local just doesn’t cut it, feel free to drop by as we have a great selection of Real Ales, Lagers and Wines from around the World and if you’re feeling naughty we also have a cocktail selection!
Our spirits selection includes no less than three types of cognac as well as a personal favourite Hendricks Gin and we serve it just how it should be, lots of ice & cucumber. So if you’re not in the mood for food but are gasping after a hard day, The Weird Fish is the perfect hideaway for a relaxing tipple!
So we look forward to seeing you all again soon!
Lots of Love from Gemma, Ellie & all @ The Weird Fishxx
Date posted: 2010-02-03
Happy New Year we hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and New Year.
At least for once we had a white Christmas although I think thats its time for the snow and ice to leave us alone!!! I've fallen over so many times I've lost count of the bruises on my bum!
So we are now well and truely into 2010 and we have brand new menus to tickle even the most frozen tastebuds!
We still have our amazing Early Bird Menu which is available Monday to Thursday 6.00pm-7.30pm, and to compliment i we have introduced a wine selection tavailable at just £9.00 a bottle!
What a bargain!
We have so many amazing new dishes that I'm hard pushed to find my favourite! Although it has to be said the Loin of Venison with Fig Toasts and Steamed Kale is spectacular!
So its nearly halfway through January already which means its only a month away from Valentines Day!!!!!
Our amazing 'Feast of Love' menu is available now on our seasonal menu page so take a look at our 6 course feast which is garunteed to get your other half hot under the collar!
It's only £39 per person for six courses and we are running this over Saturday 13th February & Sunday 14th February due to high demand so book now and show the one you love how much you care. You can book online or feel free to give us a call!
We are now live on Twitter so follow THEWEIRDFISH for all the up to the minute gossip!
Due to the huge success of our last wine evening we are currently in the process of arranging one for the end of February so we will keep you posted!
We also have a six month gourmet dining evening beginning soon which will consist of specific set menus each inspired by different countries and cultures so its in the pipeline and will be with you soon!
Finally, Gemma and myself will soon be making the pilgrimage down to the lovely village of Bray to visit Heston Blumenthal's restaurant, The Fat Duck. Purely for research reasons of course, so stay tuned for more Heston inspired dishes!
Look forward to seeing you all soon,
All the best for 2010!
Lots of Love
Gem, Ellie and The Weird Fish Team.
xx
Date posted: 2010-01-12
The festive season is finally upon us and for us the busiest month of the year!
As you all know from previous email updates, we have a lovely 4 course festive menu @ £16.95 served alongside our usual menus at lunch time and in the evening. This menu is available to view on the seasonal menu page on the website for those of you that have not perused it as yet. With lunch and evening tables we do now advise you to book your table in advance as this menu is proving very popular.
We close for the holidays at the end of our Christmas Eve Candlelit Supper. We will re open on Saturday 2nd January for business as usual with brand new seasonal menus and offers to beat the post Christmas blues!
For those of you that enjoy The Weird Fish’s selection of homemade cakes and desserts, we have some good news. Over the next few weeks our Christmas Pastry ‘Elf’, (Carole), will be burning the midnight oil and making our best selling cakes, desserts and breads for you to order and enjoy with your family and friends over the festive period. You could even put your pinny on, dust a bit of icing sugar over your cheeks and pretend you made the all yourself, we won’t tell!! If you would like a list of our festive produce then either drop us an email gemma@theweirdfish.co.uk or give us a call on 01995 679772.
Looking forward to 2010, we are very happy to be able to confirm the building work on the extension will be starting first week in March. We are hoping, if everything goes to plan, that this will be completed by the end of April, just in time for British summertime (feels like a lifetime away in the midst of all of this rain but I am sure it will come around as quickly as Christmas has seemed to this year).
Being our last email of 2009 all that is left to say is thank you for your business and support in 2009 and if we do not see you before, we hope you all have a very peaceful and happy Christmas and we will see you in 2010!
Merry Christmases, hugs and kisses
All @ The Weird Fish
Date posted: 2009-12-08
Firstly Ellie & I would like to say a massive thank you to all of our customers and suppliers that supported our Halloween Fundraising Event. We raised £350 for McMillan & MNDA so it was well worth the effort. Have a look on the gallery pages on our website to see photos from the night, wench costumes and all).
What with the organising of that and a busy month of parties etc at The Weird Fish we all just can not believe it is November already! But with the start of a new month come some new menus. We have a totally new A La Carte & Early Bird Menu to offer you in the evenings and some great updates to our Daytime Menu. My favourite being a Seafood Sharing Platter! As always these are available to view and download online.
Throughout November the Early Bird Menu is turning into a Dirty Stop Out and is going to be available alongside our A La Carte Menu Monday-Thursday right through the evening. Offering a bargain of 2 Courses for £10.00 and helping you all out with saving the Christmas pennies!
From the 23rd November the decorations will be going up, the fairy lights turning on and our Christmas Menu will be running alongside our Daytime and Evening Menus, offering you all seasonal alternatives to get you in the festive mood!
December is looking busy already so any bookings you want to make for our Christmas Menus need to be done soon to avoid disappointment! We will be ending our Festive Selection on 24th December with a lovely Candle lit Christmas Eve Supper. This again is already proving very popular so if this night is of interest to you please do check out the menus online and get the last few places before they go.
We are then battening down the hatches, knocking off the fairy lights and having a bit of indulgent time off for ourselves. We re-open for the evening only of New Year’s Eve to host a Champagne Laced Hogmanay Celebration. Again a very special menu has been devised for this event and is available to view on the Seasonal Menu Page on the Website.
As always, any queries regarding the above or for bookings just call the restaurant!
Look forward to seeing you all soon
Warmest Wishes
Gemma & Ellie
Date posted: 2009-11-06
Welcome to The Weird Fish’s October Newsletter and with only 12 weeks until Christmas! I know the general British consensus is to be miserable at this time of year with the nights drawing in and the days getting colder but I do love this time of year! The fresh, cool air just gives me a huge urge to walk the dogs at Brock Bottoms in a comfy jumper and think, with loaded anticipation, about all my favourite times of year that are just around the corner.
Starting with Halloween! This year we are holding a really special event on Saturday 31st October. In keeping with the origins of All Hallow’s Eve we are hosting a Candlelit Medieval Banquet complete with Hog Roast. Tickets for this event are £20.00 per person which includes a glass of Hot Spiced Cider on arrival, a three course Medieval Themed Banquet with Hog Roast and a ‘Trick or Treat’ Raffle Ticket. As some of you may know, Ellie and I are raising money for The Motor Neurone Disease Association and Macmillan Cancer Relief and so this night is designed to raise as much as we money as we can. £5.00 from every ticket will go to our charities so just by coming you are making a huge difference. We will even be dressing as serving wenches for the night! So if you have nothing else planned please do give us a call our drop us an email and we will sort out your tickets.
Next on the agenda is my favourite time of year, Christmas...YAY!!! Ok, so I am 26 and should probably not get as excited as I still do but the thought of all that scrummy food, snow and an excuse to be able to over indulge in every way just makes me giddy! This year nothing is scrummier than the menus our very talented and lovely head chef has put together for everyone. We have a traditional three course set menu with a contemporary twist available at lunch and in the evening from November 23rd through till Christmas Eve. This menu will run alongside our usual daytime menu and our A La Carte Menu in the evening so you will still have the choice “To Turkey or not to Turkey!” So, if you have a special person you want to catch up with for lunch or a big family you want to treat to a festive feast on a Saturday night, we are taking table bookings now and filling up fast so let us know and we will get your table reserved. (This Menu is available to view on the Seasonal Menu page on the website).
If you have something a bit bigger in mind, a Work’s Christmas Party or a Special Celebration, we also have some Fantastic Christmas Buffet Menus to suit everyone’s style and budget. These are complimented by a fabulous ‘Festive Cocktail Selection’, to get you in the spirit (get it!?). So if you have an event in mind and want to discuss menu options, or simply fancy having a look through our Christmas Venue Hire Pack please do drop us an email or give us a ring and we will be happy to send one out to you and go through the options!
This Christmas we are also holding two gourmet evenings. The first being a
‘Christmas Eve Family Supper.’ The Menu for this evening is just divine and is designed for the whole family to be able to have a really relaxed and cosy night together before the rush of the big day, (and to take the stress of Mum for the night!!). Last but certainly not least of our events is
New Year’s Eve. We will be starting off the Hogmanay celebrations with a glass of Champagne on arrival followed by an exquisite 5 Course Candlelit Dinner. This one is more for the grown ups, with an especially selected Champagne Cocktail & Wine List for the evening and a 24 hour licence, the party is going to go on until you do! As long as you don’t mind if we join in too!! Both of these evenings are reservations only and menus are available upon request.
Our Early Bird & a La Carte Menu will be changing in the next week so keep your eyes on the website for some new creations!! (I am going to miss the Strawberry and Pistachio Meringue Roll so much I think I may have to exert my power and keep it on the menu...or just get Lee to make one for me to take home every week!)
As usual thank you to all of you, our customers, for making our summer such a busy one and for all of your continued support with our fundraising etc. We look forward to seeing you in the coming month and hope you will be able to make at least one of our special events.
Love & Laughter
From All @ The Weird Fish
Date posted: 2009-10-02
Yes once again its time for our monthly newsletter!
First of all we’d like to welcome two new members to our kitchen team, Lee Cowell and Benjamin Reynolds! We are slowly expanding due to our confirmed extension plans at the end of this year, I hope you are as excited as we are!
September is upon us although last time I checked I could have sworn it was summer! Already the nights are getting darker and the days shorter and colder, sorry that sounds rather depressing indeed.....Anyway to cheer you up we have our new month’s menus beginning now and with September being an exceptionally fruitful month its been hard work for our head chef to choose the most tasty ingredients to create some of our most exciting menus yet! Please see our Menu page for more details.
As for our Early Bird Menu Lee has excelled himself once again in creating an amazing menu for the bargain price of £10.00 for two courses, my favourite choice would have be the Salmon & Mascarpone Mousse to start followed by the spectacular Wild Mushroom Linguine.
Already I’m getting excited about Christmas (don’t groan, get excited too) just take a look at our Weird Fish Winter Wonderland inspired menus and start organising your nearest and dearest to come and sample our festive delights! So we may not be able to promise you snow but with our log cabin exterior and a sprinkling of fairy lights I can assure you that even the biggest Scrooge will melt when they try one of our delicious Christmas Cocktails.
I cannot wait for you to see our very own snowflake fountain!!! Sparkling(Weird Fish secret ingredient) White Swiss Chocolate with handmade goodies such as gingerbread bites & candied orange segments to dip in. Being a grown up at Christmas has never been so fun!
So whether you’re looking for an intimate venue for a family meal or you are looking to hold the best works do ever then look no further than the Weird Fish’s very own Christmas angels who are there to make sure you enjoy Christmas as much as they do!
As usual we will not be charging venue hire so the restaurant will be at your party’s disposal for the entire evening, so if you want something more than a chilly function room and warm sparkling wine, with an over enthusiastic DJ named Nigel, who insists on playing Slade OVER & OVER again, then give me or Gemma a call and we will be happy to discuss your options further! We design each menu to fit your specific taste and budget so if you can’t live without Rudolph pie but can’t stand the traditional turkey then we will be able to adapt the menu to suit your party’s tastes.
As we are getting suitably busier and busier please book as soon as you can as we don’t want to disappoint! For all of you organising your works do if you book before October you will receive 10% off your final food bill, so get booking!!!!
On a final note Gemma and I are still to complete our bike ride across Vietnam in January, 400kms in 9 days, to be honest my training regime hasn’t really begun yet but it will soon, otherwise I don’t think my bum will ever forgive me! I think we’ve raised around £400 pounds so far just another £5600 to go. Thank you so much to all of you for the support you have shown us so far and watch this space as there will be fundraising events happening shortly! If you would like to donate please use the just giving link on the Charity page or we have a traditional donation jar by the till....anyway we will hopefully see you all soon please, please, please book as we are now getting so busy that we are having to turn people away and we hate to disappoint you!
Thanks again from Gemma, Ellie & all the staff at The Weird Fishxx
Date posted: 2009-09-03
Here we are with a very, very overdue July newsletter, so overdue in fact it is now August! We are sorry for not keeping all you regulars in The Weird Fish loop for so long but we have had so much going on it has been finding the time to get it all down!
July has been our busiest month yet. Every day of the week we are now full at lunchtime and have had a month of fully booked Friday and Saturday nights. So firstly, thank YOU for all of your support and custom. This constant need for more covers inside, (especially due to our not so gorgeous British Summer, deeming our beautiful terrace unsuitable), has at least solidified the plans for an extension. All is going ahead later this year, staying open as much as possible for you all whilst The Weird Fish grows. It is all very exciting and with many new features and aspects to the restaurant, not least a bigger kitchen which I am so excited about, (when in life do you get to the point that a bigger pot wash stacker gets you more excited than a raucous night out with the girls? – Answers on a postcard please!). You will all be kept up to date with details and developments to do with the extension and hopefully you will get as excited as we are about it!
On to the next bit of good news, after a long wait The Weird Fish has finally been accredited by ‘Taste Lancashire’. We received a glowing report and are now classed as Highest Quality Assured which is a real honour for me and my staff as the main criteria that must be met is the use of local produce, local suppliers and low food mileage. This is something that, since opening The Weird Fish 16 months ago, has always been a real passion of mine and an integral part to what my business and my family are about. We do use only local suppliers, supporting local businesses in everyway we can, sometimes it costs us a little more and sometimes they don’t have an item in until the next day, but the sustainability and support of the wonderful county we live in that is maintained by these close working relationships pays absolute dividends in the long run and this is why ‘Taste Lancashire’ is a very worthy organisation by recognising and supporting this. As soon as our official certificate is through it will be up on the wall and the link will be on our website’s homepage so you can click straight through and see how and when you can support Lancashire and its accredited eating establishments.
With a new season approaching we are now happy to say we have some new menus! Our new Early Bird menu is a lovely creation and is available to view on our website’s homepage. Our evening menu has also had a facelift. As we are becoming busier and busier it almost seems that the four walls of our already ‘cosy’ kitchen are becoming smaller and smaller! We currently have a huge evening menu for the size of the restaurant with a lot of different elements to all of the dishes. We make every single aspect from scratch, to order, fresh, daily and so it is getting to the point that we are selling it faster than we can make it, leaving our poor brigade in the kitchen on the back foot before they have even got started! Due to this and my insistence that dishes are seasonal and exciting we have decided to go with a 5/5/5 menu. This will change every three to four weeks and will run alongside a ‘Market Fresh’ Special’s Board that changes daily. This board is saved for dishes that are as the title suggests, special. Our suppliers are in keen daily contact with us and so, for example, when some fresh langoustines make surprise appearance at Fleetwood Dock in the morning, our fishmonger ensures they are on our board by that same evening! We will be keeping the nibbles and mezze selections as I think there would be a protest if we didn’t as they are so popular, (try one next time you are in if you have not had one yet, the smoked duck is extra special). Feel free to download these menus from the website or if you are in ask on of the girls for a copy to take home and I am sure you will be tempted to get a table booked asap!
Lastly but not leastly, for any of you that do not know, the lovely Ellie and I are undertaking a huge challenge in January 2010 when we will be flying off to Asia (padded pants firmly in hand) and cycling 400km from Vietnam to Cambodia to raise money for charity. This is all thanks to Steve and Anita Frew and Ann Robinson, three of The Weird Fish’s favourite and most persuasive customers! As a group individuals we will all raise money for our personally chosen charity. Ellie has chosen McMillan as her charity. I have chosen a slightly more obscure but no less worthy charity. I am raising money for The Motor Neurone Disease Association. Having a beautiful and wonderful family friend suffer with this horrendous disease for the last 19 months has given me motivation to raise as much awareness and money to help this charity help thousands of people in England effected by it every year. As soon as this mad busy summer period is out of the way Ellie and I WILL be organising lots of fundraising events designed to be lots of fun but will still need your support. Any ideas or involvement from you guys would be welcomed with open arms. For now I am including links to our chosen charities’ websites and also to my just giving page. We need donations NOW, so please, please, show you support for our poor bums.....I don’t think they know what they are in for do they?! An official link to our just giving pages will be on the homepage soon but for now here they are:
http://www.justgiving.com/gemma-smith7
www.macmillan.org.uk
www.mndassociation.org
So get donating, have a look at the new menus and watch this space, lots of updates on fundraisers, foodie events and building developments to come!
Hope to see you all soon down at The Fish of Weirdness!!
Lots of Love
Gemma and Ellie
Date posted: 2009-08-05
Hello Everyone! Just to let you know we are already getting busy for Fathers Day (THIS SUNDAY)so if you haven't booked already give us a call! Fathers Day Specials To Start:-French Onion Soup with Gruyere Cheese Croutons & Warm Homemade Bread. Melon Rose with Homemade Honey & Cassis Sorbet & Summer Fruits. Local Game Terrine with Red Cabbage & Strawberry Chutney set on Dressed Leaves with Homemade Granary Bread. For Mains: Roast Rib Eye of Honeywell’s Beef with a Thyme & Red Wine Sauce, Yorkshire Puddings, Roast Potatoes and Summer Vegetables. Poached Salmon Fillet with a Herb Crust on a bed of Creamed Leeks with a Sweet Tomato Coulis. Pan Fried Pork Tenderloin in a Sweet Sherry, Mushroom & Cream Sauce with Fondant Potato & Summer Vegetables. Dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce & Crème Anglaise. Fresh Summer Fruit Platter served with Pouring Cream. Creamed Rice Pudding with Summer Fruit Compote. These dishes will all be avaliable on our specials board from 12pm onwards. We look forward to making your Dad's day as special as he is to you. See you all on Sunday! The Weird Fish Team xx
Date posted: 2009-06-17
Now that we are well & truly into June and our British Summer it is time to let you all know about our special events and what The Weird Fish will be involved in over the coming months. To start things off we are going to be having a stall at the ' Lancashire We Love It' fair at Guy's Thatched Hamlet on Sunday 28th June. This is a fair celebrating the best in food, drink, crafts & services Lancashire and its leading businesses have to offer. Being that we are very proud of our great county and that we strive to use only local suppliers and local produce where possible, we felt this event was the perfect opportunity to showcase our new 'Weird Fish Deli Lines'. These will include our range of homemade condiments, our special homesmoked meats and some beautifull breads & pastries, we will be handing out free samples of these products all day. There are organised activities and competitions going on and lots of other brilliant local businesses down there so it would be well worth popping down for a nosy and give us all a bit of support too! Following this we have some really great events being held here at The Weird Fish. On Friday 3rd July we are teaming up with Vitality in Garstang to offer a 'Detox Day' package to you and a freind. Bookings are being taken from 11.00am through to 7pm and bookings are to be made in pairs. Tickets for the day are £15.00 per person and they include two complimentary therapies at Vitality followed by a three course meal at The Weird Fish. A great excuse to book a bit of 'me time' for you and your most neglected and or over worked friend! All menu details will be on the website in the next 48 hours and for any further info or to book just call or email us at the restaurant! Next in line is one for the girls...again! (sorry boys!) On Tuesday 7th July we are going to be having a 'girls night in'. We have teamed up with Virgin Vie and B Jewelled Handbags and Jewellery to hold a special night where the new Virgin Vie Homeware Range and Beauty Products will be available to purchase along with a stunning selection of bags and accessories. Tickets for this are only £5.00 per person and include a glass of wine and a selection of homemade nibbles, again, the menu for the evening will be on the website in the next 48 hours and so if you fancy having a bit of retail therapy and a chill out after work then just call in or ring the restaurant and we will send you a ticket! Last but certainly not least is our 'European Wine Tasting Evening' on Thursday 16th July. Throughout the night we will be showcasing an exquisite selecion of European Wines from Lakeland Vintner's impressive portfolio. Tickets for this evening are £19.95 per person and include a glass of bubbles on arrival, a divine sharing platter designed especially for the occasion comprising of Mediterranean antipasti & delicacies to compliment the various regions the wines are home to. In addition all wines you sample throughout the evening will be available to buy at a special price by the bottle or the case. With all of the events above further details and bookings are available at the restaurant so either call us, pop in or drop us an email and we will answer any queries you have! After that info overload all that is left to say is thank you very much for your continued support and custom at The Weird Fish and we hope to see you at at least one of our summery events over the coming months!
Date posted: 2009-06-10
Hello Everyone! Well, I am very happy to say the past month has been our busiest to date, although very tired and all lacking in any form of social life outside of St Michael's (!?), we are very happy to still be welcoming new customers as well as our favourite friendly faces!...So firstly a big thank you to all of you! We are a committed bunch down here so all of the extra hours are all made worth it when we see you all enjoying The Weird Fish! Now, just let me gloat for a little bit! I am proud to announce that our website has won an award! Yes, we have won 'Website of the Year' award from Visit Lancashire. We feel this is a fantastic achievement in under a year so please do make the most of it and have a look at our downloadable menu pages and any questions or bookings can be submitted via our enquiry page. Due to these busy times and hopefully more ahead we have realised we really are stretching ourselves to the limit and so we are currently searching for another chef to add to our team. We thought seeing as you are all out there we may as well ask. So, if any of you know of any lovely chefs looking for a new challenge in a growing business where homemade fresh dishes are paramount then please do ask them to get in touch! So, back to the most important thing. The Food! All of our menus have now been adapted for the summer (please don't blame us for cursing the weather!). Although it is rainy and cold you CAN still pretend you are in a sunny country by a) enjoying one of our divine gourmet salads and a glass of champagne and b).....sitting next to the radiator....(!???) We are making the most of Spring with some new dishes on our Evening Manu, including homegrown rhubarb and wild bass stuffed with spring herbs....yummy!!! The Weird Fish is becoming more and more popular as a party venue. We have a wedding reception BBQ and a very special Tea Party Christening coming up so if you want somewhere a little bit different and a little bit special to hold any event or to make use of our outside catering then just go on our award winning website (shameless...totally shameless) and fill out an enquiry form and we will send you a menu pack. Hope to see you all soon Love from Gemma & Ellie and everyone at The Weird Fish!
Date posted: 2009-05-15
Hello Everyone! Well, I am very happy to say the past month has been our busiest to date, although very tired and all lacking in any form of social life outside of St Michael's (!?), we are very happy to still be welcoming new customers as well as our favourite friendly faces!...So firstly a big thank you to all of you! We are a committed bunch down here so all of the extra hours are all made worth it when we see you all enjoying The Weird Fish! Now, just let me gloat for a little bit! I am proud to announce that our website has won an award! Yes, we have won 'Website of the Year' award from Visit Lancashire. We feel this is a fantastic achievement in under a year so please do make the most of it and have a look at our downloadable menu pages and any questions or bookings can be submitted via our enquiry page. Due to these busy times and hopefully more ahead we have realised we really are stretching ourselves to the limit and so we are currently searching for another chef to add to our team. We thought seeing as you are all out there we may as well ask. So, if any of you know of any lovely chefs looking for a new challenge in a growing business where homemade fresh dishes are paramount then please do ask them to get in touch! So, back to the most important thing. The Food! All of our menus have now been adapted for the summer (please don't blame us for cursing the weather!). Although it is rainy and cold you CAN still pretend you are in a sunny country by a) enjoying one of our divine gourmet salads and a glass of champagne and b).....sitting next to the radiator....(!???) We are making the most of Spring with some new dishes on our Evening Manu, including homegrown rhubarb and wild bass stuffed with spring herbs....yummy!!! The Weird Fish is becoming more and more popular as a party venue. We have a wedding reception BBQ and a very special Tea Party Christening coming up so if you want somewhere a little bit different and a little bit special to hold any event or to make use of our outside catering then just go on our award winning website (shameless...totally shameless) and fill out an enquiry form and we will send you a menu pack. Hope to see you all soon Love from Gemma & Ellie and everyone at The Weird Fish!
Date posted: 2009-05-15
Well, with our birthday weekend out of the way, which was a massive success (thank you sunshine!!) we are now concerntrating on our menus. We want to embrace this lovely warmer waether, lighter nights and the fresh season with some lighter dishes being served throughout the daytime and evening. Our daytime menu will now have a scrumptious gourmet salad section (some of them not totally fat free but it's the thought that counts!)and we are adding some divine, fresh dishes to our evening menu. As well as this our Early Bird menu is being updated to contain more credit crunch freindly summery dishes....the puddings are the best bit! All of these changes will have been made by the end of next week. We are also in the process of organising some really exciting summery events at The Weird Fish in conjunction with other carefully selcted businesses and we shall be emailing you all about them as soon as the finishing touches are made. See you soon!
Date posted: 2009-04-17
We are only a few weeks off Easter and our First Birthday! So, to celebrate making it through our first year with great success and the fact that there is a big excuse to eat lots of chocolate we are having two very special days over the easter weekend. Good Friday is all about Seasonal Produce and Spring Dishes and we have created an inspired menu with some really fun easter twists! Please see our Seasonal Menu page for full the menu. This will be served from 6pm onwards. On Easter Sunday we are going to be having a BBQ all day long on the heated terrace. This will have lots of homemade, child friendly, burgers, sauages, Handcut Chips as well as some really yummy bits for adults, 'Jerk Ribs' and crispy BBQ duck wih homemade Tortilla wraps and plum sauce are to name but a few. We will also have a Chocolate Fountain with pick and mix skewers of homemade fudge, strawberries, marshmallows and lots of other scrummy things....We will be having an easter colouring competition all weekend and easter quiz for the kids with some great easter egg prizes! To get any details or for bookings please either call the restaurant, email or just use our handy booking page and we will email back confirmation We look forward to seeing you at our Birthday Party!!!!
Date posted: 2009-03-26
Next Tuesday is St Patrick's day and we are celebrating a day of guinness with a special menu dedicated to all things Irish!! As with our Pancake Day Menu, this will run along side our regular daytime menu so if you just fancy a sandwich and some chips this is still fine! Here are some of our Irish inspired treats: Shamrock Soup with Warm Crusty Bread, Irish Stew with Homemade Soda Bread, Clapshot & Mixed Salad, Steak and Guiness Pie and a very cute mini guiness shot of dark and white chocolate moose with a Shamrock Shortbread!! Guiness will be served all day so come and have a Lucky Tuesday with us!!!!
Date posted: 2009-03-11
Our 'Yummy Mummy' Menu for Mothering Sunday is now uploaded in full on our Seasonal Menu page. It is a divine 4 Course Meal with a box of Weird Fish Homemade Chocolates for every yummy mummy! (Anyone that dined with us on Valentines Evening will know how good the homemade dipped fudge is!!) Please feel free to print off your own copy of the menu to show to mum and make sure you book well in advance as we are already getting busy! The good thing is that we are serving our menu from 12 noon right through to 9.30pm so you can dine at anytime you wish! As with Valentine's Day we have an inspirational local florist invloved who is taking orders for delicate spring posies to be personalised & waiting at the table for your Mummy....No naff gifts and gimicks...just Yummy Food, Cosy Atmosphere, Esquisite Homemade Chocolates & Beautiful Flowers...taking all the stress out of the day for you and treating you mum to a really special Sunday!
Date posted: 2009-03-11
This coming Tuesday, 24th February, we are celebrating Shrove Tuesday by serving a yummy selection of savoury and sweet pancakes all day long from noon till night (we love panckes!) A few examples are a continental meats & cheese savoury crepe and my favourite....a blueberry and kirsch pancake with clotted cream!!! As these are really a bit more for the adults we are also going to serve plain pancakes with cane sugar and lemon juice with a choice of strawberry jam, nutella, ice cream and golden syrup and anything else you can think up!! Come and relive your childhood and embrace the joy of pancake!!!! :)
Date posted: 2009-02-22
Our Valentine's Indulgence Menu is complete and we are now taking bookings for the the most romantic evening of the year! A 5 Course Indulgence menu full of aphrodisiacs to treat your loved one to in our very intimate and cosy little restaurant. We have also sourced the talents of a local freelance florist and can offer a reduced price on a suprise red rose bouquet and baby Laurent Perrier bottle package for the ladies! Please just mention this when booking. With a lovely selection of sparkling wines and champagnes, an indivdual menu and romantic candlelit setting, The Weird Fish is the best Valentine's spot around! Please see the Seasonal Menu section on the website for full menu descriptions As a footnote we have also developed new and exciting dishes for the lunchtime and evening menus ensuring there is a wide choice for everyone and after much request tapas is now available all day!! Again all changes are on our website!
Date posted: 2009-02-04
Happy 2009 to everyone!! We are back to it at The Weird Fish after a lovely Christmas Break. We hope all of you had as good a time as us! Right well, News!.... As some of you may know we began hiring The Weird Fish out for functions in late 2008 and subsequently have had bookings for venue hire and outside catering every Saturday throughout January...this has been lots of fun for us and we are as pleased as our customers with the feedback we are receiving. In light of this we are currently putting together an Outside Catering and Venue Hire Package for customers. This will show all the different buffet formatts avaiable, the different outside catering options and pricing breakdowns. As explained in the package, however big or small the occasion or indeed your budget, we can cater to your needs and tailor a menu around exactly what food and drink YOU love....Our minature selection has proved extreamly popular, Miniature Sandhams Chedder Cheeseburgers, miniature fish and chip pots to name but a few....Any enquires regarding venue hire or outside catering can be made through the website, over the phone or simply pop in and see Gemma or Ellie. With a New Year comes new menus and so as the Chefs get thier thinking hats on we have a few menu adjustments to keep you all going....Roast Butternut Squash & Blue Cheese Risotto being my very favourite ..please look at the menu pages for these changes. Further changes are being made every week, adding new seasonal favourites to our repertoire.....Lancashire Lamb Hot Pot with soused vegetables coming soon!!! We look forward to seeing you all in 2009!!!!
Date posted: 2009-01-05
As ever your comments are important to us so here are some of our customers favourite bits from December 2008:- "Fantastic food, have told lots of people in both Singleton, Scorton and Forton about your lovely home produced, fresh, healthy food and also excellent Navajas-Rioja (our favourite) Thanks A lovely surprise! Lived up to expectations, good choice of Sunday papers and delightful toilets. First time for us and didn't know what to expect. Really pleasantly surprised. Lovely atmosphere, great decor and excellent food. Love to come back again! P.S. Excellent Service. Excellent as always...love the Christmas Decorations! This is our second time here, first time was a recommendation. We love it and will definately come back. Excellent service and ambience. The parfait dessert was divine!!! Many Thanks Will Recommend
Date posted: 2008-12-17
