Spooky Season at Spitroast Crosby

There's no denying that I enjoy these autumnal months the best. Aside from living in perpetual darkness, the sight of the leaves crisping up and turning 50 shades of red and then stomping through them like a 4 year old is the ultimate chicken-soup-for-the-soul activity. I like being able to see my own breath when I get up in the mornings. I like being able to wear pyjamas made entirely of fluff and I like lighting enough candles around my bath to look like I'm trying to have a séance with 'the other side'. That's not even to mention the food.

Spitroast Crosby (There's one on Smithdown and in Ormskirk, too!)

I'm sure you're all well aware right now that I often visit and fully recommend Spitroast Kitchen. It's reasonably priced, it's pretty healthy (depending on your order) and yes- all the chicken is cooked right in the flames on a spitroast...that's probably why it tastes so good. 

As a creature of habit I am guilty of ordering the same exact thing each time I visit: half a chicken, chilli and garlic greens and sweet potato fries. Whilst I still maintain that it's a winning combo, the folks at Spitroast invited me in this time to try something different and see what I thought of the new 'Spooky Specials'. Unsurprisingly we got on very well indeed.

Spooky Specials Menu at Spitroast Crosby

The seasonal menu starts as all great weeknights do- with cocktails. The blackberry and plum margarita is sharp and sour and is just the antidote I need to get me through a miserable Thursday night. The gingerbread daquiri with cinnamon sugar tastes of pure Christmas in a glass. Both are a little strong though so drink them fast at your own peril.

Autumnal Cocktails

We share the Spitroast hummus for starters which may be simple but is always excellent. The main course however is the star of the menu. Roast pumpkin, chicken and chorizo linguini comes with soft courgettes, a mountain of salty parmesan shavings and a whole chicken breast: skin on. Say what you will about health but the skin is the best part of the chicken in my eyes.

Hummus, toasted pita and pomegranate

Not just chicken- seasonal pasta at Spitroast Kitchen

Of course if seasonal ain't your style the regular menu is still as good as ever and even has a few new arrivals of it's own. The new sweet and sour sauce, for example,  might have even managed to beat the sticky soy to the top spot of glazes and I spied some incredible sounding wontons in amongst the starters.

Sticky wings...'soy' delicious.

Sweet n sour drumsticks- the new kid on the block

Dessert is about as autumnal as it comes. Sweet arancini (deep fried rice balls) come with a tangy apple,  toffee sauce and ice cream. 

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Of course the bittersweet thing about autumn is that it doesn't last long so if you want to get your mittens on the seasonal specials at Spitroast Kitchen you better get your skates on.

Happy Halloween! x

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This meal was kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review but as always all words, thoughts, pictures and bad jokes are 100% my own.

A week shopping at Jack's (ad)

I make no secret of the fact that I try and spend as little on my food shop as possible, purely because that means I have more of my wages left for eating out at the end of the month and it astounds me how much it adds up when you're 'popping in for bits' multiple times a week (guilty).

With that in mind I was a wee bit excited when the people from Jack's supermarkets got in touch and asked if I'd like to have a go of shopping there for a week instead of my usual won't-name-it-European-shop that is conveniently located right by my house. Aldi. It's Aldi.