And now for something completely different.
You can tell by its name that this Colne Valley restaurant is like no other ... and that certainly proved to be the case.
Om Is Where The Heart Is nestles close to the centre of Slaithwaite and mixes a coffee bar with a yoga studio.
The yoga sounds promising – apparently they’ll even suspend you from the ceiling – and they also offers adult yoga and pilates along with classes designed for children aged four to 11.
We were too late for the yoga class so decided to try out the food instead.
Although it is only open for food from 10am to 4pm and then transforms itself into a bar, much of the food you’d find on any evening restaurant menu.
It’s the brainchild of owners Ellie Senior and Alex Litu who are getting married today so the business will be closed this weekend and reopen on Monday.
First up, the restaurant itself is somewhat small and bijou – in fact far more space is given over to the yoga.
The restaurant has gone retro with old style lightbulbs – ancient is the new modern – and heavy duty wooden seats which range from bar stools and high tables down to a couple of typical tables and two comfy chairs right in the window. They are the ultimate window seats.
The menu is certainly one on its own, sending eyebrows going up and down like a fiddlers’ elbow.
Try this one for instance, the Beetroot Burger featuring, unsurprisingly, beetroot, mushroom and black bean patty.
Or Cajun Eggs Benny, two perfectly poached free range eggs sitting on a secret recipe cajun fried chicken breast, a thin spread of tomato and pepper paste on fresh sourdough, topped off with homemade avodaise (an Avocado Hollandaise) and a light dusting of cajun spices.
Yes, it’s an eating place that dares to be different in its quest is to put your tastebuds to the test.
With it being lunchtime and I’d got the grass to mow we didn’t want to go overboard.
So I went for the New Orleans Jambalaya (£8.95), a bowl of chicken, shrimp, chorizo, peppers, rice and tomatoes all jambaled together with a cajun kick.
To be honest the dish doesn’t look much when it arrives but it’s jampacked with flavour – this is how to make rice sing out loud – and the cajun spice ratcheted the whole taste up.
Wife Ruth, who certainly wouldn’t be mowing the lawn, went a little less light with the Dirty Meat Burger (£10.50), homemade beef patty topped with Jim Beam Bourbon barbecue beef brisket, bacon and smoked cheese served on a brioche bun. It’s a mouthful to say and took two mouths to demolish – I kindly helped her out. All heart, me, you see.
Now this is a meat lover’s dream. Brisket? Not had that since I was a nipper – one of those meats I put alongside tongue beloved by the older generation.
Many a time I’ve heard old ladies ask for “a nice slice of tongue” when asked what sandwich they’d like. Never cared for it myself but then again I’m no old lady.
Well this brisket – similar in texture to pulled pork – topped off what was a tremendous, fully flavoured burger that will more than give the posh burger bars springing up around these parts a run for their money.
You get two side dishes with this from the menu and we had sweet potato and red onion bhaji, a mix of grated sweet potato and finely sliced red onions, garlic and coriander. We’ve had more than our fair share of onion bhajis in our time and these were right up there with the best.
Our other side was huge pea pods which you had to pop – the skins were too tough to devour.
We pushed the boat out with sweet potato fries (£2.95), quite simply the best we’ve ever had and show just how rubbish most chips are in your high street fast food places. These were crisp, delicate and absolutely impossible not to leave alone. Every one vanished.
Only then did we spot the specials bar – and you’ve got to read this one to believe it. They do the Elvis Burger (£12.50), double smoked maple bacon, caramelised pickles, jalepenos, smoked cheese and peanut butter along with two side dishes.
Polish that lot off and you’d need to do yoga ... for a week.
Great touch that you pay £2.50 for a coke and can have as many refills as you want.
As for the lawn after all this? Well, perhaps sometimes you can put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Om Is Where The Heart Is
23a Carr Lane, Slaithwaite HD7 5AG
Phone: 01484 845050
Website: www.omiswheretheheartis.co.uk
Opening hours: Food served everyday 10am-4pm every day seven days a week. Bar open until 10pm Sunday-Thursday, 11pm Friday and Saturday.
Children: Yes
Disabled access: Yes and a disabled toilet.
The bill: £27.40
Would you go back? Certainly, for such an intriguing menu.
