On our date night a while ago, Emily and I ventured to Salt Bar in Macclesfield to try something…read moredifferent (I work in Macc so it's not like it was a trip for both of us) On entering Salt Bar it's quite minimal and small but pleasant. To start we shared the Smörgåsbord which was a large crispbread covered with various things including mackerel, prawns, beetroot and apple salad, ham, meatball, pickled veg and probably a few other things I can't remember. It was all very good and an excellent start to the meal. For mains we decided to share lamb with red cabbage and potatoes, and venison meatballs with liquorice sauce and fries. Both dishes were very tasty and very rich, although I have to say the meatballs were my slight preference. After eating all this (it was a lot of food) I had to dig deep to find room but sure enough we both did and ordered a chocolate and ginger trifle to share. This was quite decadent but not too sweet which was perfect for the end of the meal. Upon getting home we both laid on the sofa feeling sorry for ourselves but very content at the same time. The meal came to about £60 I think which isn't bad, not cheap but not too expensive either. I would definitely recommend people try it if they're in the area.

After an evening that included several beers and a thorough exploration of Macclesfield, we'd…read moredefinitely worked up a hunger. I was a bit worried that it'd be pushing our luck trying to find a decent place to eat at 7.30pm on a Saturday night with no reservation, and when we were both utterly clueless about what was available. Turns out I was wrong, and The Salt Bar was exactly what we were looking for. An independent bistro offering Scandinavian cuisine, with a fairly meat and fish orientated menu. It was small enough to feel intimate and cosy, yet large enough to feel relaxed and have two spare seats available at the last minute. The waitress was super friendly when we inquired about not having a booking and gave us a seat in the window. I ordered Kåldomar, which is a beefy-porky-cabbage wrapped dish and my OH ordered what can only be described as a sort of meatball bruschetta e.g. on toast. Now, my other half is a fan of what is officially termed "A square meal" whereas I'm all for picky bits - this meal satisfied both of us by serving two hearty main dishes with a few additional swedish pickled veg and garnishes on the side of our plates, nothing excessive, (think Wagamama style, when the menu states you get a few pickles) but these were a welcome and tasty surprise! Both dishes were very tasty and the meatballs were so heavenly, that I felt that my meat in the Kåldomar was slightly dry in comparison, it didn't ruin my meal but I did get major meatball lust. We stuck to beer and other than Swedish Åbro lager and Rekordelig, drinks-wise they've interestingly chosen to support local breweries instead of opting for Scandiavian. Stocking a wide selection of pales, ales, bitters and stouts from both Wincle and RedWillow. If I were to make any recommendations, it'd be about the music, The Salt Bar had a fantastic atmosphere and the ONLY thing that didn't feel right was the music - generic mellow poppy chart tosh, pretty sure I heard Taylor Swift at one point *shudder*. Now I'm not suggesting that they have to be overly themed, but if they're promoting Scandinavian cuisine then why not slap on some Scandi artists? Bit of Lykke Li, Neneh Cherry, The Cardigans, Peter Bjorn and John... etc. Would have been much more in keeping with the vibe in my opinion.

IKEA, the huge Scandinavian chain selling ready-to-assemble furniture and housewares, in a…read morewarehouse-like space over a few levels with different sections. Thy sell items for living space, bedrooms, kitchens and almost everything else you would want for your home. It has everything you need for all your home furnishings. There are one or two IKEAS in each big city around the UK and the World. It is very reasonably priced and they are usually very up to date with everything they sell. They also have a cafe in each store which has very reasonably priced breakfast and scandinavian style foods. They also have the IKEA family card where you can get discount on Breakfasts,Complimentary Tea and Coffee and great benefits for this great company. The Ashton IKEA is very easy to get to with great motorway links and a direct tram from the city centre of Manchester.

Normally IKEA would be 5/5 as I love the showroom aspect to seeing what you're going to buy in a…read morereal world situation. Unfortunately I bought the IKEA poang chair and footstool only to find that upon unwrapping there was an incredibly pungent fishy smell!! Half a can of febreeze and two days later its still here!! Not happy. Apart from that I had a nice couple of hours there and picked up some bargains as well as having the Swedish meatballs in the cafe. Top tip: try the apple cider in the restaurant, it's beautiful! Or pick it up in the shop at the end if you're driving you won't regret it.

Retro Interiors'...is the kind of place where one can get lost on a rainy afternoon. There are…read morethings in there which take you flooding back to your teenage years, the flower power age and beyond. This place has all kinds of wierd and wonderful items that would make your home ideal from retro furniture, lamps picturs...hey there is even a Mummy in there Ha Ha. Now imagine that by your bed or in your front room when Granny comes for tea! Take a look at this place your sure to find something for yourself. ://http://www.bscollectablesandantiques.co.uk

Great shop they specialize in retro design and have some really fabulous retro furniture,they also…read morehave antiques art and modern design and loads of interesting nic nacs. stuff comes and go all the time you never know what you are going to see in their shop or on their website next. trouble is this shop is only open on Saturdays