I was genuinely disappointed when I heard that Mangiare over at Ely Leisure Park had closed down. Ely has always lacked an authentic Italian spot and it felt like a huge win for the local food scene when it first opened. So when the news broke that it was being replaced by a new spot called Grain, offering “British classics” and “Global influence”, my initial reaction was a bit indifferent.

However, after taking a step back and giving it some proper consideration, I realised that simple British classics are actually getting quite rare to find these days. A lot of British cuisine is mostly served to a rather rudimentary standard at generic chain pubs or the occasional high-end gastro pubs, so I was excited to see how they were going to make these dishes stand out here – especially given the “global influence” side of their menu. If they could execute these iconic British dishes in a special way, this could be something truly exceptional.

The Restaurant

Stepping inside, anyone who visited Mangiare won’t notice much of a change layout-wise. The space is bright, stylish, spacious, and comfortable, with large glass windows letting in plenty of light. It gave off a smarter version of a Frankie & Benny’s – a casual, familiar leisure park diner setup. Booths are available and the restaurant is large enough to cater for any number of tables.

Modern British – Global influence

Looking through the menu, I saw many of the British classics you would expect – sausage and mash, pie and mash, and fish and chips. True to the “global influence” side of things, there are also steaks, burgers, and wood-fired pizzas, compiling into a wide mix that caters to pretty much everyone.

Even though the menu is technically global, I was expecting something a little more…well, exotic. In fact, it was starting to feel more like a generic chain menu rather than something specialist. “British classics” and “global influence” felt like clever marketing speak for a generic menu you would see at most other places. I couldn’t help but notice there is a lot of overlap with its next-door neighbours, the Greene King pub The Isle of Ely and Arbuckles, both offering many similar dishes (burgers, steaks, salad, ribs, etc). Prices are roughly the same too, with some items only slightly higher or lower depending on what you look at, suggesting the quality is likely going to be in a similar ballpark

The menu is quite extensive and prices seem about standard for the area, but I was glad to see a small plates section. Items hover around the £7.50 mark, with a 3 for £20 deal giving you the potential for a bit of a saving. It was also great to see children options.

The Food

Full Rack of Ribs

After mulling over the menu, I decided to go for the rack of ribs. This was the most exciting and unusual dish on the menu, with ribs not being very common in Ely (despite the fact you can get them next door at Arbuckles). The ribs are available in both a half rack or full rack option and came with a delicious coleslaw and some crispy and light the thin-cut chips.

Are the ribs going to match your hardcore American-style Hickory smoked ribs? No, but they certainly did the job. While the meat didn’t slide clean off the bone, it was plenty tender, and the glaze brought a lovely sticky sweetness to every bite. I was told that the chef had tested three different sauces before choosing this one for their menu. I would definitely order them again but I couldn’t help but think about the ribs at Arbuckles, with two different glaze options and the option to order a double rack ribs (with a 50% saving on the second rack).

The Chicken Burger

My wife opted for the chicken burger. When it first hit the table, it looked fantastic by eye, topped with a burger bun that had a lovely, deep tanned-brown colour. with seeds on the top. It didn’t take long for the burger to fall to pieces half way through, meaning she had to finish it off with a knife and fork. She found the bun rather bland but the chicken had a lovely, thin, crispy skin that carried a nice flavour.

More to explore

Grain offers something for everyone, with a varied crowd pleasing menu that is ideal for families at the leisure centre. With that said, the leisure centre already has a pub/restaurant that provides many of the dishes already. With only a limited number of restaurants available at the centre it feels like perhaps something a little different would have been better for choice. Grain Kitchen & Bar definitely offers a more relaxed and stylish restaurant without the excessive noise from Sky Sports and fruit machines like The Isle Of Ely, so there is perhaps a different target audience there.

Grain Kitchen & Bar is not going to blow you away with high-end culinary fireworks or offer you anything new or exciting but I would love to drop back in to explore more of the menu and see how they execute the rest of their dishes across the board – particularly the small plates menu and pizza. Come here if you want a relaxed, easy-going spot that works brilliant for families.

Thanks for reading!