CityLife

Mont Blanc

By Paul Ogden

1 / 1 imagesMont Blanc

Mont Blanc
Trafford
January 2010

Overall: 3/5

IT seemed a little strange to be visiting the Chill Factore snowcentre when it was colder outside than on the slope.

But at this time of year your inner skier needs to be released and a couple of weeks ago, despite two feet of snow, I decided the local park was not the place to get in some pre-piste practice.

So it was off to the busiest motorway junction in Christendom and the indoor ski slope.

Chill Factore may not be cheap but it is a great experience and a real asset to the sporting mix of the region.

It is the home of the British Ski And Snowboard Federation which is sending 13 athletes to the Winter Games in Vancouver in a couple of weeks’ time.

Great for snowsport then, but what of the food?

You can visit Nando’s or Chiquito if you must, but to get a little sense of traditional apres ski fodder, head to their Mont Blanc eaterie upstairs.

Authentic

It is similar to the big carb refuelling spots you get on all European mountains – but with waitress service (though ours was rather slow).

You can also get a view of the slope and the painted mountain backdrop if you pick the right table.

Pre-booked groups and parties can eat in the former Eiger restaurant – it has now closed and you eat from Mont Blanc’s menu – which has a great Swiss chalet feel with blond wood and an open fire.

Among Mont Blanc’s usual café staples (pizza £8 to £10, soup and a sandwich £5.50) you find cheese fondue (£6 as a main course or £4.50 as a starter – for two).

It came in an authentic pot with a flaming burner beneath to keep the Emmental cheese sauce warm and melty.

It wasn’t A1 but was as good as the one I had in a ski resort restaurant in Switzerland last year – and about a quarter of the price. The starter was big enough for my family of four to have a dip into and we were given a free bowl of toasted bread when we needed it to scoop up the remnants.

I followed that with Austrian speck rosti (£6.95) – which was a bit thin but tasty enough – and came with two slices of bacon and two eggs. Refuelling indeed.

Over the table, the chargrilled chicken fillet burger (£6.95) in a bun was far too dry. The children had a good value £4.75 meal deal, which consisted of a drink, main (a decent handmade 3oz beef burger) and good value pancakes with a sweet sauce for dessert.

Mont Blanc, Chill Factore, Trafford Way, Trafford, M41 7JA (0161 749 2222, chillfactore.com).

Reviewed: Fri, 29 January, 2010

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