" OCA is a contemporary restaurant specialising in traditional and gourmet pizzas, and other Mediterranean foods.
Husband and wife team Jane and Gavin Gosnell gambled when leaving top managerial positions at two of Manchester's finest and trendy establishments, The Lowry and The Living Room to open OCA, but all has been rewarded in their successful creation in what is undoubtedly Sale's and the surrounding area's hottest venue. And judging by the large crowd of bright young things gathered at the restaurant on the night I visited, it seems they may have got what they wanted.
But thankfully OCA is anything but. It is a modern restaurant, with plenty of light giving it an airy, spacious feel. The design is simple, uncluttered, and contemporary, and thanks to a whole side of wall length windows, makes the most of the view over the Waterside backdrop.
But because the dining room is so large and open the effect on arrival was not a sense of overcrowding but rather that this was a restaurant with a buzz about it. The bright young things all seemed to be having a good time.
As it was so busy we had to wait in the bar area for about 25 minutes.
Only groups of over seven people can book ahead. But once we sat down though the service was excellent.
I began with a lovely and fresh buffalo mozzarella while my companion had OCA baked mushrooms, which were extremely tasty.
For the next course, I tried an OCA Nicoise salad, which again was fresh if a little dry.
My companion had a piping hot lasagne, which looked very meaty.
We accompanied this with an excellent house red wine, and finished it all off with a delicious cheese cake shared between us. It all came to a little over £40, exceptional value for so much good food.
But the real selling point of OCA is its trendy design, impressive setting, and bustling ambience. Sitting at my table, I could have almost imagined I was a bright young thing myself. "
The Dinner Detective - http://www.metronews.co.uk/
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