Manicomio

I used Manicomio this year for our AGM and we were so pleased with our choice, we booked for 40 and everything went to plan, amazing service, amazing food and drink and what a great building. Our guests were from the US and EU and each one thanked us for a great meal.
Jason the manager looked after us from start to finish and every wish was catered for, I would recommend this for hiring our part or the whole building or just a dinner for two, the name Gutter Lane also gave us a giggle, but it is far from in the name it is based in! Go try it, you will be so pleased you did.
We had a bean and meat salad to start, black faced lamb for mains, and icecream and berries for dessert plus lots of wine which really complemented the meal.

As you approach the very square and sleek jet black building at the end of Gutter lane, you can't help but think what lies inside has got to be something special. After all, you have three attempts to enjoy the contents of the building with a ground floor brasserie, first floor main restuarant and top floor cocktail bar.

The occasion was a business lunch with a group of eight so impressions were important, including mine. Service started and ended with genuine smiles of chesire cat proportions from our waiter and his colleague who also pitched in and it's good to see good old upselling (especially the special of the day) being a golden rule here.

Food was remarkably well cooked and presented with a mix of authentic Italian influence and modern inspiration, which creates a rich synergy between both the architecture and food. The seabream tartare and array of fresh vegetables was a delightful starter and did an excellent job of wetting the appetite without quite over filling it. For the main I opted for the special of the day along with a fellow diner – cod with crushed potatoes and garlic parsley sauce, with some spinach thrown in for good measure. My initial worry was that the fillet though beautifully cooked, was slightly on the small side but after getting through a few tender and succulent morsels I realised it was just the right size (typical case of eyes being bigger than the stomach).

Though almost full to the brim it would have been a huge injustice to ignore the tempting dishes on the dessert menu – there is something… More

Great place for lunch, either downstairs in the bar area or, more formally, upstairs in te bright restaurant. There is also another floor above with a further bar where you can enjoy a few drinks or cocktails midday or evening. Really high quality Italian dishes and delicious cold cuts served in an appetising way. There is always a really lively atmosphere and teh service is generally very good.