Vermilion & Cinnabar

Three floors of unabashed oriental opulence not far from the City of Manchester Stadium, this dramatic venue is part restaurant, part cocktail bar – an OTT, film-set bonanza of pearl curtains, maroon walls, black lacquered floors & copper-varnished ceilings. The kitchen pitches camp in Thailand, but also makes expeditions to other parts of the Far East for Japanese sushi & tempura, Punjabi tandooris, regional curries & the odd fusion crossover. Grilled Bengali tiger prawns with green papaya salad is a signature dish, likewise rare beef salad with grapes, chilli & mint, & a take on black cod marinated in soya bean paste & rice wine. Veggies also do well here, with anything from samosas & aloo tikki to pad thai jay (stir-fried rice noodles with tofu & tamarind sauce). Cinnabar’s sexy cocktail list is full of eastern promise, & its clubby thrills extend to Euro/Asian beats & private ‘cocoon beds’.