MANCHESTER HOUSE CLOSED PERMANENTLY IN 2019
Following Aiden Byrne’s departure, Nathaniel Tofan (his long-term deputy) has taken over as head chef at Living Ventures’ city-centre flagship, which combines a thrilling industrial-lite restaurant with an über-glamorous bar/lounge – located 10 floors apart in a reconfigured office block. The menus are enticing, from a great-value set lunch to multi-course tasting extravaganzas, a carte and elegant afternoon teas. A selection of chef’s snacks – crisp chicken skin with duck hearts, nori rice cracker with cod roe and nasturtium, and creamy foie gras mousse with grated truffle – whetted our appetite for an accomplished, well-executed lunch. Rich pressed confit duck terrine with tender foie gras, leek and pistachio was served with perfectly chewy sourdough and earthy truffle butter, while chicken breast, brined and poached until buttery soft, appeared alongside roasted salsify, artichoke purée and aromatic truffle vinegar. To finish, we liked the combination of sweet, sticky date sponge with parsnip pannacotta and butternut squash ice cream, as well as the skilfully rendered matcha and yuzu teacakes and melt-in-the-mouth mince pie macarons served with tea. A must-visit Manchester destination which continues to impress.