The French by Simon Rogan, Manchester

Regular readers of my blog may have noticed that I haven’t posted about The French since way back in August!

Do not worry… I haven’t gone off it – it’s still the best restaurant in Manchester; but I have been getting my monthly fix of Simon Rogan’s food at his other restaurants – in October at L’Enclume and the Pig & Whistle and, in September with a couple of meals at Mr. Cooper’s House & Garden (here & here).

Here are some pictures of a recent lunch at The French featuring beautiful ingredients, crafted into stunning dishes by Head Chef Adam Reid and his team. The service, conducted by Assistant Manager Rebecca Winskill, was equally impressive.  

Crab, seawater, sorrel /

Crispy kale, chicken skin, horseradish /

Rye, mustard and linseeds /

Black pudding, Cumberland sauce, sage

Westcombe cheddar, potato, toasted bread, chives

Breads

Broth of mushroom, salt baked swede, smoked yolk & English truffles

Ox in coal oil, pumpkin, kohlrabi & sunflower shoots

Caramelised cabbage, scallops, coastal herbs, smoked roes

Plaice with carrots, bone marrow & nasturtium

Middle white pork, turnips, blewits & mugwort

Apple woodruff, sweet cheese & hazelnut

Parkin with malted barley, hops & liquorice

Sass ‘n’ soda /

Coffee & Petit Fours

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A Wong – Dim Sum, London

‘A. Wong’ is a simply furnished, Chinese restaurant located a short walk from London’s Victoria train station. Holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand, the food is great quality and keenly priced. We ordered from the lunchtime dim sum menu.

In the evenings, as well as the ‘a la carte’, they also serve a 10 course ‘Taste of China’ and (with notice) the ‘Peking Duck Feast’ (see Andy Hayler).

What Michelin say, ‘Andrew Wong transformed his mother's restaurant into a modern and lively Chinese restaurant. He's taken classics from across China and introduced the odd twist here and there, whilst keeping the original combinations intact.’

Stand out dishes for us included: the refined ‘100 year egg’; the ‘shrimp dumplings’ with a zingy citrus foam and the ‘prawn balls with chilli and abalone’. The desserts were the best I’ve had in any Chinese restaurant.

Shanghai steamed dumplings, ginger infused vinegar /

Yunnan mushroom, pork & truffle dumpling /

Clear shrimp dumpling, sweet chilli sauce, citrus foam /

Pork & prawn dumpling, pork crackling

  

Won ton with garlic, chilli oil & crispy bean curd /

Sesame buttered smoked chicken

100 year old egg in sweet, chilli soya & marinated tofu

  

Pickles /

Baked roasted pork buns with a sugared coating /

Chinese chive pot sticker dumpling

  

Zhejiang taro cake with toasted almonds & ginger, spring onion oil /

Smoked duck and jellyfish & pork crackling salad /

Chengdu street tofu, soy chilli, peanuts, preserved vegetables

Quail egg croquette puff /

Prawn cracker

Crab, seafood & beancurd cannelloni, pickled cockles

Scallop puff with XO sauce /

Deep fried prawn ball with abalone & chilli vinaigrette

‘Beijing yoghurt’ with chilli barbecued pineapple & Sichuan pepper ice cream

Snow ball merengue, lychee granite, mango puree & lime sorbet

Coconut ice cream, glutinous dumpling, apple, pandan jelly & peanut cream

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A Beginner’s Guide To The Best Breakfast in London: Shoreditch & nearby

Bacon Sandwich @ St John Bread & Wine

With a bacon sarnie named by the Hardens restaurant guide as “the best bacon sandwich you’ll ever eat”, the simple perfection of Fergus Henderson’s St John Bread & Wine makes it one of my favourite places to eat in London (if not the world). Also: Toast & Honey.

Granola, Yogurt & Fruit Compote @ Rochelle Canteen

Housed in a converted bike shed in playground of the former Victorian Rochelle School on Arnold Circus, Rochelle Canteen is run by Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson (aka Mrs. St. John). Like hubby’s St. Johns, the menu is simple, follows the nose to tail ethos and changes daily.  I wanted the eggs so did my wife; so I had the granola. From now on, I will always have the granola… ‘twas good! 

Kedgeree @ Hoi Polloi

Bistrotheque’s new brasserie in Shoreditch’s new Ace Hotel, Hoi Polloi, has a great all day menu with some excellent breakfast choices. The Kedgeree had a real spicy kick, generous flakes of fish and grated egg. The soundtrack was hip too! (Also: freshly squozen juices, good coffee and Eggs Benedict)

‘Lumber Jack Stack’ @ Smiths of Smithfield

Smiths of Smithfield was formerly shouty John Torode’s place but don’t hold that against it. If you like maple syrup but can’t decide whether to have waffles, pancakes or French toast? Why not have all three in the ‘Lumber Jack Stack’ (plus some Woodall’s bacon, obvs!)

If such greed makes you feel guilty, have an SOS (Beetroot, Carrot, Celery, Apple, Ginger) or Ginger Zinger (Carrot, Ginger, Apple) from the Juice Bar to help rebalance your ying with yer yang. Also: a mug of Cappuccino; Two Poached Eggs on Toast and Bubble.

Sausage Naan & Chai @ Dishoom

‘A Bombay Café in London’ Dishoom offers a refreshingly different vibe for breakfast (or any meal for that matter). Who would have thought Cumbrian sausage, chilli tomato jam, cream cheese, coriander and naan bread are a marriage made in heaven? Also: check out the Bacon Naan and Egg Naan on Mrs Petticoat.

Salt Beef Beigel @ Brick Lane Beigel Bake

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, serving the same menu for forever, the beigels of Brick Lane are not exclusively a breakfast item… for years they were the only way to sate my post clubbing munchies – a plain beigel was just 10p in those days; they are now an astronomical 25p #inflation (Also: my favourite for 20 years, a Salami Beigel)

Steak & Eggs Benedict @ Duck & Waffle

Located on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, like Beigel Bake, Duck & Waffle is also open 24/7 (although their clientele is no doubt a little less representative of the East End’s underbelly). The views too are a little more impressive. More impressive than even the views… braised ox cheek, charred sourdough, perfectly poached eggs and hollandaise. 

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