Eating in Manchester

Malmaison Brasserie

While Piccadilly station is generally only frequented by Londoners tumbling out into Manchester amidst a confusion of Northern accents and shock at people being friendly, Itchy suggest that you head over and stop just short of it so as to visit the delightful Malmaison Brasserie. Housed within their impressively imposing hotel, the restaurant has the perfect spot – easy to find and central but set back from the city's hustle and bustle and beyond spitting distance of Primark.

We would tell you about the food but what we ate won't be on the menu when you get there. This is by no means a complaint, because in fact the Brasserie's ever-changing locally sourced and seasonal dishes mean that ingredients are always of top quality and the selection is practically weather specific – we'd practically put money on them offering a dish that you'd been craving all week. Their more permanent selection is in the French genre but maintains a familiar and quite traditionally English sense to it (roast rack of lamb?), although that may be because we've been nicking Froggy fashions for centuries.

A calm but interesting ambience is likely to be the ideal contrast to Manchester's usual bright and wild entertainment offerings. We felt like kids in a dress-up fairy tale amidst the dramatic décor. Every time we shot a look at the gilded mirrors we half expected Marie Antoinette to be on the next table ordering cake. Attentive, well informed staff rounded off an excellent dining experience which we will certainly be repeating. And we can't even order the same thing.

www.malmaison-manchester.com/indulge/brasserie

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