BACK in March we reported on a serious makeover of The French, consistent with chef Adam Reid’s determination to lighten the fine dining experience following the departure of Simon Rogan. With his name over the door he introduced a smart open prep counter, relaxed the servers’ dress code, chose his own decor and soundtrack. Lunches were the flagship of the new regime, offering a playful small dish selection with the personable Reid very much front of house.
The object to lure a more casual diner. ToM loved the whole approach. Well, it hasn’t worked. It was obvious from day one it was going to distract the Great British Menu winning chef from dish development in The Midland kitchens. And it didn’t bring in the punters midweek, as was hoped.
So, big decision, following The French’s annual closure from Sunday, August 6 to Tuesday, August 22 there will be no lunch service on Wednesday and Thursday, though they’ll still be offering the small plates and six-course menu Friday and Saturday lunchtimes.
On the positive side, the dinner service will be available from an earlier time of 5.30pm from Tuesday through Thursday. Alongside the regular six and nine course menus, they’ll be introducing a new four-course menu for £45 on those midweek dinners, available from 5.30pm to 6.45pm. Makes sense to us.
Adam Reid at The French, The Midland Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester, M60 2DS. 0161 236 3333.
