THERE’S a lot of meat on our plate in the town centre these days. From the one trick pony (no, it doesn’t sell horse steaks, just the one beef cut) that is Featherblade, through the burgeoning brand Miller and Carter, the tastily reconfigured Grill On The Alley, consistent Gaucho, peerless Hawksmoor and plucky indie heroes Beastro, we are not spared the pleasures of the flesh.
Now Russian oligarch restaurateur Mikhail Zelman is launching a monthlong pop-up (June 28-Juky 30) of his Zelman Meats casual mini-chain in his Burger and Lobster outlet in King Street’s Ship Canal House.
The huge 240 cover interior will be divided by a curtain, though the open kitchen will be searing the steaks alongside the eponymous burgers and lobsters. Here’s a specimen menu from their Soho restaurant, but note the 90-cover pop-up offering will be more restricted. No apple pie, alas, which Observer food critic Jay Rayner seriously approved of as well as their steaks – sourced globally but properly dry-aged.
Zelman has been a serial opener of restaurants but he is best known for his upmarket Goodman steakhouses, named after jazzman Benny Goodman, whose parents were Russian Jews. The first opened in Moscow in 2003 and then Goodmans spread to London. Offshoot Zelmans is meant to be more relaxed, fun and affordable with offer cheaper cuts such as Picanha at £6 per 100g.
Manager Hannah-Beth Naughton tells us: “The plan right now is to offer one cut per week plus a special, so perhaps Picanha one week, rib-eye the next and maybe Chateaubriand after that – the idea being you’ll have reason to come back.”
There are no plans for a permanent residency. ToM will be popping along to check it all out shortly.
Zelman Meat’s pop-up from 28 June to 30 July. Burger & Lobster, Brown Street (off King Street), Manchester M2 4WU. 0161 832 0222.