OF course, you go to Alston Bar & Beef to tuck into their acclaimed Tweed Valley steaks (perhaps slipping in one of their signature infused gins) but the Corn Exchange restaurant boasts a more diverse food offering than you’d credit.
Witness their new menu, showcased by an exclusive set meal deal until the end of January. Diners can choose one course for £12, two for £15, or three for £18, and any Alston gin is included when ordering two courses from the set menu. The menu runs from Monday to Thursday 12pm-6pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm-4pm.
From the a la carte at £9 we loved oxtail croquettes with celeriac puree, fresh horseradish and pickled red onion. Vegans aren’t neglected either. The cauliflower pakora, above, comes on a bed of mango onions with a good coating of turmeric soy yoghurt (£7). The set menu pakora contains haggis. Well, Burns Night is almost upon us and Alton’s roots are North of the Border.
If you can resist the steaks, a la carte mains alternatives include monkfish and pearl barley risotto, while the set menu offers chicken & leek puff pastry pie and mushroom risotto.
Alston Bar & Beef, Corn Exchange, Cathedral Street, Manchester M4 3TR. 0161 804 5555.