Aileen Duffy
Manchester hosts various acclaimed eateries and experiencing a hidden gem is always a culinary delight. Podium Restaurant and Bar is situated within the iconic Hilton Deansgate hotel. The high ceilings and dim lighting create an elegant, relaxing atmosphere for a girly night out, a romantic meal for two or dinner with the family.
My companion was visiting Manchester for one night only and we certainly hit the right side of town. It was a comfort entering the hotel reception, leaving the winter weather on the other side of the glass. Proceeding to the restaurant we were greeted by a friendly smile and promptly led to our table. Presented with too much choice between the a la carte and dinner menu, we opted for a taste of both. From the balanced wine list we decided to catch up over a bottle of the Prosecco Extra Dry, Fantinel, Italy, NV (£28.00)
Extremely pleasant on the pallet, the wine was fresh, dry and fruity. A smooth, velvety and poetic flavor captured our taste buds. Newly appointed restaurant manager Marc Whitley certainly was the perfect host to the fairly full restaurant. Interacting with the customers really added that extra touch to the night.
Executive head chef David Gale excelled us with his talent producing the finest modern British cuisine Iâd tasted in a long time. Compliments of the chef we started with Homemade black pudding and crispy duck egg with a mustard dressing (£7.95). This was to my delight, as it was a close contender when choosing my starter. The black pudding was moist and the light crispy duck egg exploded runny yolk across my plate. Assisted with mustard dressing, we were off to a flawless start. Baked French onion Soup with Comte cheese followed and was covered in the biggest crouton I have ever seen. The Comte cheese and caramelised onions where a definite winter warmer. On the other side of the table, my companionâs Pan fried scallop with cauliflower puree and caper dressing (£8.50) was as visually appetising as it was on the pallet. An intermediate juicy tomato and mozzarella salad followed, which I felt a little heavy considering we had already devoured two starters. A lighter sorbet would have prepared us better for the feast ahead.
Main course was my culinary heaven - all on a rather large rectangular plate. Market Fish (Sole) with new season potatoes, steamed broccoli and lemon (£19.50). Eager to tuck in, the array of garlic, lemon and herbs tasted as good as it smelled and melted in my mouth. The crunchy broccoli with buttered potatoes was the ideal accompaniment. I also ordered a side of crunchy French beans with shallot confit (£3.60), which could of done with slightly more flavour. Impressed by the Grilled fillet of Cheshire beef, French fries, roast tomatoes, watercress and onion rings (£24.95), my companion carved into her locally sourced beef. The fillet was cooked medium to perfection and the sweet juicy tomatoes and chunky chips went down quite a treat. With little room left I took great pleasure in helping her eat the remainder of the crispy onion rings.
The polite waiter assisted us throughout the meal with regular check backs and suggested excellent recommendations. We decided to leave our dessert choice in the capable hands of David Gale. Vanilla panna cotta, raspberry espuma and honeycomb (£5.95) were first upon us followed by Apple cheesecake with cherry jelly compote (£5.95). The panna cotta was light and creamy, and when mixed with the bitter raspberry espuma caused a sensation on the tongue. New to Apple cheesecake, I felt slightly disappointed as I couldnât taste much apple in the smooth vanilla top. The cherry jelly added a slight bitter kick to the dessert overall.
With plenty more to catch up on and a breathtaking view ahead of us, we proceeded 23 floors up in the lift to Cloud 23 Bar. The décor felt extremely lush and the impressive drinks menu proved hard to choose from. We opted for the cocktail menu and sipped the night away over a Step On (£8.50) and Mojita (£8.00) gazing over the city sites. My Step On was described as a Caipirinha twisted C23 style with Sagatiba cachaca, limes, sugar passion fruit and cherry liqueur. This was extremely refreshing and maybe a little too easy to drink. My companion decided to stick with her good old favorite Mojita and was not disappointed with the tall ice cold glass placed in front of her. The service has improved immensely since my last visit to Cloud 23; our waitress was both friendly and efficient, which completed the whole experience for us. The live music in the main bar created a real buzz and a relaxing ambiance throughout. For that added extra, I would also suggest background music in the Podium restaurant.
The fact that you have fine dining on the ground level and a classy bar 23 floors above makes the Hilton Deansgate an ideal spot for a night on the town. I will definitely be returning over Christmas and in the New Year. Check out the Hiltonâs New Years Eve Party offer (reception, four-course meal and entertainment for £50) on the Taste of Christmas website.
The Hilton, 303 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LQ
T: 0161 870 1670
W: www.hilton.co.uk/manchesterdeansgate