CASTLEFIELD’S pioneering canalside bar, Dukes ’92 has reopened after a magnificent £1m makeover and a menu overhaul to match. The result is quite stunning – fittings and platefuls.
The much needed makeover is courtesy of design firm neighbours Spaceinvader, the new look food offering from owner Jim Ramsbottom’s tried and tested kitchen team. Fear not, veteran Dukes’ punters – the wedges of bread, pate and cheese are still around as sharing plates, just not sitting in their own deli counter.
On the evidence of an ample relaunch lunch, we would recommend you splash out on the £40 Motherboard (pictured below with its accompanying chutneys, sourdough and black rye crisps). It’s meant for six to 10 folk or fewer – a much tighter TOM team polished it off with aplomb.
Then we got round to admiring the splendid surroundings, centred around a 50ft long brushed brass bar with a spectacular 10ft high trellis effect bottle display above it (we explored the drinks range throughly, too).
The 6,000 sq ft space has been stripped back to reflect its industrial heritage with the use of brickwork, wood and black metal work as a nod to its original use as a stable block for the horses that pulled the barges up the Rochdale Canal.
The wooden floor has been replaced with a cream concrete floor and dark grey walls and window blinds add to the simple lines and urban-chic colour palette. Oak tables with spalted tops, mink-coloured leather booths, antique-glass mirrors and midnight blue seating complete the look.
The neutral tones spill into the gallery space with its large balcony with soft seating, space inside for up to 80 people and its own bar. A private dining area has been incorporated into the space, seating up to 16 people behind glass doors. Concertina glass doors have been added to the front of the building on both floors to bring in more light and allow more outdoor access in the summer. There’s a large covered terrace leading to an upgraded canalside outside space, next to Lock 92.
It’s a very chic setting for classic pub food. Stand-out small-plates s include bone marrow, baked with Blue Monday cheese, and sourdough soldiers, gloriously sticky slow-braised pork ribs (both £5).
]Among the salads try Yellisons goat cheese with asparagus, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, walnut pesto and toasted almonds (£9), while the mains star is roasted Welsh lamb rump (below), served with broad beans, pancetta lardons, baby onions, potato gnocchi and finished with cassis jus (£16.95). Just the kind of stuff your old Castlefield Basin bargee used to come home to!
Dukes 92, 18 Castle St, Manchester M3 4LZ. 0161 839 3522. Open 11am-1pm Sun-Wed; 11am-12pm on Thur and 11am-1am Fri-Sat.