TASTE of Manchester welcomes the wealth of adventurous indie projects in welcome contrast to all the stealthy corporate invasion of our food culture (rolling out the brand, road-testing the concept etc). So it’s good to see the likes of Altrincham’s Sugo and the NQ’s Evelyn’s shortlisted for MFDF Restaurant of the Year.
In recent weeks we’ve checked out Squid Ink, The Pilcrow Pub, Indique, Grafene and West Didsbury’s Volta dipping its toe in the city centre, curating The Refuge at the Palace Hotel, and liked what we’ve experienced. And there’s still Bundobust, Hispi and Goose Fat & Wild Garlic to come this autumn.
But perhaps the real sense of adventure lies in Stockport at The Allotment, chef Matthew Nutter’s former ‘Plantfood Powerchef' pop-up that has found a permanent home in Vernon St, near the Market. No relation to the green-fingered Northern Quarter bar, it proclaims itself the North West’s first completely vegan (and gluten-free) fine dining restaurant. Check out the menu here.
We like the look of the ‘mixed grill’ – one to tease the meat eater into tackling vegan. It’s made up of chargriled confit aubergine with four peppercorn spice, a smoked buckwheat sausage, chargrilled portobello mushroom, lentils with a mustard tomato sauce and rosemary mashed potato.
Our picture shows The Allotment’s enticing take on Cauliflower Cheese. In Nutter’s hands it is a carpaccio of cauliflower pickled in turmeric, ginger and orange, with whipped coconut and macadamia, raisin and lemon.
The Allotment, 6 Vernon Street, Stockport SK1 1TY. 0161 478 1331.