ANOTHER bar for Chorlton? Difficult not to stifle a yawn until you glance at the track record of the folk behind Palate, which is squeezing into a shop space in a Wilbraham Road parade that also boasts Tiny’s Tipple, Chorlton Off Licence and - for when you are tired of tippling - the Chorlton Bookshop.
Palate bar and restaurant, opening on Friday May 1, is the exciting new project from Jonny Booth and Jamie Langrish, the team behind the award-winning Parlour in Beech Road – and The Castle and Gulliver’s in the Northern Quarter, Salford’s The Eagle and the Baker’s Vaults in Stockport (the pair are pictured at that project in collaboration with Robinsons Brewery).
Like the Parlour, there will be a strong emphasis on food but steering away from the roast-led menu there. So expect sharing platters of charcuterie from Borough Market favourites, Cannon and Cannon, British farm cheeses from Neals Yard Dairy as well as a hot menu including mussels, pigs cheeks, English white onion soup and raclette.
There will be three draught beers to choose from by the Camden Brewery, Prosecco on tap, Orchard Pigs ciders and a 60 bottle wine list including sparkling British Nyetimber instead of Champagne. Coffee is roasted locally.
Promoting an all day eating and drinking environment, bar snacks include mixed dark choc truffles from In Truffles We Trust, wasabi peas, Cajun peanuts, pistachios, yoghurt coated cranberries plus desserts such as Vimto Bakewell and custard tarts.
All furniture is hand-built from repurposed pallet wood and light fittings are made from recycled cardboard.
Jonnie Booth tells TOM: “We're doing away with a bar in favour of a large chef's style table with dispense incorporated (much like Pizza East in Shoreditch).”
Palate, 516 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 9AW, 6pm-9pm, https://twitter.com/palatechorlton. Open noon-midnight daily, with food served from noon-10pm.