MR COOPER’S in the Midland Hotel has always been the awkward sibling. Big brother The French in its Seventies Michelin glory days, subsequent ossification and, in more recent times, as an aspirational showcase for the cutting edge talents of Simon Rogan and his protege Adam Reid, has always stolen the thunder.
They’ve twiddled around with the quasi fin de siecle bubble that hosts The French but it has always felt a consistent, aloof presence. Across the hotel foyer the Cooper’s space has sought an identity. Twenty years ago it called itself Nico Central, one of six offshoots under the name of the irascible chef Nico Ladenis (of London three star Chez Nico), all boasting Art Deco canary yellow interiors.
It became Mr Cooper’s House and Garden, still a casual alternative to The French after the 2013 arrival of Simon Rogan, who scattered some of his stardust over a floral revamp in homage to the eponymous market garden that once occupied the neighbourhood in the 19th century. After the departure of Rogan appointee Gareth Jones the food, always fusion-led, suffered.
Now, separate from The French regime, it’s the turn of new head chef Rebecca Richardson (above) to make her mark on this two AA Rosette self-styled ‘Modern British Brasserie’. Rebecca, who is from Longsight, arrives from the Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Worsley.
Her new a la carte menu features starters such as slow cooked pork belly, celeriac slaw and black pudding apple puree alongside truffled wild mushrooms, grilled garlic rosemary bread and soft hen’s egg.
In house butchered meat-led mains include Cumbrian lamb rump, English minted peas with squash fondant potato and braised beef cheek, spring greens with bone marrow crumb.
Dessert stand-outs are chocolate peanut butter cheesecake crunchy honeycomb with vanilla ice cream; slow cooked pineapple with coconut crumble with grass ice cream and, at the fancy end The Allotment ‘where it all began’ – chocolate soil, choc cherry kirsch mouse, marzipan carrots, strawberry sorbet, baby toffee apples and micro basil mint
In addition to the a la carte menu, Rebecca has also created a pre-theatre set menu, with two courses for £16 or three for £20.
Mr Cooper’s House and Garden, The Midland Hotel, 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS. To book call 0161 235 4781 or to book online visit the website.
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