The The Northern Quarter Restaurant gourmet evenings are a chance for staff to show off their skills, as they experiment with the finest ingredients to create incredible, one-off tasting menus.
Last month saw the Pinot People gourmet night. From easy drinking whites to berry reds, the Pinot is a diverse and well-loved body of wine. Last week, The Northern Quarter Restaurant served up a 6 course celebratory menu to showcase the best that the grapes have to offer.
The six course menu was planned around a list of Pinot wines chosen by David Kelly, of TNQ's wine supplier Matthew Clark. Head chef Antony Fielden was then given the challenge of creating a menu to complement the chosen wine.
From oysters with shallot and passion fruit vinegar, to guinea fowl and fois gras terrine (pictured below), the night was an incredible foodie journey, supporting some of the finest Pinot examples.
Stand out dishes included the rack of Cheshire lamb with braised lamb shoulder. The slow-cooked braised shoulder was a show-stopper. The butter soft shredded lamb was smothered in a rich cumin and olive jus. These hearty flavours were paired with the Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Pinot Noir - a luxuriously full bodied, plumy and lasting red.
The indulgent chocolate sachertorte (below) was matched by an incredibly rare and indulgent Pinot Noir Beerenauslese dessert wine, from winemaker Willi Opitz. One of the only red dessert wines in the world, this wine framed the chocolate with malty honey and caramel sweetness.
The gourmet evenings continue this month with the Caribbean Carnival and Rum Fiesta on June 24 (we've been told it's one TNQ knees-up not to be missed), South African Braii on July 29, Champagne and Seafood on September 30 and Game on October 28.
Call 0161 832 7115 to book your place- from TOM's experience they sell out quickly!
The Northern Quarter Restaurant and Bar
108 High Street
Manchester
M4 1HQ
For more information visit their website here, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook.