By Neil Sowerby
FUSION food is the loosest of culinary terms. For every cross-fertilisation that works there are many more accidents on a plate. And I’m wary of yet another place with a self-proclaimed New York vibe where the food may just be a design accessory for the cocktail list and the bar and DJ dominate.
That’s why I’ll be reserving judgement on the menu at Urban Cookhouse, which officially opens on today, until I‘ve tasted it. So Red Snapper Po Boy, Jerk Pork Loin, Tandoori Paneer, Bourbon Butttermilk Fried Chicken with Bourbon Sauce, Thai Green Hake and (main picture and lovely to look at) Tea Smoked Salmon... the jury’s out.
The place itself, in a former shipping warehouse on the edge of the Village, looks a treat in a Meat Packing District kind of way with corrugated metal finishings and some ambitious lighting across its open plan space.
It’s the debut project of Salford entrepreneur Tim Coulston, MD of Violet Hospitality. At 27, he has time on his side. The company’s website proclaims its intention to “develop three restaurant and bar brands by 2020”.
The Cookhouse is an obvious fusion (sic) of many current trends. We spotted via their twitter account @CookhouseMCR they had signed up beer from the excellent 7Brothers, which sounds a perfect match for the cooking they are promising. Elsewherer the wine list definitely plays second fiddle to the cocktail one.
We wish Tim well. This is a new frontier, well away from the easier options in town, NQ and Spinningfields. It might just spark a new scene.
Urban Cookhouse, 54 Princess Street, Manchester M1 6HS. 0161 235 8768. http://urbancookhouse.co.uk