By Neil Sowerby
GRASS cuttings in your turn-ups, jolly japes playing croquet with a parasol, while girlish cries of ‘Don’t spill the Pimms, cherub’ ring across the sward. That would be the Lawn Club of my fantasies.
The real-life one is equally fun in a less Bertie Woosterish way. They may be swinging the wrecking ball into the rapidly diminishing Quay House in the background, but the reconstructed Lawn Club is an idyllic retreat from the travails of city life. Now if only the gale would stop whistling down the Spinningfields ravines.
The Lawn Club’s own Gale, chef/consultant David, once of the Hilton, adds to the pleasure of the refurbed bar/eaterie with his summer-friendly new menu, which shows of his delicate touch with finger food, so appropriate to the light-filled, airy venue – and its manicured private lawn for picnics and games.
Gale and his team will happily fix up a gourmet hamper for you. We chose to sample his new menu inside, which is so cannily fitted out that it almost feels outdoors. Small plates cost between £4 and £6, with sandwiches, salads and big plates between £7 and £12.50 (exquisite fish and chips).
There’s also a gourmet menu that encompasses a whole grilled lobster at £32, honey and glazed duck breast with roasted fig (pictured above) and rib-eye on the bone to share for £42.
I was quite delighted with my humbler rare roast beef with a horseradish potato and spring onion salad. Meltingly pink in the middle it was – Gale has a way with a roast (they do proper Sunday lunches here, too). Potted salmon was treat, too, the tarragon in the cucumber salad discreet genius, while macaroni and cheese (£7) with roast broccoli was somehow elevated beyond stodge status.
Broccoli joined new season aparagus and chilli almonds in the pick of the salad plates, the herby, citrussy St Clements dressing evidence of the haute cuisine skills we may see to the fore when Gale opens his own restaurant on the Spinningfields Left Bank later in the year.
For the moment rejoice in the food at The Lawn Club’s superior picnic food. The drinks offering is consistently good with, naturally, terrific cocktails, a botanical-rich plethora of gins and some interesting beers in the fridge, including the now ubiquitous Beavertown craft cans, which look the summery part. The Gamma Ray IPA went wonderfully with the wild mushrooms on toast sprinkled with goat cheese and pine nuts (£5.50)
All very comfortable, too. I am not a fan of the wicker chair, but the Lawn Club version might win me over. Cocktail masterclasses, food pairing evenings with guest chefs, DJs and live music. You can even hire the whole venue for a function. Since it has been repositioned and refurbed the operation seems to have gone up a level.
Promised is a full programme of events – from lawn games to cocktail masterclasses; food pairing evenings with guest chefs, to DJs and live music. The venue will be available to hire. Developers Fluid Bars plan to roll out (sic) the Lawn Club concept elsewhere.
The Lawn Club, Byrom Street, Manchester M3 3HG. 0161 914 7830, http://www.thelawnclub.com
