The Modern is an interesting new arrival for Manchester. Mainly because it sits in the spot previously occupied by Le Mont at Urbisâ one of last yearâs highest profile closures, signalling an apparent thumbs down to fine dining in Manchester. Secondly, the restaurant is now owned and operated by Urbis itself, making this a venue located in, but also under creative control of, one of the Cityâs most iconic buildings.
Iâll start, unconventionally, by summing up, and say that The Modern, in my opinion, is a massive improvement on Le Mont, in both the food served and its general attitude. Stuffy pretensions have been replaced with a simple excellence, without losing the feel of fine dining (all be it a more contemporary, relaxed version).
The branding and feel of The Modern is based around a sort of airline theme, presumably in keeping with the âdizzy heightsâ of the restaurant, and the slicker Modern reinvention. This is exemplified upon arrival when youâre directed into a private lift which transports you straight up to the venue. I had only ever visited the bar at The Modern (which offers a substantial, well written cocktail and wine list). The restaurant is situated just beneath, and once seated we found ourselves overlooking the City in an understated contemporary space â fairly minimal but cosy.
The menu has been created with obvious care and expertise â seasonal, local produce is the order of the day, but with more attention than is often evident when these, now somewhat over-used, buzz words are thrown around. Regional producers are used when possible, and some good evidence of this was apparent on the menu, but the overall quality and standards maintained by suppliers was said to be of the greatest importance in their sourcing process.
My partnerâs starter was an impressive choice (Roasted Scottish scallops, citrus salad, sauternes butter sauce £7.50). The scallops were delicately pan fried and treated with perfect respect. Cooked to perfection, it was obvious the chef here knew how to treat this shellfish, which came lightly golden and glazed with butter. Barely cooked inside, the sharp punch of the accompanying citrus salad made for a superb starter. The style of serving was worth a mention with each of the five scallops arriving on a different segment of citrus fruit â the first a grapefruit, the next a clementine, followed by pink grapefruit, mandarin and quince.
My starter was equally fine. I chose the appetizing âPressed terrine of Mrs. Kirkhamsâ Lancashire cheese, braised ham hock & parsley with piccalilliâ and enjoyed every mouthful. The tangy Lancashire cheese was perfectly incorporated into the terrine of meaty ham, which I couldnât envisage before it arrived at the table. The accompanying fresh, chunky piccalilli and toast made for really interesting, contemporary comfort food.
Mains came in good time, brought by an extremely polite young waiter, and were equally good. My companion had opted for further exploration of the seafood theme with âGrilled wild sea bass, lobster, langoustine & scallop bisque, braised fennelâ. The sea bass was delightfully fresh tasting and, again, pan-fried. The quality was high, the chef having skilfully condensed down the flavour of the trio of shellfish. The freshness and lightness of the sea bass was perfectly countered by the rich creaminess of the bisque.
My rack of âHigh peak lamb, hot pot potatoes, tomato & mintâ was a beautifully prepared, presented and tasting dish. Tender, pink chunks of meat were served on meticulously cleaned bones and drizzled with a flavour-packed reduction from the lamb. A creamy, gorgeous potatoe stack finished off a dreamy dish.
A seasonal purple sprouting broccoli was our only choice of side order (served with almonds and butter) and although was perfectly cooked and tastier than is usual, the dishes themselves were so complete that it wasnât a necessity.
The wine weâd chosen meanwhile complimented our food perfectly, being an intense red (Chateau Senailhac Bordeaux, £22.60) chosen from an extensive list.
Although almost âpleasured outâ we finally decided to do the visit full justice and went for a dessert too. My selection of ice cream and sorbets, seemed to be just ice cream rather than sorbet, and included the unusual âwholemeal breadâ flavour. This tasted very much like wholemeal bread, and I had trouble making my mind up about it, I think I liked it... All the ice cream is fresh and homemade and you can tell. My partners treacle tart was a strongly flavoured, well prepared dessert, served with jersey clotted cream ice cream (a highlight).
As far as any constructive criticism goes, I would suggest that the lighting in the dining area could be more intimate, and if Iâm totally honest I wasnât sure about the potted fern-like plants on the tables.
I think the best thing about The Modern is its simplicity. Good, modern British food with a focus on local and seasonal produce almost seems like a tired concept now; you get so many places purporting to do this. Yet, when you stop to think about it there are very few restaurants in Manchester really delivering this.
The Modern is doing that rare thing, and thatâs true fine dining as far as Iâm concerned.
Mon â Sun
12pm-3pm & 5pm-11pm