Dinner at Artisan Manchester...

It is safe to say that I love Liverpool, having lived here for about eight years now even though I only moved here to do a one year Masters Degree! Nevertheless, it is occasionally nice to venture back closer to my home turf, which is exactly what happened yesterday when I arranged to have dinner with a good friend and business contact of mine. Ironically, I do not know Manchester very well even though I grew up just half an hour from the city. I moved to Leeds at 18 to do my degree then straight to Liverpool after that, so Manchester is unfamiliar. Even though I do not know Manchester well, I love the hustle and bustle and the great energy of the city. There is such a dynamic feeling to Manchester and it feels very cosmopolitan, with the wealth of excellent bars and restaurants which have burst onto the scene, such as Hawksmoor, Manchester House and San Carlo Cicchetti. I have been hearing great things about Artisan Kitchen and Bar for a while, so I was excited to finally dine there. Located in the achingly hip Spinningfields area of Manchester and set in a cavernous 12,000 square foot space,  Artisan places a strong emphasis on rustic and casual dining, with a great selection of pizzas, meat, fish and small-plates. The space itself is stunning, with a sweeping bar area giving way to the restaurant which is all exposed brickwork, chic lighting, artwork adorned walls and comfortable booths. Indeed there is currently a display of 'Musician Portraits' by the talented artist Joe Simpson the paintings are breathtaking in their realism and I would love to own one!
The service at Artisan was friendly and attentive, and we were warmly welcomed. The obliging waitress was even happy to put my phone on charge for me when my friend asked. We perused the menu at leisure over a glass of wine and we both opted to start our meal with the delicious sounding baby scallop with curry butter and cauliflower puree. The scallops were tender and cooked to perfection, the curry butter was deliciously seasoned and the cauliflower offset the dish perfectly. I was impressed by the fine dining style presentation of the dish too, as it looked so striking. The main courses were equally tantalising. I had a wood-fired pizza with tomato, mozzarella and basil, which was excellent. The base was crispy and thin and the flavours were deliciously light. My friend enjoyed the chicken and ham suet pudding with parsley sauce, a great take on a traditional British classic which was served with rustic chips.

 The vast bar area which offers a selection of cocktails, such as 'Apple Pie Cooler' and 'Raspberry and Vanilla Martini'.

There is a great attention to detail in the restaurant, everything is so perfect! 

The wonderfully named 'Bitchin' Lounge', a relaxing area next to the Ladies bathroom.

 Chef Christian in action! 

After such a delicious pizza I skipped dessert, but my friend had the classic pudding of jam roly poly, one of his all time favourite desserts. I did not get a photograph of it because I was lucky enough to be whisked away for a guided tour by charming host 'Hollywood Dave'. He took me around the stunning private dining room, which can be  hired out for events. It is a breathtaking space, perfect for a special occasion. It was great to chat to him all about the upcoming events at Artisan and I was excited to hear that there will soon be a cafe bar and a cinema room at the restaurant too! 

 Baby scallop with curry butter and cauliflower puree.

The main courses: Chicken and ham suet pudding with parsley sauce and chips. Wood fired pizza with mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil. 

The lovely 'Hollywood Dave' who is the charming host at The Artisan. Thank you so much for the tour! Follow him on Twitter @HollywoodDaveSF

 The amazing private dining room. 

 The cool 'Bitchin' Lounge' outside the ladies bathroom is a fun and quirky chill out area with comfy seating!

The ladies bathroom. Immaculately clean and such a chic interior!

We had such a lovely time at Artisan and I would definitely recommend it as a great place for a meal or a delicious cocktail (or two!) with friends. It is a very cool bar-restaurant, there is a DJ on weekends and they are open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights! I had an amazing day in Manchester and thank you very much to my friend for arranging dinner!

Artisan 

Avenue North 

18-22 Bridge Street 

Manchester 

M3 3BZ

0161 832 4181

Email: manchester@artisan.uk.com

Twitter: @Artisan_SF

What do you guys think, would you like to eat at Artisan? Let me know how you are and what you have been up to lately! I love to read your comments as always and thank you for reading this post.

Until next time, 

Camille 

xo.