Although not as revolutionary as the bar chain’s theme and decor, the food and drinks at Revolution at Parsonage Gardens hit most of the right notes.
When you think about Revolution you think of a night out with cocktails and lots of vodka (well, at least I do), but not necessarily having a meal.
So admittedly I was a bit apprehensive when after a busy shopping trip my girlfriend suggested dropping in and trying out the food at their Parsonage Gardens bar just off Deansgate.
Would it all be vodka themed?! Well in some cases – yes, with a vodka burger and even a vodka pizza featured on the menu.
However they’re not just a one-trick pony, with the meals on offer as international as the range of vodkas from behind the bar.
As we looked over the menu we enjoyed one of the many cocktails on offer.
At first we tried a strawberry and passion fruit mojito, which was light, fresh and minty.
Next up was a raspberry and basil sour, an usual combination, that cleansed our palates cleansed and ready for our starters.
We plumped for the Revolution Mezze, consisting of falafel, tzatziki, warm flatbread, and hummus topped with spring onions and goats cheese balls with sun dried tomatoes.
Everything was presented with great thought, especially the accompanying olive oil, which had pearls of balsamic vinegar placed in it instead of a slaphazard dollop.
It all complemented each other well, apart from the goats cheese, which seemed to be out of place with the rest of the southern Mediterranean dishes, and could have been replaced with mozzarella instead, but it may be a personal preference.
The falafel was fragrant and moreish and the hummus was creamy with the spring onions adding a welcome kick.
To follow we opted for, rather unadventurously, the Skinny Burger and the Vodka Burger (when in Rome and all that).
The vodka was limited to the salsa which topped the burger and accentuated the sweet heat of the chilli without being overpowering.
It complemented the succulent patty, melted cheese and the creamy coleslaw side dish wonderfully.
My girlfriend found that, without an accompanying relish, her skinny burger was slightly dry but absolutely loved the huge sweet potato wedges that it came with.
We washed all this down with two more cocktails – this time a G & T and a Jammy B*stard.
The latter was aptly named as the combination of acai-flavoured vodka, Chambord and blackberries meant that what arrived was a heavenly, alcoholic mug of jam.
A twist on the classic, the used of tea and elderflower with gin and tonic lifted this cocktail to a different level.
The tannins from both the Tanqueray and tea made their presence felt, which was a refreshing accompaniment to a heavy burger.
For desserts we opted for the indulgent warm chocolate brownie and New York cheesecake.
The brownie was more of a cake than the usual gooey offerings but the chocolate flavours certainly packed a punch and gelled well with the partnering vanilla ice-cream.
As expected of the New York classic it was rich, creamy and bursting with vanilla flavour, however it was let down when we found a little piece of plastic under the base, presumably used to separate the different pieces of cheesecake. While it’s unlikely anyone could have chomped it down without noticing, it is still a major slip-up and tarnishes what had otherwise been a pleasing dinner.
To finish the evening we had a Brandy Alexander and a cappuccino.
The cocktail used coffee liqueur as a departure from the usual recipe, and meant the result was a delightfully-smooth martini that tasted exactly like tiramisu, and could have been a dessert all in itself.
As we drained our final sips just after 9pm Christmas parties replaced the business people and shoppers enjoying a quiet drink.
As we stumbled into the freezing December air, our bellies nearly as full as Santa’s, it’s fair to say Revolution makes an enjoyable early evening, post-shopping treat.
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