Celebrity Chef James Martin will fling open the doors to his restaurant at a sold-out public launch tonight.
Housed inside Manchester 235, James Martin Manchester offers an elegant yet rustic setting for diners in stark contrast to the lavish Vegas-style décor of the rest of the casino.
In-keeping with the aesthetics of the dining area, James crafted a menu that concentrated on locally-sourced produce to create classic British cuisine which, he told MM earlier this month, is ‘big on flavour and uncontrived in its simplicity’.
In contrast with some of Manchester’s latest foody offerings he joked that his dishes focused on quality produce with ‘no dry ice here!’
Alongside the exposed brickwork, dark wooden floors and patterned wallpaper is the ‘Meat Market’ fridge which allows diners to see the huge cuts of meats served up in the kitchen.
Ahead of the official launch, MM’s Helen Le Caplain got the chance to sample some of the dishes on offer.
Up first was vanilla cured salmon served with cucumber ketchup and pickled ginger.
The slow roast fillet of beef, served alongside a portion of Jacob’s Ladder, was incredibly tender and was served on a bed of pearl barley risotto along with a selection of vegetables.
Saving the best until last was James’s deliciously rich signature dessert, white chocolate and whiskey croissant butter pudding with single malt ice-cream.
For those looking to experience a strictly classic British menu in the heart of Manchester it will be worth a visit.
Whether or not the casino-based James Martin Manchester hits the jackpot remains to be seen.
The full à la carte menu can be found here.
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