Our Manchester foodie Kelly heads to The Botanist for a whirlwind tour of world cuisine in an English country garden.
Rating
In a Word:
Botanical
Cuisine:
World favourites
Appeals to:
Music-lovers, cocktail-cravers, and anyone seeking a relaxed place to catch up with friends over good food and drink.
Atmosphere:
You may have hazy memories, but if you’ve been on a night out around Deansgate, you’ve probably popped into The Botanist. Keen to see a different side to this popular bar and restaurant, we came down to review the menu.
Arriving on a blustery Wednesday night, the warm lighting and outdoorsy décor instantly melted away winter blues. Jumble-sale style chandeliers cast rainbows over the bar, whilst in the restaurant the tin roof, watering cans and vine-covered pergola set the scene of an English country garden-cum-allotment.
Accompanied by the mellow, uplifting sounds of the live acoustic guitarist and singer, it didn’t take long for us to settle into our surroundings.
The Food:
The Botanist is a hotspot for drinks, but fewer people have delved beyond the bar into the restaurant to sample their food menu. A whirlwind tour of global cuisine, the menu features curries, tagines and classic pub grub, making it a perfect spot for friends and families with difficult-to-please eaters!
Salt and Pepper Onion Petals – £3.50
It’s nice to nibble whilst browsing the menu. Instead of the usual bread and olives fare, our waitress suggested this interesting grazer. A quirky alternative to onion rings, these ‘petals’ were coated in a thick, crunchy batter and seasoned with a salt and pepper blend that was reminiscent of Asia. Dipped into sour cream, these finger-licking flakes certainly worked up our appetite.
Homemade Scotch Egg – £5.95
Scotch egg is something of a Mancunian stable, so we jumped at the opportunity to dig into this starter. Wobbly, gooey and just the right amount of crispy, this sunny-side-up Scotch egg was a moreish treat that paired well with the sharp flavours of radish and piccalilli.
Steak and Stout Pie – £10.95
Pie may not be the most elegant of dishes, but as a Yorkshire lass born and bred, I believe that a good pie well done can be just as show-stopping as any other dish…
With a thick double-crust short-crust pastry shell, and flaky chunks of beef inside, it soaked up the gravy whilst keeping that buttery crunch throughout. Served with a generous helping of mushy peas, it was a comforting treat for a chilly winter’s night!
Pan-Fried Seabass Fillets – £13.95
To offset the hearty stodge of the pie, we decided to explore The Botanist’s seafood offering. These pan-fried fillets were presented elegantly on the plate, with crispy edges, a chunky salsa that really lifted the dish, and a daring helping of piri piri that tingled on the tongue.
Strawberry and Marshmallow Kebab – £4.95
After ogling the dishes that kept passing us during the meal, we really couldn’t resist sampling one of their hanging kebabs. Meaty versions are available, but we dove into the dessert edition.
A tempting stack of strawberry and caramelised marshmallow, soaked in Sailor Jerry-infused chocolate, these bite-sized sweet (admittedly verging on sickly!) treats were an indulgent end to the meal, with a cool scoop of ice cream to boot.
The Drinks:
The well-stocked bar has a novel-sized drinks menu, with everything from rhubarb beer to spirits from around the world. As The Botanist pitches itself as a pioneer in gin, we decided to sample some of their finest concoctions on the drinks menu…
Strawberry and Cucumber Breeze – £7.95
This tropical cocktail was irresistibly fruity, with a flavour that’s nostalgic of tuck shop penny sweets that you can’t quite place your finger on. Not at all what you’d expect from a gin cocktail, it’s a perfect choice for sweet-toothed gin lovers.
English Mojito – £7.95
Zesty and quenching, this second gin cocktail was a little more traditional than the first. Muddled with fresh mint and topped also with a cucumber, it was very much in theme with the English country garden look for which the Botanist is renowned.
The Verdict:
We ought to mention that The Botanist is part of a nationwide chain that includes The Oast House and Trading House, but you’d be forgiven for thinking this was an independent.
It may not be the most revolutionary menu, and it’s not pretending to compete with some of the ‘finer’ dining establishments in Manchester, but their selection of world favourites certainly hold their own against the impressive drinks menu.
A laid-back setting for a meal with friends, family or your partner, The Botanist is a real crowd-pleaser with plenty to offer.
The Details:
78 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2FW
manchesterbdm@thebotanist.uk.com
0161 833 1878