Rating
In a word
Organised
Cuisine
Traditional Italian
Appeals to
Groups of friends wanting to dine in a large and airy restaurant
Couples after a quick bite away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
What we ate
Starters
Salmon affumicato
At £9.95 it was on the pricier side for a starter too. The smoked salmon and prawns were plentiful flavoured only by the orange segments, a drizzle of oil and a splash of pepper. The rocket worked well with the flavours although I think the price was steep for the dish.
Grigliata di verdure assortite
The mozzarella was beautifully mild with the light dressing perfect for mopping up with the breads.
Mains
Linguine con vongole
One thing any Italian restaurant should be able to do well is pasta and Avalanche did well with theirs. Still with bite the linguine was nice whilst the clams still had a little grit in their shells. My guest enjoyed this rustic feel though and liked the heat from the chilli to add a bit more flavour to the light white wine and garlic sauce.
Vitello con chorizo
Tender veal sparked up the rear with spicy chorizo and a rich jus lightly seasoned with sage, it didn’t last long and I just wish there had been a mountain of bread to soak up the remaining jus on the plate.
Dessert
Not wanting to miss out we tried the sharing plate which consisted of a chocolate fudge cake, baked New York cheesecake and a tiramisu.
Along the same lines as pasta any Italian worth their salt should be able to produce a decent tiramisu. This one was light and not too rich with a good kick of coffee to tone down the sweetness. The cheesecake was also beautiful although we ended up fighting over the slither on our plate. It was tiny!
The chocolate cake was ok, just ok. I’m a huge chocolate cake fan and this one didn’t blow me away, I was expecting something more authentic and home baked. I got the impression this one had been bought in unfortunately.
What we drank
The wine list is varied and in fitting with the Italian theme. Considering the food is on the pricy side the wine list, on the whole, is quite reasonable with Prosecco at £25.50 and a light Fascati at £21.95.
The cocktails are reasonable too with the dessert varieties really packing a punch. Usually they can be over sweet, over creamy, and just too much. This had a lovely alcoholic kick with a light creaminess at the end.
The verdict
The good: Service was very ‘Italian’. No fuss or over the top pleasantries. It was slick, efficient and well managed at all times without us feeling harassed during our meal. The wine list is pretty good and different to others in the city that appear to have all been hit by the same supplier.
The bad: I wouldn’t say there is a bad but I think the food is overpriced in some areas. There are other Italian restaurants in Manchester offering better quality at lower prices with a bigger customer base.
The details
A. Avalanche Restaurant, 2 Booth Street, Manchester, M2 4AT
W. www.avalancherestaurant.co.uk