ADAM REID AT THE FRENCH – TASTING MENU -NOV 2018
In the North West of England we a blessed with many amazing, well respected and accoladed restaurants which is great for a foodie like myself and also my wife.. as we can treat ourselves to a night out.
French by Adam Reid had also intrigued me….
– Firstly because of its location in one of the most beautiful hotel buildings in Manchester, the Midland – a true favourite of mine
– Secondly, how Manchester at this time (late 2018) had not received a Michelin Star despite several chefs, and business consortium attempting, and I constantly heard French mentioned in those circles. Something that has been achieved now with Mana, but sadly just the one establishment currently.
– Thirdly because of all the food in the world I am not a lover of “French Cuisine” or at least that is what I tell myself… 😊
– With Adam opening a restaurant at the Midland again in 2013, along with one of my favourite chef’s Simon Rogan, before taking over completely in 20916… I thought this must be a great place to experience.
– Finally, as an avid watcher of Great British Menu , Adam had always been one of my favourite chefs! The Golden Empire dessert… who can forget that !
As a local Manchester lad this is very much a labour of love for Adam it seems, and he brings some excellent food and service to the capital of the North. I was intrigued also about how the experience was with the whole establishment under his control and constant references to the experience rather than the food… I have seen some chefs take on more than they should in this area and I was interested in did it work??
So as a birthday treat for my partner (now wife!!) I decided we should give it a go. It was kind of a tall order as we were both excited to try this place.
Reservations & Website
Seamless, online booking service as you would expect, time and date booking via Bookatable directed from the website a sis common. Personally I like this style as you can easily locate booking through the app, though I know some people are against it – it does what it supposed to and aids restaurants booking system management – enough said.
The website itself (https://the-french-manchester.co.uk/) was particularly stylised and sleek, fitting with the collective image personified by the restaurant with a dark and brooding colour scheme – though simple to navigate and very informative. I found it very straightforward and gave me exactly what I needed in terms of background , the menu choices (different sharing menu choices by a simple number of courses is a genius idea) I booked “nine” the nine course star of the show, which you can also add others on the night if you wish as it was a special occasion.
First Impressions
Well, being based in the Midland Hotel you have the “wow” factor from the start. The building dates from 1903 and the main areas are still impressive even though now a Q Hotel. For people that know it, the large and imposing entrance hall and main bar can be a vast and empty space at times so I wondered how this was handled? As it turns out, excellently – the unassuming entrance to the restaurant was understated but elegant and the drapes shielding it from the rest of the hotel very clever. We decided to have a cocktail first as we were a little early, and were seated in a secluded waiting area and our drinks promptly brought to us. Being from the cocktail bar of the Midland they didn’t disappoint and served as a great aperitif.
Shortly we were led into the dining area and to our table – the room that the restaurant operates from is different from anywhere else I have eaten. At first I thought the room was far was too open, and not at all intimate being one open space with tables through the middle and around the edges, but this changed as we were seated. What they have done very well is keep the grandeur of the opulent room dressed well in fabrics and also keep enough space and respect between the tables that it feels still intimate whilst dining. The lighting and highly impressive chandeliers finish this off very well.
Service
Throughout the evening I thought this was the standout take home from The French.
I can see why some diners may feel that the staff could be more formally dressed, and if this is one of the reasons a star has not been given to The French, well that is farcical. The staff dressed in polo shirts and jeans fitted well in the location and the appeared comfortable in work. This is not a factor for me, I am here for the food, but the service provided is what matters and truly this was second to none. The whole ambience was that of a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere to dine.
Each of the staff we encountered were knowledgeable, friendly, and not “scared” to engage in conversation as I have found in some restaurants – eating in such a place is more about the whole experience and enjoying this and not just about amazing food. For me the abiding memory from French was the service.
The Food
We chose the Nine Menu (£85)– a nine course tasting menu with optional dishes that could be added at a additional charge such as Adam’s famous Golden Empire desert – we also chose the wine pairing (£75) as it was a special occasion. You can see a copy of the menu we had below.
Each dish was very well presented and as would be expected not a fault throughout. I have read some people feel the portions are “small” and that they left hungry. I find this laughable, and very hard to believe…. Personally, for a tasting menu I felt the size of the dishes was above what I have had in other restaurants and was a good size throughout – I even declined the additional Empire pudding… only just mind, after much deliberation … as I had eaten enough and that is a barometer for me.
Stand out dishes for me ……
Tater ‘ash with mushroom catsup, bread & butter – like no other potato hash I have ever had The northern home town nod in the title is about all you – the bread and butter … divine and so well matched.
Tunworth Cheese, broccoli custard, truffle and potato – A dish I was not sure I would enjoy, but Tunworth Cheese is very much a like/don’t like but this was simply a wonderful balanced and enjoyable dish I would gladly eat again. The Cheese the star of the show, deep in taste with the truffle cutting across it.
Overall
Whilst it may not (at the time of writing, anyway) have the elusive Michelin Star, this is more than worthy in my opinion of such an accolade. The food, service and location all make this my current favourite Manchester restaurant and I look forward hopefully visiting again soon.
As mentioned above as well as the amazing food, the staff and their interaction is what makes this so special.
The only negative I have is weirdly other diners. The humility and grace shown by the staff and the truly beautiful location deserve to be respected and dress and behave appropriately. While that may sound a little “elitist” and people will say if you pay the money what does it matter, but this may just be the changing Manchester scene as it continues to grow.
