The River Restaurant at The Lowry

So, here we are, the artist and opera singer Paula Hateley and I in The River Restaurant catching up on stuff. Paula, a good pal of Gordo's over the past couple of years or so has been busy with her joint exhibition with rock photographer and drinker extraordinaire, Michael Spencer-Jones. They did a good cow together for the Parade (Not an Udder Cow) with Argent as sponsors. Paula is the only girl to have made Gordo cry. She gave me tickets to the Threepenny Opera a few months ago. She sang one of the leads, and Gordo was quietly dreading it. When our Paula started singing, Gordo melted, and cried silently. She was astonishing. I suspect the next girl to make me cry will be my daughter Georgina, when she gives birth to Gordo's Grandson, already named. It's 'arry. He is going to be a good 'n.
We are here to see how Chef David Woolf, ex Marco Pierre White is getting on upon his return.
I really get the needle at Prima Donna London Chefs putting their name to restaurants in town, visiting them once or twice and thinking that that the Mancs are going to flock to them in awe. Blimey, Nico Ladenis! Blimey, Gary Rhodes! Blimey, Marco Pierre White! All sent packing by an audience unprepared to have the mickey taken out of them. A couple have left us with their well trained progeny who, having spent their time here, understand us. Although still irritating the pants off me with sometimes meager portions and rabid under saucing both Ian Morgan at Establishment and David Woolf at the River Restaurant are two chefs who will soon be capable of matching our cyclists at the velodrome.
The Lowry has a room already described by Gordo - Click here - I love it. A large pillar in the middle sometimes results in hiding the service, but overall the aforementioned service is slick and professional, headed up by Lindsay Cessford’s secret fantasy man (dead fit apparently) Huseyin Bozkurt. The food ordered on the evening beautifully presented. Asparagus and foie gras chosen; Paula loved the asparagus. My foie gras, a cold terrine served with toasted brioche (plenty of that, well done) was as good as any in South West France. It came with 'marmalade'. Bit weird this, not a total success, but simply don't eat it if you don't like it. Bread, by the way, is absolutely fantastic though you have to ask for butter, which was a while arriving. Good again when it did.
Mains were neck of lamb cassoulet, and roast chicken with foie gras sauce. The lamb was fantastic; the sauce reduced to a flavour packed near-syrupy stew, the lamb from the neck end cut in a long nugget was awesome in texture and flavour, as tender as cutting into a course pate. A sad point was the plate. It was stone cold. Whoever was plating up should be thrown into the River Irwell. It spoiled the dish, which was on the very bad side of luke warm.
However, once again with the chicken we find a kitchen which understands the very essence of cooking. Temperature and timing are all important. Too much means typical English style dried-out stringy, and a minute or two undercooked frightens the pants off us. This kitchen is spot on; in the middle we get the French-style succulence where your knife slices through meat with no resistance which in turn tastes of the fields the little darlings scratch around in. 'Cos this chicken was no caged bird. A cracker, on a hot plate this time. A side of broccoli with burnt garlic was a good idea, maybe the garlic could have been burnt a bit more.
Apricot crumble was spot on, the crumble stickily crisp on top revealing perfectly cooked fresh apricots underneath, big chunky halves with a bit of bite. Ice cream. More of that for Gordo's sake! Bread and Butter pudding not as good as the crumble, but I was brought up on my ex's little sister, Julia Hague's for a number of years in my early twenties. That and one of her big fat ones late at night always went down a treat. As did John Peel, the Radio One DJ who sadly passed away yesterday. Next time I have bread and butter pudding late at night, Gordo will raise a glass to him.
The wine list is exceptional, and will be covered later in a Gordo special on wine lists across Manc’s restaurants.
Scoring well here at 15.5/20. Would have nudged 16.5 but for the mistakes.
Another Gordo Go.
The River Restaurant
0161 827 4000
The Lowry Hotel
50 Dearmans Place
Chapel Wharf
Manchester
M3 5LH