Room's Winter Menu

CONFIDENTIAL spent a lovely afternoon at Room where we were treated to a sample of the upcoming winter à la carte menu.

But it was the home-cured gammon that received the most praise. It was cooked to perfection and moist. 

The modern British restaurant on King Street serves consistently good food in a striking Grade II listed building. The shape, size and feel of this former gents club put you in the mind for food

Head chef, Pete Taylor, pulled out all the stops to give us an insight into the delights that will be on offer, and all dishes were paired with wines from supplier, Hallgarten Druitt.

We were greeted with a glass of Nero D’avola prosecco, and then seated for an amuse-bouche of mulligatawny soup with yellow and puy lentils and an Indian onion fritter. The spices were lovely and warming on a cold Manchester day, without being too overpowering.

Of the duo of starters, pot roast pigeon and salmon en croute, the salmon was stand out. It was served three-ways, gravadlax, beetroot-infused and with fennel and onion seed. The game tea, a consommé made from the pot roast pigeon, also went down well. Both were impressively presented and devoured quickly.

The main course showed culinary flair, a duo of gammon and pineapple, and a beef wellington. The wellington was meaty with buttery, flaky pastry. But it was the home-cured gammon that received the most praise. It was cooked to perfection and moist. Paired with a star-anise infused pineapple and a savoury crumble it was tender and succulent. Both were served with a truffle mash and a moreish mushroom reduction.

Desserts were a fragrant Turkish delight and classic lemon meringue pie. The Turkish delight was served in a chocolate pot with rosewater jelly on the bottom and a silky coconut froth top. The pie was made with Italian meringue, with boiling sugar syrup rather than granulated sugar - tricky but a success.  

To complement the meal, we were served a red from Sicily and a Greek white, Wild Ferment Assyrtiko, which was lemony and refreshing.

Dessert was served with an aromatic Gewurtztraminer from New Zealand, which rounded of the desserts nicely.

The winter à la carte menu is available from Thursday 17 November.