Because I am thoroughly out of practice

[kingandy]

Where's a good restaurant in Manchester for a first date?

EDIT: I've come to a decision, but do keep suggesting. They will no doubt be useful in the future.

Comments

[mrssshhh.livejournal.com]

Quiet and subdued, or energetic and full of life?

I've considered the same question.

[kingandy]

I think more the former than the latter.

My current favourite is the Dutch Pancake House. Hence the call for suggestions, really.

[wibblefish.livejournal.com]

any preference on type?

for english food sam's chop house on cross st.

for meat (steak) gaucho grill off deansgate.

isinglass in urmston is excellent

[renniek.livejournal.com]

I second the vote for Sam's Chop House, it's lovely, and they do great beer as well. Mmm Leffe Blonde on tap...

The Grinch is good - modern, nice food, not too expensive. It's more a place I'd go for pizza or pasta before going out to e.g. cinema or theatre rather than somewhere I'd go to spend a whole evening having a meal.
Wagamama is good for noodles and stuff. Not great if you're after an intimate atmosphere though coz everyone's just seated on long benches next to each other, so it's a lively, chatty, all-crammed-in-together kind of a place.

What's your budget like?

[kingandy]

I am feeling positively solvent at the moment, so let us say mid-to-high reasonable.

[wibblefish.livejournal.com]

should say neither gaucho or sams are cheap but think both have menu online.

if you start going out regularly have a word with me about hi-life card. If you are eating out a lot it is well worth the money.

[richc.livejournal.com]

Have a search here, it's a bit slow......

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/food/

[kingandy]

I object to the way the entirety of the summary paragraphs in the first page are links. It's like they're trying to trick me into clicking. This offends me.

[richc.livejournal.com]

Blame our web design blokey, he insisted.

[kingandy]

Tell him he is a fool. I like to be able to select a window by clicking on it.

Conversely, the little "review" icons - which I would assume to be a link to a review - do nothing.

Fool!

[ed-fortune.livejournal.com]

I can see the reasoning. Upper management, who think of Page views in terms of 'circulation', so the higher the better. I used to cheat by promoting competitions, and haveing the compies link through lead articles, allowing a reasonable web design but also keeping the editors happy.

[kingandy]

I can see the reasoning. I just disagree with it. I don't think accidental clickthoughs are worth the loss of readership, ie, me.

[richc.livejournal.com]

I do that regularly! The review ones are not linked because of the multiple reviews case. Personally I really hate the design of that section.

[kingandy]

Perhaps I shall compose a letter of complaint.

Or maybe I am too lazy.

[mj-uk.livejournal.com]

Pizza express! Pizza express!

[kingandy]

They do indeed do tasty tasty pizzas. And very upper class.

[mj-uk.livejournal.com]

try there ceaser salad, and me and liz had a fantastic pizza that had a weird cheese sauce thing instead of tomato puree as the base, it was well nice ee'ar!

[mistressp.livejournal.com]

Lounge Ten: need to book in advance, anf reportesly one of the top three restaurants in Manc (the other two being Harvey Nicks and Raymond Blanc's place). Lovely atmosphere, fabulous food, touch pricey.

Grinch and Sam's are both excellent choices. The Piccolino's in Manchester does great italian too.

RBG (restaraunt bar and grill) on John Dalton does great food and is tres trendy - it's where we take clients.

I can also recommend Lounge on Deansgate -good food, relaxed, conservatory type atmosphere, ok prices.

[arwel.livejournal.com]

That Cafe in Levenshulme. It's a pretty nice palce for a date, it's generally quiet, and the food is superb. Have a look at their online menu, it changes every week , but should give you n idea of what to expect. They have a Jazz night on the first Wednesday of the month if you want something to fill in the gaps in the conversation. I doubt they do alchopops though.

Thai at Pacific impressed me when I went there, but that was some time ago.

Sam's Chop House does indeed have some loveley food, but wouldn't really be my choice for a date.

[kardrath.livejournal.com]

I'll second Lounge Ten, the food is very good. Depends if you want somewhere that's more than a little burlesque and which has a lounge singer.

[mistressp.livejournal.com]

OOooo Ooooo, should have mentioned - Lead Station in Chorlton. Great food, good prices, nice atmosphere, inordinately high percentage of lesbian waiting staff*. Does the best eggs benedict (and eggs lead station, with smoked samon instead of bacon) in the world. Also does a very good evening meal though.


*not strictly relevant, yet factually accurate.