Menagerie Manchester – The Epitome of Cool

Earlier this month, I invited my mum for a ladies lunch at Menagerie Manchester. With a four month Saturday night waitlist, lunch seemed like a much more fitting option. Co-owned by two of the stars from the hit ITVBe show “The Real Housewives of Cheshire”, my expectations were high. Was Menagerie going to exude the class and sophistication frequently associated with Stacey Forsey and Seema Malhotra?

If you’re familiar with the show, you’ll know that Stacey and Seema aren’t your typical housewives. They are fiercely ambitious business women with empires to run and they rarely disappoint in the style, class and fashion stakes.

Walking into Menagerie Manchester was LOVE at first sight. No expense has been spared, making this restaurant the place to be seen. The handmade glass chandeliers are dazzling and the neon wall lights inject a dose of cool to the venue.

The main area of the restaurant, where LIVE shows take place at the weekend was closed. That didn’t stop me though as it was the ideal scenario for taking photos.

Before long, we were escorted to our table and given copies of the lunch menu to peruse. The big question was, do we order off the main menu or take advantage of Menagerie’s £9.95 express lunch time special?

The restaurant’s lunch time express menu includes a glass of wine or Prosecco and a main course. This seemed like a great option and for an ambience like this, an absolute bargain! You would pay much more for lunch at this kind of venue in London.

The express menu wasn’t as extensive as the normal restaurant menu, but there was a good selection of salads, sandwiches and hot dishes.

I opted for the lobster rolls which came with a generous portion of fries whilst mum ordered the avocado on toast. The avocado on toast wasn’t big as far as portion sizes go, but it was listed as a brunch dish. So if you have a healthy appetite, then I would opt for one of the larger plates like the steak frites.

In all honesty I was pleasantly surprised with my lobster rolls. The meat was juicy and tender with minimal chewing required. I hate it when chefs overcook lobster. My dish was very satisfying and was much tastier than the lobster rolls I’ve tried at Burger & Lobster.

After wiping our plates clean, we ordered a dessert to share. I couldn’t look past the mini doughnuts and I’m so glad I didn’t. The doughnuts were filled with marshmallow fluff and hot chocolate sauce. Believe me when I say they were delicious! So much so, I’m still day dreaming about them now.

Menagerie Manchester is a fabulous addition to the Manchester restaurant scene. The owners have really pushed the boat out. I’m not surprised the weekend wait list is so long as it really does rival high-end restaurants in London and New York. It’s a real pleasure to come across such a stunning and affordable restaurant. Bring on March 2018, when I’ll get to experience dinner at Menagerie!

Have you visited Menagerie Manchester before?

Maggie Oxox