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BOURBON & Black is a lesson in classic and contemporary: exposed brickwork, heritage details and towering windows that suffuse the space with natural light.
If there’s one thing to be said about Bourbon & Black, it’s that they know how to spoil us
The same principle applies to their menu, a blend of historic cooking methods with modern refinements and a dynamic theatre kitchen. Southern US specialities are given a creative revamp, yet retain traditional smoking techniques and an emphasis on cooking over charcoal. All meat is locally-sourced whilst everything - from braising to grinding to making sauces - is done onsite. You can’t say that about many restaurants.
It doesn’t stop there. Bourbon & Black is the only place in Manchester to offer seafood boil and one of few places to use the catch of the day in dishes like their Creole fish. Speaking of which, when Confidential visited, this was fresh red snapper. Paired with sweetcorn fritters, heritage carrots and purple sprouting broccoli, it certainly hit the spot - as did the aforementioned seafood boil. A plethora of juicy shrimps, mussels and clams served in a steaming broth and topped with a rather impressive crab leg, this excelled in both appearance and taste. A side of artisan bread made the perfect finishing touch.
Creole Fish
Indeed it’s all about the little touches at Bourbon & Black. Meatballs are an unusual mixture of cheek, chuck and a little back fat for extra juiciness. Jalapeño poppers are infinitely tastier than your usual popular bar snack, painstakingly breaded onsite for extra freshness. And half roast chicken is brined in a sage solution for 24 hours before roasting for extra tenderness. Served with house B&B sauce, which has a cheeky splash of Woodford Reserve, this is a dish worth crowing about.
Seafood Boil
Processes are important here. Wings and ribs are barbecued over charcoal, rather than gas, to avoid any bitterness. House braised brisket, meanwhile, is cooked ‘low and slow’ in pale ale for the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth experience. Even vegetable sides are carefully considered. Heritage carrots are glazed in honey, bourbon and orange whilst broccoli is blanched then grilled for a crisper result.
Brisket
Those without a carnivorous bent are well catered for too. Mac & cheese comes with a rich five-bean mix and is available in both vegetarian and vegan versions, whilst house cooked roast is a great alternative to the popular classic: nut patties containing walnuts, Brazil nuts and waxy red-skinned peanuts, basted in sage and garlic butter and served on a bed of pickled carrots and chargrilled zucchini. For those who do fancy a traditional Sunday joint with all the trimmings, Bourbon & Black offer a roast and a beer for £9.95.
House Cooked Roast
This is all before we add bourbon, blues and a tantalising medley of desserts to the mix. If there’s one thing to be said about Bourbon & Black, it’s that they certainly know how to spoil us. Now for that cornflake tart...