Acclaimed chef Andrew Sheridan’s contemporary dining destination launches this November
Counter Manchester, the highly anticipated new restaurant by Open Restaurant Group, is set to open its doors next month (Monday 9 November), marking the first Manchester city centre opening from the Liverpool-based restaurateurs. The opening follows on from the successful launch of the brand’s Didsbury restaurant Arcadian last month.
Bringing a theatrical approach to city centre dining, Counter will be located in Manchester’s Island Building on John Dalton Street serving up to 60 covers at a time.
At the heart of the restaurant will be a four-to-five-seat chef’s counter, placing guests directly at the pass for an up-close view of the kitchen in action. The interiors will feature four-metre elm trees, curved booth seating and a brass wine display, creating a setting designed to make atmosphere and experience as integral to the visit as the food itself.
Menu highlights include the beef tartare pressed croissant, pairing aged beef with a crispy pressed croissant, smoked oyster mayo, wasabi and pickled shallot; the tuna pizza, combining a crisp sesame base with raw tuna, avocado, jalapeño and smoked soy; and the scallop hash brown, featuring crispy potato, scallop brown butter satay, green chilli and lime.
From the grill, guests can expect the satay spatchcock chicken, served with peanut satay, fermented chilli, coconut, burnt lime and crispy shallot, alongside turbot steak, a bone-in cut finished with brown butter, green chilli and preserved lemon.
Sides bring the same spirit of indulgence and reinvention, from gravy fries topped with beef dripping, bone marrow gravy, smoked cheese and crispy onion, to the mac & cheese brûlée, combining smoked cheddar and a parmesan crust with a hit of gochujang.
Paying homage to Manchester, the dessert menu features two distinctly local creations. ‘Vimto 1908’ is a nod to the city's iconic soft drink - bringing together Vimto jelly, baked yoghurt, vanilla sponge, blackcurrant, raspberry and custard - while ‘The Manchester Glory’ layers vanilla custard, raspberry, coconut ice cream, banana, toasted coconut, whipped mascarpone and cherry.
The drinks menu has been devised by Jake Nutt, who returns to Open Restaurant Group following a stint at two-Michelin-starred Ynyshir in Wales. Drinks have been designed to complement Counter’s bold flavours and match its energy from day to night.
Andrew Sheridan, Chef and Co-Founder at Open Restaurant Group, said: “For us, great cooking isn’t about sticking to rules or defining food by where it comes from. It’s about taking the best flavours, textures and ingredients from around the world and bringing them together in ways that surprise people. We start with great produce, take inspiration from different food cultures and have fun with it, creating dishes that are bold, playful and full of flavour.
“Manchester is creative, loud and full of character, and we wanted Counter to reflect exactly that. It’s a place where great food meets a sense of occasion, without ever taking itself too seriously. Whether you’re joining us for lunch or dinner, we want Counter to feel like a natural part of the city, somewhere you come back to time and time again.”
Counter Manchester opens at midday on Monday 9 November with bookings now open. For more updates, follow @restaurantcounter on Instagram or visit restaurantcounter.co.uk.
Counter Manchester, Island Building, 17-27 John Dalton St, Manchester M2 6FW
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