New menu, new you

AUTUMN’S here and you know what? We love it. “Oh but the nights are drawing in and we’ve got to get dressed in the dark and the clocks need changing and it’ll be Christmas before you know it and– ” Hey you, zip it. Zip. It. 

New season equals new menu at The Pen and Pencil equals new you. We love a menu makeover and this one’s worth the wait. Chef’s swapped out some sauces and played around with some of the secret recipes, and you’ll also notice tons of fantastic new dishes worth putting a coat on and getting out for.

First off, the whole mains section has had a facelift, and there are some nifty new sides too – the cauliflower fritters (£4) is one that’s caught our eye. Nice and warm on a cold autumnal day is the sweet potato and spinach Goan curry (£9), also ticking the plant-based box. Vegetarian wise, there’s the goats cheese and beetroot salad (£10.50), featuring a trio of greens, toasted walnuts, and honey and rosemary vinaigrette. Fishing for compliments is sweet chilli salmon on stir-fried wild rice, with crispy kale and broccoli (£11.50).Sticking to the theme is wild rice salad with garlic chilli prawns (£10.50), while also incoming in mains is a honey mustard steak, aided and abetted by potatoes (£10.50), and Chicken and Chorizo Risotto (£11).

But yeah, we know – cutlery, right? If you prefer something you can pick up with your bare hands, worry not. There have been seven additions to the sandwiches, burgers and dogs, including the Spanish Chicken Ciabatta (£8.50), which packs a chorizo and paprika punch, the BBQ Pulled Pork Burger (£11.50, replacing the New York) – a beef patty laden with honey BBQ pulled pork and red cabbage – and the hot new P&P Classic Dog (£9), which comes with sautéed onions, American mustard and ketchup. Plant-based, and they’ve brought in the Naked Vegan Burger (£9) – we are not kidding, this falafel number is going to spice up your life – and a new sandwich we’re calling the Sweet Potato Vegan Stack (£8) – with crispy fried sweet potato, grilled mushroom, avocado, roasted red peppers and spinach, that’s your five-a-day on toasted sourdough, right there.

Talking of which, get in early (well, until 4pm, heh) and check out the Vegetarian Breakfast and Vegan Breakfast (both £10.50) (Replacing Kimchi Bubble and Squeak Cakes) – all kinds of goodness, including Falafel Sausage, Beans, Hash Brown, Grilled Tomato, Flat Cap Mushroom and Toasted Sourdough 

The Pen And Pencil kitchen has also been busy working on a whole section of light bites (£4.50-£6), providing a snack spread from crispy tacos to hot wings, and from falafel nibbles to loaded nachos of various types, with guacamole, sour cream and salsa. So whatever level of hunger you’re anticipating, rest assured you won’t be hungry for long next time you head on up to the Northern Quarter.