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WITHOUT fail, every time we wander up to the Second Floor Brasserie at Harvey Nichols for brunch, lunch or dinner, we are left wondering why we don’t come more often.
Smoked salmon with cucumber, apple, chives and bonito crème fraîche was so pretty it was like eating a landscape picture
Perhaps we become dazzled by the other glittering departments on the way up there; the shiny shoes, the glossy make up, the sharp suits or those fabulous handbags, but without a doubt, the Bar and Brasserie on the Second Floor is a destination of its own.
The Second Floor Brasserie has one of the best dining views in Manchester and those lucky enough to be shown to one of the tables at the front will be rewarded with the perfect people-watching spot across Exchange Square towards the Cathedral.
As you’d expect from a brand like Harvey Nichols, no detail has been overlooked and everything they use or serve comes with a mark of quality, from the premium liquor brands in their cocktails, to the state of the art equipment found in their kitchens.
Head Chef Matthew Horsfield has been with Harvey Nichols for over eight years, working his way up through the brigade and he’s justifiably proud of the dishes they offer and the relationship he has with the company. Although he admits to being a staunch traditionalist, he enjoys the cooking techniques, such as sous vide and hot and cold smoking that the kitchen at Harvey Nichols affords.
The menu changes up to four times a year to reflect the seasons, but Matthew has been given the freedom and support to invent and create, to be continuously inspired and to choose from the best producers and suppliers, allowing him and his team to continuously produce stunning dishes time after time.
We went along recently to try the latest menu which has achieved a perfect balance between fresh flavours and special dishes. Whilst we were trying to choose between the tempting list of starters, Matthew sent over a dish he had been working on for the upcoming summer menu which will be available from July – Oysters Rockerfeller.
Over the years, Harvey Nichols has gained a great reputation for serving deliciously fresh oysters which many customers like to enjoy with a chilled class of Harvey Nichols Champagne. These however, had been rolled in breadcrumbs and baked before being served back in the half shell with mirin, cucumber and seaweed. We were left craving what else was going to be on the next menu, before we’d even worked our way through this one.
Dorset crab with lemon, black pepper and nasturtium was a dish which represented the best of a British summer, while smoked salmon with cucumber, apple, chives and bonito crème fraîche was so pretty it was like eating a landscape picture. Both the hot-smoked salmon in the paté and the cold-smoked salmon had been prepared from scratch in their own kitchen smoker.
Harvey Nichols salads are offered in smaller or larger portions, so we particularly enjoyed tucking into a generous starter of lobster and crayfish with Jersey Royal potato salad which had been enhanced with aioli and crunchy apple.
We were tempted by so many things on the menu such as roasted tandoori monkfish, or pan-fried stone bass but in the end, we couldn’t resist the combination of the impressive Josper grill and the Holcroft Farm prime rib steak. This is a generous 800g slab of perfectly marbled, full flavoured beef meant for two to share. At £50, it might appear quite steep, but when you realise that this generous full-flavoured steak comes with two huge piles of hand-cut chips, green salad, roast heritage tomatoes and jugs of pepper sauce, it actually works out as great value.
When dining at Harvey Nichols, it’s crucial to leave room for desserts. Kerry, their hugely talented Pastry Chef, has been there almost as long as chef Matthew and her puddings, pastries and Afternoon Teas are a thing of beauty.
They’ve been clever here, instead of asking people to choose between creations such as crème brûlée with banana and salted caramel, passion fruit and mango macaroon (our favourite) and treacle tart with clotted cream and raspberries (actually maybe this was our favourite) or black forest, sour cherry parfait and chocolate glaze, they offer a beautifully crafted selection of miniature desserts. The opportunity for us to try them all left us as giddy as children in a sweet shop with their parent's PIN number.
We could have stayed all day, perhaps enjoying a cocktail or two in an attempt to stimulate our tummies into digesting the steak feast enough to be able to enjoy Afternoon Tea, but in the end we were defeated. We reluctantly left, vowing to return and try the new summer menu which is now available, with perhaps a brunch or two in between.
Harvey Nichols Second Floor Brasserie, 21 New Cathedral Street, Manchester M1 1AD
To book a table call 0161 410 0270 or book online
