CASTLEFIELD is a much better place for having The Wharf.
The new big food and drink beast of the urban heritage park has sorted out the 'empty' south west side of the basin with aplomb.
The big-hearted operator, occupying the long derelict site of Jacksons Wharf, looks every inch the zillion pounds it cost to refurb. With its real fires, smart terrace and charmingly bric-a-brac packed interior it feels cosy and confident, intimate and expansive at the same time.
Clearly The Wharf doesn't want to go down the route of smarmy gastro-pub, but it needs sharpening up foodwise, it needs to define the flavours and then give them umph.
Part of the Brunning and Price pub group, we have here a fine venue for wasting a few hours swilling down good ales and good wines while watching the people, the narrow-boats and the geese go by. It's got real fires too, so maybe the odd whisky might suit on cold days.
But what about the food?
I've eaten a few times at The Wharf since it opened in July and it's still a work in progress. The kitchen should be pushing itself harder and trusting our tastebuds more.
The Wharf
One of the signature dishes is the pan fried Anglesey seabass fillets with crab croquette, saffron fondant potato, roasted fennel and gazpacho dressing (£15.95) - this is the main picture at the top of the page.
The potato was just wrong, too brutal and solid when it should have been creamy but the fennel was perfect, packed with wonderful anise character. Meanwhile the seabass was a silky and subtle star and the crab croquette was a rewarding and very enjoyable extra.
But the gazpacho 'sauce' was bland. It contributed nothing to the dish. There certainly wasn't enough garlic in the thing. In fact a better idea might be to ditch the word gazpacho altogether and just get on with creating another tomato based sauce but one with some heat to create a contrast with the gentle seabass. It'd help the presentation as well if the sauce was more red and less orange.
Gazpacho dispatcho
The same competence but lack of excitement was apparent with the seared scallops with broad beans, baby onions, braised gem and crisp bacon (£9.95). This was good. It was fine. But again there was a lack of edge, a diffidence that seemed odd given the raw materials.
A 2011 Castell de Raimat Albariño wine was a booster throughout the meal. It would have been lovely on its own as well.
Scallops
There was nothing bland in the truly gorgeous bread and butter pudding with apricot and clotted cream for £5.50. This was a juicy delight, with a floaty bread and butter mix, glorious with a thick and delicious clotted cream. It kept its feet on the ground with the tartness of the apricot. Brilliant.
Bloody lovely
This dish should be the model for The Wharf.
The pub should let its kitchen break free, help it be as confident as the interior designers in what a re-invented pub can deliver. Go for those big, honest, robust flavours and it'll improve no end.
Clearly The Wharf doesn't want to go down the route of smarmy gastro-pub, but it needs sharpening up foodwise, it needs to define the flavours and then give them umph. Like I say, I've tried several dishes on the long menu, and this lack of character is a problem, with the fancier dishes.
Wharf menu
What The Wharf shouldn't be is afraid of scaring off the audience. This is Manchester city centre, the residents - a large part of the market - live here presumably because they don't want the quiet restraint of suburban life. The kitchen should reflect the cosmopolitan nature of the city centre.
That said, the atmosphere, aspect and location of the pub all make it worth a try, especially if you're feeling like some bread and butter pudding with your drinks.
Or you really like geese.
You can follow Jonathan Schofield on Twitter here @JonathSchofield
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The Wharf is at 6 Slate Wharf, Castlefield, City, M15 4ST. 0161 220 2960 www.thewharf-castlefield.co.uk
Rating: 13.5/20
Food: 6/10
Service: 3.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
The Wharf
Real fires
The Wharf
