Manchester Confidential
THOMAS Restaurant And Bar celebrated its second birthday with a spring menu and a new ‘after work’ bar offer.
The winner of City Life’s Best Newcomer Award in 2010, Thomas has a loyal following due to its mixture of crowd-pleasing yet distinctive dishes.
The kitchen is led by classically trained head chef Midi Harmim who hails from Morocco. With twenty five years’ restaurant experience including the former Gilt House in Altrincham, Lounge 10 and Brasserie St Pierre, Midi combines the influences he has picked up to produce a skilful yet inclusive menu.
New items on the menu include: Lobster bisque – a luxurious, smooth soup with lobster, tomatoes, butter and white wine, £6.95; Potted smoked duck breast – Gressingham duck breast with prosciutto roulade, borlotti beans and chorizo salsa, £6.50; Lightly devilled chicken livers – pan fried livers with Tabasco and Worcester sauce on thick toast, £5.50; Ham Hock Terrine – with fresh piccalilli, beetroot salad and melba toast £5.95; Artichoke Risotto – marinated artichoke risotto with crumbed duck egg yolk, £6.50 or £11.95 as a main; Oven roasted spring chicken – with asparagus, puy lentils and shallots in fresh spring vegetable broth, £14.95; Yorkshire Lamb Shank – with gratin dauphinoise , braised savoy cabbage and roasted chestnuts, crispy pancetta and redcurrant masala jus £15.95; Pan fried fillet of Whitby Plaice – with fondant potato, coriander bisque and navarin of root vegetables, £14.75; Mushroom and cherry tomato masala – wild mushrooms slowly cooked in a rich masala sauce with pilaf rice and a cool cucumber yoghurt, £11.95; Thomas chocolate éclair – with fresh strawberries and Chantilly cream, £5.95; Tart tatin £5.50.
A special offer has been launched to coincide with the new menu, between noon and 7pm Monday to Saturday choose two courses (most starters, mains and desserts are included) for just £13.95.
Eclair
The new menu is complemented apparently by a small cocktail menu.
April also sees the launch of ‘Thomas After Work’ – running from 4-7pm Monday to Friday. Cocktails are £5 not £7 and include Amaretto sour, Negroni, Titian Cosmopolitan, Bellini, Espresso Martini.
After work bar snacks include chunky hand cut chips with garlic and lemon mayonnaise, £3.50; Boscaiola olives with tapenade and melba toast, £3.50; calamari tempura with garlic and lemon mayonnaise, £5.95; rare beef sandwich with horseradish and rocket on crusty bloomer, £6.25; spicy falafels with minty yoghurt dip, £5.25; a selection of mini pizzas from £4.50.
Contact Thomas on 0161 839 7033 at 49-51 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1NA.Website.
Confidential recommends
We scooted along to taste the menu and to give the thumbs up or not. The new dishes were robust and hearty and showed off Chef Harmim’s talents very well.
Two dishes we’ll be running back for.
The potted smoked duck breast with prosciutto roulade, borlotti beans and chorizo salsa is a steal at £6.50. Intense, sultry and smokey flavours mingle with different textures to produce an immense foodie sense of contentment.
Meanwhile with the marinated artichoke risotto with crumbed duck egg yolk Harmim has produced one of the most wholesome and generously flavoured vegetarian dishes in the North – this dish is shown on the main picture here. You get powerpunch tastebud tickling from ther artichoke but better again a soft yolk encased in breadcrumbs that breaks like daybreak over the risotto.
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