MANCHESTER RESTAURANT REVIEWS - James Martin Manchester Reviews  
Restaurants Of Manchester
 
 
 
James Martin Manchester

James Martin Manchester Reviews
AddressManchester 235, The Great Northern, Watson Street, Manchester, M3 4LP
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"Unquestionably one of the best value mid-range dining deals"
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
James Martin Manchester Review

Restaurants Of Manchester (Thursday 22 July 2021)

Key: 5 stars = World Class!   4 stars = Fantastic   3 stars = GOOD   2 stars = OK   1 star = Poor

Decor & Ambience 4 stars

Positives
Every time I review James Martin I feel obliged to mention that it's housed right at the back of the Manchester 235 casino.  Your pathway to the dining room unavoidably takes you by roulette and poker tables etc.  Not a huge issue for us really as we are just used to it after all these years.  Plus once you're actually seated, the casino thing becomes a distant memory until you visit the loos.  No clutter of chips to be heard anywhere.  At least not the potato variety.  I've used that same joke in a past review of the same venue, in hindsight.  The dining room is generally smart though, with nice brick ceilings, a lovely dark wooden floor and some interesting chicken sculptures on the walls. 
Positives
There's no doubt that the casino location will lose points in the eyes of some people.  I don’t get the chickens either.
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Bread & Butter Smoked Short Rib Taco
 
Price Fantastic

Positives
On this occasion, the 5 course tasting menu was in play.  Said menu is priced at a paltry £35, so it's already decent value for the quality and quantity on display.  Now add to that 5 glasses of wine, not sample portions either, and what you end up with is unquestionably one of the best value mid-range dining deals anywhere in the region, let alone city centre.  It's absurd value really, and usually runs from Jan to Feb, but clearly this year's been a bit different in many ways.  It's impossible to criticise the value for money one bit if you're going with the tasting menu offer, which we of course did. 
Positives
If you stray to the full wine carte rather than the included pairings, then some of the mark ups are contrastingly steep.  The entry level Lobo Loco Tempranillo weight in at a hefty £23, and RRPs at just over a fiver.  You get a glass of it in the wine flight.  Further up the price ranges offer better value though, with the reliably good Hahn Estates Californian Cab Sav coming in at £51 and an RRP of £18.  Very acceptable. 
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Charred Confit Carrot BBQ Bream
 
Food & Drink 4 stars

Positives
We usually review this same deal in Jan/Feb as touched on earlier, which gives me an opportunity to rehash another joke; this time about how you don’t usually fancy eating out in January after the Xmas excess.  But since it's July, Ill need to work harder.  Luckily, the food wasn’t at all hard work, nor was it a joke.

Bread was lovely; crusty and deep in flavour, we suspect made in house which we always love in the age of places buying in, as much as you see why that happens. 

Smoked Short Rib Taco got things in play, plus I had to drop in a cheesy casino reference.  A lovely masa based taco shell, with uber rich beef dressed with hickory mayo, some sweetness and texture from toasted corn and some zippy acidity and brightness from dollops of gherkin ketchup. We ate with a knife and fork as to avoid making a mess. 

Charred Confit Carrot with carrot puree, buttermilk and pomegranate was next up.  The well cooked and perfectly griddled carrot was the rightful star of the plate.  Carrot tops and rosemary powder completed the garnish and rounded things off nicely.  A nice mixture of contrasting textures, temperatures, and all manner of food article related adjectives. 

BBQ Bream was perfectly cooked, sitting atop a score of Cornish mussels, with a trendily-split green/translucent basil scented broth, and some well-paired cherry tomatoes.  I'd hate to be the person who blanched and peeled all those for a 50 cover service!. 

Lamb Neck was a substantial plate; more so that a mid-lockdown Scotch Egg. Well glazed lamb, with an array of purees, sauces and peas.  A dot of black garlic on a cube of potato brought a tidal wave of umami and a nice bit of carb to the party.  The Peter & Peter German Pinot which this paired with was easily the best match of the evening. 

Cheese (£10 for 2 surcharge) was what it says; a selection of British cheeses, all well-kept, ready to eat, with some house made crackers and lovely chutney. A superb value supplement.

Mango Parfait was as pretty as a picture.  A textbook parfait, with stunning coconut mouse/foam, and some leaf/cube garnish to turn it all into a dish.  A lovely and light way to finish with an elegant recreation of the old school Artic Roll.
Positives
However; the pomegranate seeds added extra sweetness which wasn’t really cohesive with the already sweet carrot dish, despite adding a nice little textural element.  The lamb protein was good meat quality but a few degrees overdone.  And the Mango dish's sponge element was very dry, perhaps suffering during the freezing process?
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Glazed Lamb Neck Selection of British Cheeses (to share)
 
Service 4 stars

Positives
Kelly was our server, and she looked after us well all evening.  Chatty, friendly, just the right amount of chat, and reeled she off the wine tasting notes like a pro.  We tipped extra because she deserved it!
Positives
Our table was a bit crowded with empty wine glasses at times, so keep an eye on those clear downs.
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Mango Parfait Entrance to James Martin Manchester
 
Overall Very Good

Positives
So, James Martin Manchester continues to deliver one of the best dining experiences in the city centre.  Great value, a skilled kitchen that’s way beyond what you'd expect of a casino restaurant, and Manchester has always loved a celebrity reference.  Since launch James Martin has become one of the city's go to food destinations, striking the ideal balance between cost and quality, with that aforementioned celeb hook up.  There's a very good reason why they've been in our top 10 best restaurants since they opened, so if you've not been already, then get yourself a table and see for yourself.

The only downside is that by the time you read this, the 5 course and free wine offer will have ended!  With any luck it will be back in January though, so that I can once again crack the same old joke about post Xmas/NY eating, on top of the bad chip joke.
Positives
A couple of little service points, and a few minor food hiccups which you wouldn’t even mention at a lesser venue.  And even then, you'd still be paying much more than this!
 
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James Martin Manchester January Preview
Restaurants Of Manchester (Wednesday 8th January 2020)

James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
James Martin Manchester - Restaurant January & February 2020 Offer
It’s that time of year when one; you’re probably flat broke after laying out on presents.  And two; that dire lack of funds isn’t a show stopper because you’re sick of eating anyway, and would happily get by on bare toast for a month. 

But what if we told you that one of our favourite city centre restaurants are not only giving you their tasting menu at an already amazing price of 5 courses for £30, but are including 5 glasses of wine for free until the end of February?  If you’re like us, then such value scales any post-Christmas food walls and diet plans, this is the deal for you.
 
James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
Bread Course Ponte Prosecco
James Martin Manchester invited us down to sample this great value deal for ourselves. We decided to go for one regular tasting menu, and one vegetarian menu, to share and experience more dishes, as the vegetarian cep pappardele was something that we just couldn’t ignore. 

Lovely warm bread started the meal, as it should do with any decent meal out really.  This came with either olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or beef dripping.  That also makes it a 6 course dinner if you’re being picky.
 
James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
Cheese and Onion Cheese and Onion - Vegetarian Option
‘Cheese and Onion’ was next.  A whole saltcrust-baked onion to lock in all that flavour and moisture.  Scooped out, and filled with a lovely espuma’ed cheese; Berkswell for the vegetarian plate, and the slightly smoother Westcombe Cheddar for the non vegetarian option.  A great start. 

We half expected the free glasses of wine to be tasting sizes, but make no mistake. These were glasses, as in proper glasses. The glass of Ponte Prosecco which came with the starter would set you back a fiver alone usually.  The selection of matched wine was generally good quality, and could easily justify the meal’s £30 asking price alone.
 
James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
Braised Faggot Smoked Heritage Carrot with Burrata - Vegetarian Option
Braised Faggot was an old school classic, done with refinement.  Rich and full of offal notes; ideal for the Winter temperatures outside.  The vegetarian course at this point was the table’s favourite. 

Smoked Heritage Carrot with Burrata for bags of creaminess, a sprinkle of black truffle and a vibrant tarragon emulsion completed this dish.  An absolute lesson in why proper vegetarian food shouldn’t just be a meatless replica.
 
James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
Miso Cod Cep Pappardele - Vegetarian Option
How does BBQ Miso Cod sound?  Well, it tasted fantastic, with a lovely bitter sweet rhubarb sauce, and some lovely texture and acid balance from the fermented kohlrabi.  

Vegetarian course this time around was the one we had been waiting for, cep pappardele, which was substantial, big, and a celebration of earthniness. It lived up to all our pre dining expectations.
 
James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
Poached Pheasant Butternut Squash and Sage Gnocchi - Vegetarian Option
Poached Pheasant, finished on the plancha for colour, was probably our favourite meat dish of the night.  Well-cooked bird, plated simply and confidently next to a stunning cabbage wrap, sauced at the table for some theatre.  This dish had a real feeling of class about it.  

And for the vegetarian menu, it was Butternut Squash and Sage Gnocchi. The gnocchi carried accompanied an excellent, scooped out squash, filled with slightly-souffled spicy squash filling, topped with pumpkin seeds for well needed texture.  Little cubes of Yorkshire Fettle, akin to Feta, finished the plate.
 
James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview James Martin Manchester - January 2020 Preview
White Chocolate Marquise Example Tasting Menu
Pudding was the same across both offerings. White Chocolate Marquise with blood orange and Champagne sorbet.  The microwaved pistachio cake pieces had an odd texture and didn’t add much to the plate, but also didn’t dent our enjoyment of the smooth marquise, with a lovely fresh sorbet.  

We genuinely can’t recall having a better value meal anywhere in the city in a very long time.  In a month (or two) where everybody is doing deals to get you in, it’s very rare that a restaurant package of this all round quality is discounting an already well-priced tasting menu/wine package by around 1/3.  

Go on, skip the takeaway and treat yourself to a January eating out-bargain.  And who really wants to eat toast all month anyway, even if your pants tell you otherwise? Available now, until the end of February at James Martin Manchester.
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"The Yorkshire Dales in the heart of Manchester city centre"
 
James Martin Manchester Review
James Martin Manchester Review
Restaurants Of Manchester (Monday 28th October 2019)

Key: 5 stars = World Class!   4 stars = FANTASTIC   3 stars = GOOD   2 stars = OK   1 star = Poor

 
Decor & Ambience Very Good
Positives
Don’t be put off by having to enter James Martin's Manchester restaurant through a casino - unless you are under 18, of course - as the venue itself, is set well away from the gambling area at the top of a sweeping staircase. 

It is inviting and attractive, embracing the 1899 industrial chic of the Great Northern Warehouse, in which it is housed; a large open dining room with bare brick walls, subtle mood lighting, booth seating and round tables draped in white table cloths.

A private dining room sits behind frosted glass, whilst an adjacent window looks into the “Meat Market” fridge, where huge cuts of meat hang on display.

Positives
As mentioned, you need to be over 18 to enter.

The furniture hasn’t changed over the years, however its antique appearance complements the late 19th Century surroundings.

 
James Martin Manchester Review
 
Food & Drink Very Good
Positives
Good honest cooking is James Martin’s trademark and the food served at Manchester 235 epitomises that.

Top quality ingredients, like the Cumbrian Lakeland Fells beef, Yorkshire Wagyu and Herdwick lamb - all ageing on display in the Meat Market window - are treated with the care and attention they deserve by fellow Yorkshireman, Doug Crampton, who has headed the kitchen here since it opened in 2013.

With new competitors in the city raising the culinary bar, James Martin Manchester have also had to step up their game, and, on this showing, have done so noticeably.

From starters to dessert; the complimentary sourdough with beef dripping (incredible), through to the excellent Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding (£7), each dish was cooked well and there was enough "wow" moments, leaving us impressed.

Whilst the emphasis is on quality meats, a large vegan and vegetarian menu covers all bases - just ask to be seated away from the “Meat Market” window though if dead animal carcasses put you off.

Positives
We are glad to report that our only disappointment during the whole meal was with the Steamed Wagyu Ox Cheek Pudding (£9.50); and, even then, it was an annoyance that the starter dish was so stunningly tasty, a larger portion was required - they really should offer it as a main course dish.

I have since sang its praises to various chefs around town, who are all now planning trips just to experience this one dish alone - Put simply; you’ll never eat Steak & Kidney Pudding again without reminiscing about this dish.

 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Steamed Wagyu ox cheek pudding (£9.50) Sea bream ceviche (£9.50)
 
Price OK/Good
Positives
There are some incredible deals to be had at James Martin, including a 5 Course Tasting Menu for just £30, and only £17.50 for matching wines (or £23.50 for Premium wines) - arguably the best deal to be had in Manchester!

One of the best Sunday Roasts in Manchester only costs £15 whilst, a la carte wise, there is enough here to suit every budget, with main courses from £15 (Smoked Heritage Carrot), right through to a huge sharing platter of Roast rib of Cumbrian beef, malt glazed Wagyu ox cheek, and beef ragu with sourdough crumb (£70), or 10oz Sirloin Yorkshire Wagyu for £44.
Positives
Away from the wine pairing option, bottles aren’t cheap - the South African house MiIlstream Chenin Blanc (£23) is a Carlsberg distributed label that can be found in many of their pubs for a tenner less. Most of the other bins on the menu are also priced £10-£15 less elsewhere, whilst the markup on the Fine Wines is even more noticeable, unless you've just won big on the Roulette. For example, a bottle of the excellent Barossa Valley blend, The Holy Trinity, will set you back £79; a whopping £60 more than it costs in the shops.
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Herdwick lamb rump (£23) Brown butter poached brill (£23)
 
Service Fantastic/World Class

Positives
On this particular evening, service had improved massively from our last three visits, and our main waiter (a young lad from Bury) was completely on the ball; friendly, knowledgeable, chatty and efficient.

Having come to James Martin from The Ivy, his professionalism and attention to detail was as good as any we have experienced in even the finest of fine dining restaurants.

Positives
We visited early doors on a quiet Monday evening, so it would be interesting to see if the high standards can be maintained during busier periods and by the rest of the service team. From what we witnessed, we would be surprised if not.

 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Hot sticky toffee pudding (£7) Mango souffle (£7)
 
Overall Very Good
Positives
Eating inside a casino might be some people’s idea of Food Hell, although it needn’t be, unless you have youngsters in your party. Once past the seemingly intimidating front desk membership questions, and through the gaming floor, the restaurant is set far enough away from the gamblers for you to even notice.

As mentioned, the wines, although decent, are considerably more expensive than the less fancy pubs and restaurants in which you’ll normally find them - go for a wine pairing instead if you’re looking for better value for money.

Positives
Whilst James Martin’s name is on the door and his celebrated style obvious within the recipes, on this showing at least, Doug Crampton’s cooking is certainly worthy of a Michelin Plate and an AA Rosette or two; which it would no doubt boast, if the restaurant was located in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, rather than inside Manchester’s plushest casino.
It’s a destination restaurant inside the city centre - with free parking - and, with such good promotions to be found, and a diverse menu, you’ll probably find your Food Heaven here. ~ Restaurants Of Manchester (28th October 2019)

 
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"James Martin don’t scrimp on produce quality one bit"
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
James Martin Manchester Review

Restaurants Of Manchester (Tuesday 5th February 2019)

Key: 5 stars = World Class!   4 stars = Fantastic   3 stars = GOOD   2 stars = OK   1 star = Poor

Decor & Ambience 4 stars

Positives
Despite being located in the heart of Manchester's biggest casino, James Martin does a great job of making you forget that you're, well, in the heart of Manchester's biggest casino. It feels like a bona fide restaurant, separate from the wider business, with no clatter of chips to be heard. At least not the plastic variety. 

The steps leading up to the dining space give a real sense of anticipation on approach, and it's broadly a smart dining space with eye-catching lighting and a truly warm feel.  Other customers were having a great time and there was a real buzz about the place, even on a wet Tuesday evening. If you're there as a couple, pre-ask for a window seat if you want to feel super cozy and out of the way.  In a group, ask for a booth. Inside tips!

Positives
We were there as a pair, and didn’t ask for a window seat, so sat on the other side of the aisle from the window seats, en route to/from the kitchen.  Pretty much every plate leaving said kitchen passed our table.  It felt like we were sat in an aisle seat on a rush hour train, not in a relaxing dining space.

The room feels in need of a little facelift after several solid years of wearing the same outfit.  It's a good looking place, but is just starting to show its age a little bit, especially when you visit a couple of times a year as we do.  Our table cloth was also a little dishevelled in places.  Details.
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Mushroom Consommé Bread & Butter
 
Price Fantastic

Positives
It's been a while since we've seen such stark contrasts in value at the same restaurant, on the same visit. The 5 course tasting menu, plus bread, is a mere £30, which without question places it as one of the best value tasting menus anywhere in the city.  As an added perk our wine pairing which is usually £15, was free via a promotion which runs during Jan and Feb.  This shifts the value for money level on the tasting menu and matched wines into the bonkers category. 

Value on the regular a la carte menu is also very decent too, considering the quality of produce being used, with 3 courses being doable for around £30. Some of the more expensive bottles on the wine list represent great value, notably the Jadot Muersault Narvaux at £85, which retails for around £50.

Positives
There's an awful lot of extremely high mark ups on the wine list.  The cheapest bottle available; Lobo Loco Tempranillo at £22 is a very average drop that’s available in some less than glam bars about town for 10 quid.  You can get it wholesale for around a fiver, so upwards of a 400% mark-up is silly. The story is the same with many of the cheaper and mid-range options.  Pick wisely.
 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Thai Crab Risotto Smoked haddock 'Rarebit'
 
Service Fantastic

Positives
Everybody was pleasant, and said the right things more often than not.  The young man who appeared to be the junior server was actually the one who did the best job of any of the 4 people who tended to us.  He clearly cared, and his slight nervousness and self-doubt came across as passion and conscientiousness.  I couldn’t have done his job at his age, and you can't argue with that.

Positives
Whilst everybody ticked the boxes, generally, there was a massive feeling of them being on-script and forced, along with a slightly flat feel to things. Just over 2.5 hours for 5 tasting size courses felt slow.  Very slow.  We had to jog out of the building, which will do us some good in fairness.  Our last bus back out to the sticks is at 21:15, so had it been a £40 taxi home, the evening's value for money would have taken a right battering.

 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Indian Spiced Chicken Blood Orange Eclair
 
Food & Drink 4 stars

Positives
James Martin don’t scrimp on produce quality one bit.  Yorkshire Wagyu beef is on the menu, we assume from the fantastic Warrendale Wagyu? Such delights are a sign that you're in a place which considers both region and quality.  And I guess that Yorkshire produce had to feature on any JM menu.

Via the tasting menu, we started with Mushroom Consommé which was finished with a meaty slice of hen of the woods.  This one split the table, but I personally found great pleasure at the bottom of my stoneware bowl.  Lovely earthiness and bags of umami in the broth, with an acid burst from specks of raw, super-fine-diced onion. 

Some nice sourdough and lovely butter with balsamic/OO dip comprised the second course. 

Thai Crab Risotto followed, which, as much as the Italian purist in me hates saying it; was rather splendid.  Getting the flavour balance on this one would be a feat, but they did it. 

The course of the night, we all agreed.  Smoked haddock 'rarebit' was next off the pass, and whoever said that fish doesn’t mix with cheese, was wrong.  The fish was cooked like a dream and flaked away ideally.  The cheese may have been a bit big in flavour for the delicate fish, but I didn’t mind that personally.  Garnish was a Scotch style egg, which looked great on the plate.  The whole dish was lifted by some lovely curry emulsion, or mayo, to you and I. 

The main course of Indian Spiced Chicken was an aromatic affair, with no heat from the spice crust, but bags of textbook Indian scent.  It was dressed with a couple of potato nuggets, leaf, some spinach yoghurt, and a chicken jus based sauce. 

The cheese board which we ended on was again well done, in both quality and variety.

Positives
A few little cooking errors, including some undercooked egg white, gone-astray crab cartilage in the risotto, flavour lacking scotch egg, some soggy chicken skin, and an under-par pudding course, all marred things somewhat, which was frustrating as the quality of cooking was broadly very decent. 

The latter dish, the one that you often remember the most, suffered from burnt/crispy choux pastry, filled with over-whipped cream, topped with another overdone and hence bitter after-tasting biscuit/tuile. The admittedly lovely sorbet, which being acidic and tart by nature, badly needed the other components to be contrastingly sweet, rather than also bitter, to give that all important balance.

 
James Martin Manchester Review James Martin Manchester Review
Cheese Board Entrance to James Martin Manchester
 
Overall Very Good

Positives
As much as it was polite and friendly, service felt scripted and was slow.  A few minor food niggles, and watch those wine mark-ups on the cheaper bottles too.

Positives
There's a clear use of great produce, some solid cooking, and generally high standards across the food board, with quality and prices which ideally relate.  It's got good presence, just the right level of glamour, and the dining room is still a lovely place after all these years.  You'll be hard pressed to find a better casino restaurant, and it will appeal to the vast majority of customers' tastes and wallets. ~ Restaurants Of Manchester (5th February 2019)

 
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