- A fabulous interview with John Barrowman - 5 November, 2019
- Manchester’s January restaurant sale - 7 January, 2015
- The Saddle Club – The Bay Horse celebrates 10 years with new cocktail den - 22 November, 2014
This is the first in a series of reviews that aim to find the best burger in Manchester: #BurgerWars. We’ll be scouting out great burgers across the city, and then reporting back just for you. At the end, we’ll crown Vada Magazine‘s Queen of the Manchester Burger Wars. Once we’re done with Manchester – well, then, we’ll move onto the next city!
Anybody that knows me, knows I love a bit of (red) meat, so when offered the opportunity to head to the Grill on New York Street and try their much acclaimed Wagyu Fillet Burger, I could hardly say no!
For those of you that don’t already know, ‘The Grill’ has become something of a Manchester establishment since opening its doors back in 2011, following in the well-practised footsteps of it’s older sister, The Grill on The Alley. To quote the good folks at Blackhouse themselves, it’s ‘solid, honest and simple, proper food’.
The restaurant offers a fantastic vibe – think New York Loft; lively, but not too loud; slick but not pretentious. This place is the perfect combination of stylish and easy-going. Mid-range dining at it’s best.
Before sinking my teeth into their meat, I took a look at their infamous cocktail list – their mixologists know their shit!
We opted to try a couple of their classic concoctions. Our waitress was happy to make recommendations according to our tastes: fresh and fruity on my part, so a welcome change from the usual (large) Pinot (though it has to be said, they’ve got a pretty fabulous selection of wines on offer for those of you that are that way inclined).
We declined the option of olives or bread whilst we perused the menu, though if you’re feeling extra hungry, try the warm sourdough loaf. We wanted to save room for the courses that followed.
I opted for the Deep Fried Brie to start, which came with a sweet beetroot and red onion compote and rustic croutes. This was melt-in-the-mouth delicious – there’s no other way to describe this. Meanwhile, my companion went for a couple of oysters, and quickly found himself wishing he’d ordered more!
The reason we were there, though, of course, was that infamous Wagyu Fillet Burger. The wagyu breed comes from Japan and is traditionally fed on corn and beer (or sake), with regular massages given to the beasts. The wagyu breed is known for its intensely marbled meat, which contains a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The Grill serves both a wagyu fillet steak and its famous Wagyu Fillet Burger.
When it came to the burger, I took mine pink, but if you’re squeamish, there’s the option to have it well done. With a choice of toppings available, I went for grilled mushroom and cheddar. There’s also the option of onion, stilton and smoked bacon.
I wasn’t disappointed! Perfectly tender and without any stringy fibres in sight, this burger was worth the wait! I’m still not sure whether it was due to massaging the cow from birth, its beer diet, or just the fine handywork of the chef, but finished off with crisp lettuce, tomato and red onion, this was burger perfection. It almost goes without saying, a good solid bun made all the difference – we all know there’s nothing worse than a soggy bottom!
For those of you that fancy something a little less burgeresque, there’s a fine selection of top cut steaks, all cooked perfectly to taste, and a decent choice of alternatives, with a ‘best of the rest’ section including a surprisingly lean pork belly (more than worth a try!) and seed crusted rump of lamb. The daily specials are usually something worth trying too.
If you’re still hungry after all that, there’s a great choice of deserts. The sticky toffee pudding is to die for, swimming in a perfectly sweet, sticky sauce. The trifle is also a proven favourite.
The Grill on New York Street, just a short walk from Manchester’s Gay Village, makes for a great dining experience and comes highly recommended.
