Food news: Grand Pacific re-opens on King Street

Living Ventures’ Grand Pacific has now re-opened following its relocation from Spinningfields to the historic Reform Club at the top of King Street. Despite the opulent surroundings of the Grade II listed building, opened by Prime Minister Gladstone in 1871 and most recently home to Room Restaurant, Grand Pacific continues to pitch itself as the less formal, more casual counterpart to the restaurant group’s crown jewels, Australasia and Manchester House. Inspired by the same Southeast Asian flavours as Australasia, standout dishes from our visit were the chicken and spring onion gyoza (£6) from the appetisers and lamb massaman curry (£17.95), served with gunpowder potatoes, from the mains. The prawn & mussel laksa (£7.95) and Asian-spiced duck cottage pie main (£12.95) ran them a near second, while baked bananas with salted caramel sauce (£5.50) was the pick of the bunch from the dessert list. With a classic Sunday roast (from £15.95), carved at your table, likely to be popular in this relaxed dining atmosphere, Grand Pacific offers a welcome chance to re-visit this exceptional dining spot.

Grand Pacific, 50 Spring Gardens, Manchester, M2 1EN, Tel: 0161 839 9365, Opens midday daily, grandpacific.uk.com, @grandpacificmcr