Simon Rogan’s Mr Cooper’s House and Garden to open this September – see the menu

When Simon Rogan (pictured) arrived in Manchester earlier this year to relaunch The French at The Midland Hotel, much of the north bowed down at his feet. It was a bit like he had come to save us from our supposedly sordid reputation for cuisine, with smug London cackling up at our primitivism. The Guardian bird gave the whole affair a fairly average write-up – much to the frustration of angry Mancunians – but old Rogie’s presence in the city can only mean good things, flicking a dusting of refinery and elegance as best he can to the rugged landscape. Now he brings us Mr Cooper’s House and Garden, which is set to open on Thursday 12 Sep and will act as a more relaxed and informal little brother to The French, as well as a departure for Rogan. Named after the Mr Cooper whose house and garden sat at the site of The Midland a couple of hundred years back, the restaurant will add to the eclectic food and drink scene of Manchester, and hopefully provide just a bit more of that Rogan style we’ve come to love and embrace from both The French and his Cumbrian flagship L’Enclume.

UPDATE – 3 Sep: Mr Cooper’s House and Garden has launched its new website, which features the food menu. Starters include corned bread and chicken livers (£4), Mexican gazpacho with wasabi and avocado (£6), chicken wings in pomegranate molasses (£6.50) and smoked eel torte, with lovage and pork belly (£7.50). The mains feature chipotle polenta with hot smoked salmon, leeks and parsley coulis (£14) and Cumbrian rib steak with truffle pudding and purple potato latkes (£19). The dessert list, meanwhile, includes apple butterscotch pie with cinnamon crème anglaise (£6.50), Turkish delight syllabub and honey flapjacks (£6) – and chocolate pizza (£7). See the full menu here.

Mr Cooper’s House and Garden, The Midland Hotel, Peter Street, M60 2DS, Tel: 0161 236 3333, Opens 12 September – book via www.mrcoopershouseandgarden.co.uk