The Anthologist is the second venture by London-based restaurant and bar group, Drake and Morgan, in Manchester. It opened a few months ago, following D&M’s The Refinery which launched in Spinningfields in 2016. Akin to The Refinery, The Anthologist serves gin, cocktails, sparkling wines as well as dishes inspired by the cuisines of planet earth in a large, contemporary bar space. Snacks include Chorizo scotch eggs (£6.95), smoked trout with a Thai dressing (£6.50), Italian ricotta or crab bruschetta, and modern favourites such as prawn lollipops and salt and Szechuan pepper squid. For the main event there are burgers, flatbreads and sharing boards, fish and chips, steaks, clam linguine, loaded fries… basically everything and anything. We order the most expensive burger on the menu (wagyu beef with blue cheese, £16.95) which has to be served well done which only becomes apparent when the dish arrives. Still it’s a good one for cooked-through beef lovers as is the ‘D&M burger’ (£14.95) served with smoked bacon and Applewood cheese in a beetroot-coloured brioche bun. Fish and chips (£11.95) is best avoided (“strangely mushy” is the verdict); better choices include a crisp and large buttermilk chicken burger (£11.95) and the sirloin steak (£16.95 – £3 cheaper than the rib-eye). Chips are good too, particularly the truffle-icious ‘Roman fries’ (£4.50), with parmesan, truffle and rosemary. And desserts are worth a look. The dark chocolate torte (£5.95) is hunky and rich, the salted caramel plum sundae (a pricey £7.95) an expanse of butterscotch. We drink Aperol Spritz and house Bloody Mary’s – but the wine list is good too, embracing everything from English Chapel Down sparking wine (£37.95 a bottle or £7.95 a glass), New Zealand roses (Merlot Rose Eradus, £36.95), interesting Italian whites (Incantesimo Falaghina, £29.95, for example), and a Burgundy selection. Our verdict? Good for catching up with friends over a bottle of fizz.
Now open: The Anthologist, One St Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 3DE 0161 509 5085, www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk
For more food and drink in Manchester click here.
- Words:
- Ruth Allan
- Published on:
- Mon 3 Sep 2018
