If you’ve been living under a rock, Randall & Aubin is the hot new Anglo-French brassiere on the scene, and she is setting the Manchester on fire with focus on seafood. I nipped down one lunchtime to sample the lunch menu. The deal is three courses, which change daily, for £23.
Here’s what I had and what I thought about it. It looks like I might have to go back next week to make a *ahem* better judgement… what a shame.
The Spiced Carrot Soup with candied walnuts and Crème Fraiche was a punchy way to start things off. If you don’t live in Manchester, you will not understand the joy that comes from a steaming bowl of soup on a dreary grey day, and this one was a testament to this. Smooth, buttery and well-seasoned with the spice hitting the back of your throat giving a welcomed tingle. Nutty sweetness comes from the sugared walnuts and a subtle sourness from the Cème Fraiche, sophisticated additions which transcribe the ultimate Anglo-French finesse of Randall & Aubin. It was soup and a half.
Next arrived pan-fried Peterhead Seabass on crab risotto with parsley pesto. The fish was not only delivered to the restaurant that day, but it was also swimming around in the sea 24 hours beforehand and was fresher than just-brushed teeth. It was perfectly cooked with flaky, soft flesh and crispy skin.The risotto was packed with cheesy flavour to contrast with the delicate fish. The parsley pesto gave a summery lightness to the plate and the crab, some sweetness. The dish was a little microcosm of summer and had me longing for warmer months.
Finally, the dessert de jour was Strawberry Panacotta with white chocolate. It was everything you want in a dessert; thick white chocolate, sweet strawberry pannacotta, honeycomb ice cream, nutty brownie and chocolate shards.It was like posh Angel Delight, and I mean that most positively. You really can’t go wrong with those flavours. It is one for the sugar junkies out there, and if that’s not your thing, it will have you bouncing off the walls until you clock off work.
The ever changing lunch menu at Randall & Aubin will never disappoint. Freshness is key in all the dishes which are on the whole, the perfect balance of unpretentiousness and sophistication.
Randall & Aubin
64 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BN
www.randallandaubin.com/manchester
