Firstly, I’d just like to say that I was amazed with this deal from the team at Harvey Nichols. As we relaxed in the bright and airy space on the second floor watching the shoppers running around the streets below, we glanced over the menu to see how good of a deal this actually is.
For just £23 you can get 3 courses of deliciously made dishes and even a cocktail to wash it all down.
I honestly think I may have found the best set menu deal in Manchester.
To begin, we chose our cocktails: The Kyoto Mule and the Cherry Blossom Negroni.
The Mule is a simple Japanese twist on the classic. Using Japanese vodka, shaken with lime juice and topped with London Essence Company Ginger Beer. The cooling and fizzy drink is the perfect refresher on a hot summer’s day.
The Cherry Blossom Negroni is another twist on a classic that is usually comprised of equal parts alcohol. Harvey Nichols’ twist included a slight cherry flavour from the sweet maraschino cherry and a slightly stronger alcohol taste due to the new mix of measures, although the content remains the same. There’s a strong orange flavour and aroma and the new added cherry takes away the bitterness.
On to the food and to start with we tried the Smoked Chicken & Spring Green Salad. The chicken is smoked in house with an applewood chip smoker for a mere 8 hours to give it a really deep flavour.
The simple, crisp salad comprising of leaves, rolled cucumber and shaved spring onions is garnished with a bed of perfectly smooth pea and lemon purée. As a starter, this is a light and fresh start to a meal.
We also tried the Fish Goujons served with tartar sauce and crushed peas. A classic dish that was cooked to perfection; flaky haddock with a really crispy crumb. The dish was incredibly well balanced with creamy peas and a tart tartar sauce.
A staple flavour pairing, you’ll find this dish of some description on most menus everywhere but it’s so easy to do an injustice to the humble fish and chips. Harvey Nichols, however, knocked this out of the park. So much so I wish I could have had it for main as well.
For the mains, we chose Barbecue Pork Loin served with sweet potato mash and a zingy mango, lime and chilli salsa. Made using a super hot Portuguese Josper grill, the pork gained an amazing BBQ flavour that you don’t normally find from meat cooked indoors, never mind two stories up in the city centre.
The smoky flavour and crunchy skin were balanced with a sticky honey and tomato glaze and freshened by the salsa. The dish is pretty sweet with just a touch of spice from the mango chilli salsa. With the tropical and barbecue flavours, this dish is basically summer on a plate.
The Courgetti Kale Pesto dish was also delicious. A light alternative to a stodgy pasta dish, without sacrificing any flavour. Served with sweet sun-blushed tomatoes and plenty of greens. Flaked over the top is a crumbly Grana Padano, a slightly milder version of parmesan.
This healthy alternative to pasta is great for summer and great for a lighter lunch.
Next up was dessert. Now I am a big dessert fan and a massive fan of banoffee flavour so as soon as I saw the caramelised banana dessert I was sold.
The portion size of this dish is very generous but I am certainly not complaining. The sweet, charred banana that they have magically managed to not make mushy (unlike any banana on a BBQ) is coated with a crunchy, caramelised sugar layer.
Served with a sprinkling of dark chocolate crumb, plenty of blobs of sweet caramel and bitter dark chocolate sauce and a quenching dollop of cool coconut sorbet.
It is a chocolate/banana dream that I have honestly been fantasising about ever since.
We also tried the Pana Cotta. You can’t have a dessert menu without one, right? It would be rude not to see what Harvey Nichols made of the classic. The dish is cool, refreshing and a cleansing end to your meal. The pana cotta is exceptionally well set for a dessert with a bit of a bad boy reputation. Served with lychee gel droplets, raspberry iced tea and frozen raspberries.
The floral, fruity and creamy flavours come together harmoniously to make an amazing dessert.
All in all the Summer Market Menu is an exceptional deal, one which I’ve already told my mum, dad and everyone I know to take advantage of. It’s a perfect addition to your next shopping trip to take a break and treat yourself a little.
All the dishes from the Summer Market Menu are light, refreshing and perfect for summer. What’s more, the deal is certainly light on the wallet, one which I have already told my mum, dad and everyone I know to take advantage of.
I strongly urge you all to get down and try this exceptional deal. Starting at just £19 for 2 courses and a cocktail – you really can’t complain.
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Summer Market Menu
at Harvey Nichols
Two courses and a cocktail £19
Three courses and a cocktail £23
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