We went down to see if their Sunday Roast lived up to the standard they have forged themselves on the meat-front…
Yet to experience this for myself, I was excited to be invited to sample their new Sunday Roast menu which was described to be ‘out-of-this-world‘; a confident claim from the restaurant, but confidence that is backed by their dedication to delivering only the finest cuts of meat.
With Blackhouse using only beef that has been nurtured and lovingly tended from the moment the animal was born.
Having never visited Blackhouse before, I arrived at my booking with a completely fresh mind and was instantly charmed by the sophisticated décor and layout of the restaurant. After a warm greeting, we were escorted to our table and I ordered the alluring Raspberry Spritz cocktail (£8) which turned out to be beautifully refreshing and sweet.
As our eyes made their way through the menu, we nibbled on freshly baked garlic bread that oozed with melted butter until we agreed on our starters.
To kick off the meal, I opted for a classic starter with a spicy twist- the Piri Piri Calamari (£7) which came accompanied with a tangy Saffron aioli dip. The squid was cut into thick chunks and was beautifully soft; the crunchy coating added some really unique flavours and textures that I’ve never experienced before with this appetiser.
Next, to grace our table was the Butternut Squash Soup (£4.50) which came served with crispy squares of toasted bread, minted Crème Fraiche and toasted pumpkin seeds. I’m usually underwhelmed by soup as a starter, but we couldn’t have chosen better as it turned out to be light, creamy and perfectly seasoned- a perfect predecessor to a big meal.
Having gazed at the impressive joints of meat on display in their large fridge, picking the beef as my meat of choice was a no-brainer. At £13.95 a plate, I was presented with an incredibly generous serving of thick cut, soft beef cooked to my liking- pink- with all the normal trimmings including roast potatoes, a home-made Yorkshire pudding, buttered shredded cabbage, carrot and swede mash and of course, a healthy amount of gravy.
First and foremost, the meat was sensational- soft, tender and juicy, it’s the nicest beef I’ve had in a while and I’ve certainly had my fair share. My friend opted for the half roast chicken- also £13.95- which came served with an added pot of stuffing and the usual trimmings.
As well as also being an enormous portion, the skin was deliciously crispy and the meat fell from the bone. Though we were tempted by the Roast Pork with Crackling (£13.95) and the Sharing Beef Board (English Longbone Steak) (£25pp), we were content with our decisions.
Although it’s usually considered the ‘worst part’ of a roast, we were both pleasantly surprised by the cabbage which was cooked but slightly crunchy and the deliciously creamy swede mash that literally melted in the mouth.
We also ordered a serving of Buttered Mash Potato (£5) and some Cauliflower Blue Cheese (£4.50) on the side which were absolutely sensational. The mash was literally to-die-for and the burst of blue cheese in the cauliflower was a very welcomed adaptation of one of my favourite dishes, especially with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
My only criticisms were the roast potatoes lacked that desirable fluffy centre and crunchy coating and instead were still quite hard and very pale in colour. Unfortunately, I feel like the Yorkshire pudding was a tad over-cooked too and lacked flavour, even when drenched in gravy and salt.
With the former and the latter being my favourite elements of a classic roast dinner, I can’t say I didn’t feel slightly dissatisfied considering too the high standard of everything else on the plate. That being said, it didn’t stop me from demolishing everything.
I ordered my final cocktail following a recommendation from our waitress, Katie, who suggested I try arguably their most popular cocktail… The Cuban Passion (£9): A tangy infusion of Appleton Estate Signature, Disaronno, Ketel One vodka, Bulldog gin, passion fruit, grenadine and pineapple.
The verdict? I was absolutely obsessed after one sip. Within 5 minutes, I ordered another one and could have done the same for the rest of the evening- it was a great ending to a superb meal.
As a born and bred Northerner, I like to think of myself as a liable critic when it comes to the classic Sunday Roast. As such, my experience of Blackhouse was generally excellent, only a few elements in the main dish diminishing its chance of being top dog.
But would I go again? Absolutely- but next time I’d like to sink my teeth into one of their famous steaks because the meat was out of this world.
I would like to extend a special mention to Katie who was extremely attentive and welcoming. If it wasn’t for her recommendation, I would have never tasted that wonderful glass of heaven (and probably wouldn’t have had to get a taxi home!). It’s a thumbs up from me.
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Sunday Roasts at Grill on New York Street
Venue: Blackhouse Grill on New York Street
Date: Every Sunday
Time: 12 pm – 4:30 pm
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The Grill on New York Street, New York St, Manchester, M1 4BD
