| "I have been to this place many times in the past, before it was re-badged as a Brasserie (admittedly about 4 years since I last went). Initial impression is they have done nothing to the place other than run it down. When we arrived, we were not greeted. I stood in the bar and eventually was greeted by a "what?" from a member of the bar staff. We ordered cocktails that took a while to come. I asked if there was somewhere for our coats and the waiter pointed in a general direction and then realised he should have offered to take them. We sat for a while and started to get very cold (regretting that we had given up our coats). The cocktails came and no one mentioned our table. I chased to see what had happened and was told the table was ready. We noticed temporary heaters all around the place. We sat down and it was freezing. The waiter moved a heater by the side of my partner. She warmed up but I was freezing. The waiter (to his credit) spotted that I was uncomfortable and suggested we move to a booth, which we did, however the booth seats were actually broken and the leateher torn. Very uncomfortable. The temperature initially was fine but as people left the place it got colder and colder. We were told it was a listed building and there was nothing they could do - 'Rubbish!' was my response to that. To make matters worse my partners Beef Stroganoff came and it was very poor. It tasted of pickled gherkin and nothing else. Given she hardly eaten anything, the waiter asked if there was a problem. So we told him. The duty manager came across and in fairness did not charge us for any of the food (just the drinks). It was a real disappointment and I really feel this place has been run down to a level that is not acceptable. As an example the area behind the booths was covered in dust, the carpet on the way to the toilets was disgustingly dirty and the toilets themselves looked well in need of a refurb. In the past, the place had fresh exotic flowers - now there are yuka plants in big pots looking like something from the side of Grandma's fire! When we left the venue, we were so cold we went to a pub to warm up. After 30 minutes we were still freezing - so went home. What should have been a great night before Christmas turned out to be a nightmare! We would have had better food and probably have been warmer at the outdoor Christmas Market" - Tony Price, Manchester 8/12/08 (visited on a saturday evening) |
 "We visited Raymond Blanc's Brasserie Blanc, or Le Petit Blanc as it is still referred to by most Mancunians, on a very cold and wet Sunday evening so it wasn't too much of a surprise that we were the only diners in the Chapel Walks restaurant. As a result we enjoyed the candle light from all of the empty tables alongside us and relaxed to the sounds of Sacha Distel, Édith Piaf and other French jazz music. The decor is very modern yet still displays the odd nod to traditional France, in an almost upmarket Cafe Rouge type of way. The quality of the food however, and the prices for that matter, can't be compared to Cafe Rouge - the Burgundian Snails in Garlic Herb Butter (£6.95) were delicious and, as far as we're aware, unique to the Manchester dining scene. As is nearly always the case though with this dish, it was far too hot - so much so, we would have been at risk of burning our taste buds ahead of the main course had we not been more cautious with the first bite.
The main courses were fantastically cooked although typical French in size and price - petit et très cher! The Roast Duck Breast in Orange & Lime Sauce (£17.95) was cooked to perfection whilst the Glen Fyne Estate Fillet steak (£27) was very good if ridiculously overpriced. The chips that accompanied the 8oz cut barely helped fill the largely empty plate and, for the price, you wouldn't have expected to need additional sides (for an extra £2.75 each). Desserts were equally well crafted, the Selection of Ice Creams or Sorbets (£5.50) was fantastic despite the 'selection' being restricted to only raspberry flavour, whilst the Special Treacle tart (£4.50) was simply 'fantastique'. Whilst it's impossible to judge efficiency when you're the only two people in the restaurant, service was extremely professional from start to finish. A special mention has to go to the wine list too, which was very reasonably priced and, whilst only small, featured a collection of directly sourced independent labels from varous villages across France. The Côtes du Rhone from Château de Montfaucon (£22.95), that we opted for comes recommended. All in all, Brasserie Blanc offers great food, professional service and a relaxed environment equally suited for romantic meals or business lunches. The prices are slightly too steep for Manchester city centre, which may have explained the number of empty seats, especially when the view overlooks the considerably cheaper Chaophraya and Bacchanalia, which were both a lot busier on this wet Sunday night. Prices aren't restrictive though, there are main courses on the menu for just £8.50 (the Wild Mushroom, Braised Swiss Chard & Poached egg in Gruyére sauce), a cheaper Lunch Menu is on offer and, for those with a Hi-Life Diners Card, 3 complimentary courses are available Sunday to Thursday. It's definitely a restaurant well worth visiting and we would most certainly return, albeit on a warmer drier evening." - Restaurants Of Manchester 27/10/08 (visited on a sunday evening) |
| "Food was as expected - well presented, quality ingredients and served in a professional manner. All dishes were served together, which for a group of 15, this was pleasing and quite rare. Overall the cost of the meal was as expected, but we were disappointed by the feel of the restaurant. Decor was uninspiring and the tables reminded me of being back at school, with paper table cloths. When selecting a restaurant selling its self as modern and aspiring, simple details make a difference and paper table cloths did not support the image of a destination restaurant. Happy to pay for the food and service, but this lack of detail on the interior and table's presentation would not drive me to recommend as a must visit. Overall I was expecting more of a dining experience to support the good food." - Austin Brown, Bury 21/1/08 (visited on a saturday evening) |
