Restaurant Review: The Grill on the Alley, 5 Ridgefield Manchester, M2 6EG

Saturday, 6pm, raining and miserable. (Yes I'm still annoyed at Summer's failed attempt this year, though at least we're not flooded up here.) We've just completed a marathon shopping session in Manchester City Centre and I've added several hundred quid to my VISA card by way of a new Mulberry bag (it IS to die for though). We decided to try for a reservation at 'The Restaurant' on John Dalton Street. We fail to get a suitable time (nobody in their right mind eats at 6.30pm) and opt for our second dining choice at The Grill on the Alley who accommodate our late request without fuss and fit us in for 9.15pm.

Heading home, we decide to glam up a little for a evening and today's satin green Karen Millen dress purchase makes it's first appearance - the sales this year have been very good to me! We take a taxi (hey, I had new shoes on as well and the cobbles are very slippery!) who takes us in and around Deansgate rather pointlessly before arriving at the Grill on the Alley. We are a little early (unusual for us) and proceed directly to the bar (that's more like us) to whet our appetite.

Taking our seats in the cavernous exposed brickwork downstairs area we notice that most tables are of the booth type, however ours is a table placed at the end of a booth and is poorly lit. This, by the way, is fine, but doesn't go unnoticed by the staff who correct it quickly, much to our surprise and delight. The wine menu offers an extensive list of reds and whites, though it's a pinot grigio rosé that we plump for to accompany our meal. To start, we are sharing a very decadent dozen Irish oysters kilpatrick - my absolute favourite way to enjoy oysters. Devoured in seconds we wait patiently for the 14Oz sirloin and half lobster to arrive. The lobster makes its way to my side of the table (though we didn't really care who got what) and while it is tasty, there is not enough meat on it to satisfy my hunger and Phil promptly offloads some of the beautifully cooked (medium-rare) steak. Accompanying the lobster are some piping hot chips with the skin on, and we supplement the steak with oven-roasted rosemary tomatoes and more chips. All delicious. Unfortunately the lobster proved difficult to open and I bent the special claw-cracking tool beyond recognition (sorry!) and I finish the meal feeling slightly hungry. The only sensible remedy to this is a warm chocolate mud cake from the dessert menu, which is light but incredibly rich owing to the gooey sweet chocolate sauce draped on it.

Needless to say, we float out of the Grill, bellies full and on a gastronomic high. This place is top notch and priced about right for the standard and service you get.

Restaurant Review: The Grill on the Alley, 5 Ridgefield Manchester, M2 6EG

Saturday, 6pm, raining and miserable. (Yes I'm still annoyed at Summer's failed attempt this year, though at least we're not flooded up here.) We've just completed a marathon shopping session in Manchester City Centre and I've added several hundred quid to my VISA card by way of a new Mulberry bag (it IS to die for though). We decided to try for a reservation at 'The Restaurant' on John Dalton Street. We fail to get a suitable time (nobody in their right mind eats at 6.30pm) and opt for our second dining choice at The Grill on the Alley who accommodate our late request without fuss and fit us in for 9.15pm.

Heading home, we decide to glam up a little for a evening and today's satin green Karen Millen dress purchase makes it's first appearance - the sales this year have been very good to me! We take a taxi (hey, I had new shoes on as well and the cobbles are very slippery!) who takes us in and around Deansgate rather pointlessly before arriving at the Grill on the Alley. We are a little early (unusual for us) and proceed directly to the bar (that's more like us) to whet our appetite.

Taking our seats in the cavernous exposed brickwork downstairs area we notice that most tables are of the booth type, however ours is a table placed at the end of a booth and is poorly lit. This, by the way, is fine, but doesn't go unnoticed by the staff who correct it quickly, much to our surprise and delight. The wine menu offers an extensive list of reds and whites, though it's a pinot grigio rosé that we plump for to accompany our meal. To start, we are sharing a very decadent dozen Irish oysters kilpatrick - my absolute favourite way to enjoy oysters. Devoured in seconds we wait patiently for the 14Oz sirloin and half lobster to arrive. The lobster makes its way to my side of the table (though we didn't really care who got what) and while it is tasty, there is not enough meat on it to satisfy my hunger and Phil promptly offloads some of the beautifully cooked (medium-rare) steak. Accompanying the lobster are some piping hot chips with the skin on, and we supplement the steak with oven-roasted rosemary tomatoes and more chips. All delicious. Unfortunately the lobster proved difficult to open and I bent the special claw-cracking tool beyond recognition (sorry!) and I finish the meal feeling slightly hungry. The only sensible remedy to this is a warm chocolate mud cake from the dessert menu, which is light but incredibly rich owing to the gooey sweet chocolate sauce draped on it.

Needless to say, we float out of the Grill, bellies full and on a gastronomic high. This place is top notch and priced about right for the standard and service you get.

Kylie Comes to Manchester!

Well, at the very least her tiny gold shorts do as part of the free Kylie Exhibition that will be showing at the Manchester Art Gallery until September the 2nd! Over 300 items on display documenting her career and more importantly her fabulous wardrobe. I'm planning on seeing this next week - can't wait!

We missed out on seeing Jeremy Lyons last night owing to my late return from London - apologies Phil - am sure it would have been a laff.

As it is forecast to rain until Monday (ugh!) I doubt we'll be getting any tanning time in, shame though because by all accounts the rest of Europe is having a heatwave! Makes you want to grab a lilo and head to the airport on the off chance of a cheap flight. Not even somewhere exotic - just somewhere with some decent heat and a swimming pool... As for Global Warming?? Don't think so!

Gig Report: Little Man Tate, Bolton Soundhouse Friday 6 July

Taking the short trip up to Bolton on Friday night (much closer than we thought being only 15 minutes door to door) we parked opposite the uni-studentish hangout Bolton Soundhouse on Ash Street for Little Man Tate's warm up gig for T in the Park on Saturday. A couple of support acts played - the first one was good (though I didn't find out their name) and the second one (Wax Planet) was average - and the place filled up for the sold out headline act. The crowd was a very middle class 18-35 selection but the lack of edge was not the biggest thing we noticed - it was the lack of smoke. This was indeed our first time out since the smoking ban and what a difference it makes. Clearly the ban to protect the people working in such venues hasn't hit the spot with everyone as the security guards regularly opened the large doors at the back of the venue so that they could smoke and not leave their post... oh well, at least the rest of us were smoke free. The other nice thing about the evening is that drinks were super-cheap - and that's ignoring the softies I was having on account of being designated driver for the evening.

Little Man Tate enter the stage to the sound of chanting (L-M-T!) and it's clear from the start that it's going to be rowdier than we expected. Now, I don't remember the order of the set-list, but I can say for certain that most of the album was included and that by 2 songs in, the crowd surfing and beer tossing began - all to the apparent surprise and amusement of frontman Jon Windle. The boys looked like they were having a great time, the sound was solid and confident, a perfect ego-boost festival preparation for the Sheffield lads - and it's hard to believe that the band are barely a year old.

Big things definitely ahead for these boys....

More TV Magic: University Challenge Taping, ITV Granada Studios

Back to the now-familiar Granada Studios complex last night for another helping of 'television magic', I dragged Phil off to see Univeristy Challenge being taped. Filmed in a studio much like the one for the Angus Deayton show, the set is impressive and looks very much like you see it on television - except that obviously the two panels of contestants are side by side and not on top of each other. After a warm-up round which is run by the voice-over guy (I'm sure he has a name) it's straight into the Paxman-hosted show, where there is no break whatsoever and the questions come thick and fast, particularly near the end. Consequently (and as a result of Jeremy Paxman being pretty professional) the tapings were short and before little more than 2 hours had passed we had seen two tapings. Firstly it was Oxford (Magdelen College) up against Birmingham - such a close competition - and then Warwick up against Leeds. In case there are some hard core fans, I won't announce who won (hey, you never know who reads these blog things!) but suffice to say that it was an entertaining evening, though the questions are REALLY tough! I'm usually pleased if I get a handful right when watching the show at home, and I found it hard to resist shouting the answer when you very rightly know that Anzac Day falls in APRIL YOU MUPPETS, NOT JUNE!!

Jeremy Paxman comes across as dry-witted and sarcastic on television - and this is definitely true in person, but in a very amusing way. All in all, a fun glimpse into another style of television production!

Bar Review: Mojo, (City Centre) and Dimitri's (Deansgate)

Well, this should be one bar review but actually it's two. See we aimed on heading to Mojo Bar on Back Bridge Street off Deansgate and staying there. When we arrived and headed up the tatty wooden stairs (an exact copy of the Leeds Mojo) we were immediately struck with how loud the place was (or maybe I am getting very very old now!) but thanks to the open windows, how un-smokey it was, though lots of people were still puffing whole-heartedly in the last 24 hours until the ban came in. Ordering a cocktail from the extensive menu at the bar (where people are standing/drinking and not ordering - so annoying to queue behind people who are not moving anywhere!) I'm squeezed up against The Smelliest Man Alive.

So, the cocktail is served and it's disappointing to say the least - it's a crudely made drink hastily thrown in a pint glass. In fact it's now clear this place is going to be little more than a Wetherspoons with better lighting. I really tried to get into the mood to enjoy this place, but failed. Even a second (and more horrendous) 'cocktail' did not bouy the spirits so we left. This place might be better suited to hen nights or large groups of people who like to shout at each other, but definitely not my scene and they should absolutely throw their cocktail list away.
So, with me in tow (and in a pretty poor frame of mind) Phil valiantly drags me to Bar 38, where we stand at the bar briefly to witness some first class incompetence and leave. (No review required here I think).

Deciding that the best course of action would be to head for familiar, tried-and-tested drinking holes we finally agree on Dukes 92 (though the Knott Bar nearly won). Walking down Deansgate, we pass Dimitri's Taverna, which we have often caught a waft of the inviting food smells and commented on 'eating there soon'. However on this occasion it's not the scent of moussaka that draws our attention. Positioned just inside the window is a 5 piece band playing blues music so enthusiastically it's impossible to ignore. Barely a discussion needed - we enter and set up camp with a drink immediately to watch the band who we find out afterwards is Ernie's Rythm Section. Deciding this is definitely a good choice, we grab a bottle of wine to take in the talents of the band who wield a double bass, a harmonica and three sets of vocals that really make the performance... the lead guitarist is a pale skinny lad who, when he sings, sounds more like a 50 year old Louisana local. Decked out in Trilby hats, they consistently performed with passion and a rythm that was flawless - though I didn't know a single tune they played, I could have watched them for hours. As for the bar - it was a little cold owing to the door being permanently open, though the people who shared our table were smoking so much I was thankful for the fresh air. Otherwise, it was full of friendly people, service was quick and efficient and prices reasonable given the location. I'll definitely be back, especially now that the smoking ban is in force! Oh, and we really must eat there soon...