Chez Mal Brasserie

Chez Mal Brasserie Manchester sells exactly the sort of European classics you might expect from a well-thought of boutique hotel chain. It’s not exactly full of surprises but everything is executed with a certain flair that doesn’t feel formulaic.

Steaks are the big thing, from rib-eye to a chateaubriand – a lovely touch for a date night – and there are wines aplenty to pair with them.

It’s not just about red meat and red wine. Expect dishes like scallops with chorizo and spinach, a salmon hash with a poached egg and pan-fried halibut as well as the signature Mal burger. OK, so it is largely about red meat and red wine.

There are lovely cocktails too – their Malchemy range get it spot on about the magic that can occur when spirits swirl together. Battles & Hearts is an example of an Aperol Spritz that’s totally re-invented with Lillet rouge and Pampelle – a grapefruit aperitif – but there are well-made classics too like a Martini, a Mojito and a Manhattan.

Chez Mal Brasserie is known for its Sunday lunch buffets – all you can eat from a huge spread of cold meats, olives, breads, artichokes and the like plus a choice of brunch dishes or roasts. The roasts have a very good reputation in the city; the standard of the meat at Malmaison is always high.

There is also a very good afternoon tea offering and, as you’d expect for a chain hotel close to Piccadilly Station, it is very well set up for business lunches and meetings too.

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