COTTONOPOLIS

Situated in a Grade II listed building, it’s a clever combination which immortalises the lucrative past of the city while allowing its name to take on a different meaning.

Newton Street was originally home to warehouses, workshops, and offices, hence the uniform appearance of the buildings.

They’re brown brick with sandstone dressings, arched doorways, and sash windows.

Opening in November 2015, this Japanese inspired restaurant has brought a dose of nostalgia and some decent dishes to Manchester’s ever-expanding food scene.

It’s a chic open space, furnished with dark wood tones and mustard leather stools, creating a warmness in the room.

It’s obvious the team has tried to preserve the character of the building –thick beams, exposed pipes, and brickwork frame the large space.

Chains are suspended from the ceiling, originals from its industrial heyday, amongst some novel Japanese posters.

It creates a nice fusion of tradition and modernity.

The huge windows let in floods of natural light and the views ain’t bad either.

The logo for Cottonopolis, an avant-garde worker bee, is emblazoned on the window.

It’s another reminder of Manchester’s merchant past and a symbol of the work ethic here.

We’re only a stones-throw away from Piccadilly, so it’s similar to a day at the races seeing everyone sprint past to make their buses and trains.

But if you prefer some up-close action, just turn your head in the direction of the open kitchen.

It leaves the thirteen chefs with nowhere to hide, much to their glee, as executive chef Julian Pizer explains.

He likes to think of it as their 'stage': which is fitting, as they certainly put on quite the performance.

The proud Kiwi cook splits his time between Cottonopolis and its new sister boozer, The Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats.

It’s another iconic area that has gained a new lease of life over the last few years.

Swanky apartments have taken residence in the abandoned cotton mills, meaning cool bars and restaurants are now ten a penny.

Nick and Hayley Muir, the masterminds behind Cottonopolis, reopened the neglected Victorian pub in the heart of the first industrial suburb.

It seems they have a passion for bringing Manchester's forsaken legacy back to life.

It’s an unapologetically British menu thats next in line on my hit list.

Julian oozes professionalism and charm, encouraging us to experiment on the drink’s menu.

I love a quirky cocktail menu and these guys have really put some thought into it.

It's inspired by Japanese aesthetics, much of which centre around moments and ways of being.

It’s all quite deep, to be honest with you.

Cottonopolis see cocktails as a celebration; they have sought out ingredients, textures, and aromas notoriously attractive to our senses, guaranteeing an elite experience.

I order the ‘clementine, acai and strawberry’ with diablesse gold and clementine spiced rums, priced at £9.

Its sweet, pretty and summery.

It’s like an elite version of Pimms, but with a respectable helping of rum.

The menu is an interesting design too.

It's divided up into ice, fire, oil, and steam dishes - another tribute to the elements involved in industrialisation.

It also ties in nicely with the culinary methods used to prepare the Japanese style cuisine.

I talk shop with Julian while snacking on some gyoza crisps.

He explains how Cottonopolis draws inspiration from all different aspects of Asian culture - then teases a new menu in the pipeline which explores further international influence.

They're a descendent of Japanese gyoza dumplings, but prove a much crunchier counterpart with a spicy kick.

Served with a cool avocado salsa, it was a crisp and convenient starter for £4.

We then headed for the fire segment, from which everything is cooked over an open fire robata grill.

I select an attractive dish of loch Fyne scallops with maple dashi, onion kimchi, and bacon crumbs.

It's petite and pretty, with the emollients in the dashi fashioning an artistic broth for the scallops to rest in.

Expertly seared, they have a buttery texture and taste.

The bacon crumbs almost make it like a high-end chicken nugget.

They create a crisp coat of arms that make this dish dainty yet decadent, costing £16.

On the oil slick, there’s a Wagyu katsu sando.

It’s basically a superb steak sandwich, which has become a legend in its own right.

And not just for being one of the city’s most expensive sandwiches.

As Julian explains, despite its £25 price tag, no one has ever eaten it and said it’s not worth the money.

So now I’ve got to try it.

It's cut into four symmetrical sliders, so every definition of each layer is on display.

We’ll start from the bottom up.

Sandwiched between squares of toasted bread, sit two slices of burger cheese and a glistening slab of medium-rare Wagyu beef, crowned with onion kimchi, and spring onion.

It’s like McDonald's and the Big Mac – this sandwich was definitely the eureka moment.

They even have their own secret burger sauce to go with it.

It’s certainly the most striking sarnie I have ever seen.

It’s personally delivered to our table by Julian, keen to see our reaction to his favourite dish.

It doesn't dissapoint.

Each component works in perfect harmony with each other, only emphasising the quality of the Wagyu used.

The team works closely with all their suppliers, something Julian prides himself on.

As well as helping form new relationships, it ensures a clean supply chain of premium ingredients.

Succulent and stout, this is a fine-tuned orchestra of flavour which would appeal to even the most picky palate.

It's one of those things you have to see, or in this case, taste to believe.

Every last crumb of the Wagyu katsu is gone, and the bowl of burger sauce has been wiped clean.

It’s safe to say I got all £25 worth, so I can confidently confirm it is worth every penny.

Now, onto the Sugar section of the menu.

Everything in moderation, right?

Turns out they're a dab hand at desserts too.

Our waitress rather passionately recommends the chocolate and peanut artic roll, so I take her word for it.

And I’m very glad I did.

A stream of melted chocolate swimming with salted peanuts runs below the thick slab of arctic roll, and the self-indulgence doesn’t stop there.

A warm salted caramel sauce sits in a pouring pot at the end of the platter.

It has a tranquilising element when coupled with the coolness of the roll.

The saltiness of the nuts adds an enjoyable savouriness to this sweet, stopping it from teetering into the sickly territory.

It’s a classy bit of kit, cunningly rounding off the menu for just £6.

For an after-dinner refreshment, I order a cocktail of orchards, cucumber, and kiwi with
ki-no-bi gin.

It's cloudy and cold, like a freshly squeezed pink lemonade.

Providing a welcome detox from an afternoon of treats, its crisp and thirst-quenching.

It is even garnished with a strip of cucumber – if that doesn’t scream a nutritious alcoholic beverage, I don’t know what does.

The natural and continuing progression of Cottonopolis is a force that can’t be stopped – it’s even spilling over into The Edinburgh Castle, despite the differences in the dining spots.

The team here are as much as part of the formula for success as the food – it has got an atmosphere I want to bottle and take home with me.

They've created the ultimate equilibrium of past and present, establishing a cool bar and restaurant commemorating Manchester's triumphs.

What's not to like?

It has the wholesomeness of a home-cooked meal but remains a stylish city centre hot-spot.

Put it this way, it certainly lives up to the notoriety of its namesake.

LIV'S SOUND BITES

A succinct spin-off to the written reviews of Liv Who Lunches, Liv's Sound Bites allows you to hear the voices behind the businesses. So pin your ears back for some gastronomic gossip and all the tantalizing takeaways from your favourite dining haunts.