It’s been a while since I ate at Jamie’s Italian, but after seeing it featured in an article on Manchester’s most beautiful chain restaurants, I was feeling eager to return. It certainly is a gorgeous interior – the grade II listed building is actually an old bank and the restaurant has kept plenty of the original features. We were seated at a table on the mezzanine balcony, and had a great view over the restaurant as well as getting plenty of lovely spring sunlight from the huge high windows up there.
We were invited down to Jamie’s to celebrate the launch of their new Super Lunch Menu, which is excellent value at two courses for £12.95 or three courses for £14.95 (available from Mon-Fri 12-6pm), and has a nice range of options. However, we couldn’t help but be tempted by the day’s specials which just sounded too amazing when our waiter described them!
I went for the tuna steak, which came served with a beetroot and quinoa salad and yoghurt dressing. And I can’t even explain how delicious this dish was, as well as looking pretty. I was expecting my tuna medium rare (it’s Jamie’s style) and it was cooked to perfection. And although I thought it sounded like an unusual combination, it actually went perfectly with the salad and dressing. In fact it was the yoghurt dressing that really added something special – I don’t know what was in it but it tasted amazing! Craig opted for the pork chop special which came served with pea and mint mash, and again this pairing was delicious, even if it did sound like an unusual combination at first.
The Cocktail Menu at Jamie’s Italian is very tempting, with plenty of variety and new (Italian) twists on familiar cocktails. I decided to try a Florence Fizz, made with Limoncello, pomegranate juice, elderflower cordial and prosecco, and it was very refreshing and summery – the perfect thing for a sunny evening in Manchester.
And for dessert we opted for the Epic Brownie. I’ve had a brownie dessert at Jamie’s before, but it has since been slightly reinvented with salted caramel ice cream and lashings of proper chocolate sauce as well as the signature caramelised popcorn topping. It’s a delicious and fun dessert, and still as amazing as it used to be. It’s also one of the dessert options on the Super Lunch Menu, which is great news!
Jamie’s Italian in Manchester is such a gorgeous venue that it’s easy to forget its part of a chain at all. It’s ideal for a special occasion, particularly if you consider their glamourous private dining room located (excitingly) in the old bank vault. But also this new Super Lunch Menu makes it ideal for a reasonably-priced lunch or early after-work bite and drinks with friends.
Follow me on Bloglovin to keep up to date with my posts
English Rose from Manchester's Blog 