Higher Ground
Manchester, Greater Manchester
It may be from the same stable as Flawd in Ancoats but Higher Ground takes its style to another level – it’s as if the larger space allows more room to spread culinary wings. The ground-floor corner of an office block (facing some brutalist concrete buildings) has floor-to-ceiling windows in a spare, modern room with eating counters fronting the spacious open kitchen. Tangerine and ebony provide the base notes. Don’t let the casual, easy-going vibe fool you, however: this place is rooted in irreproachable technique, produce and professionalism – as well as a commitment to top-to-tail sustainability. The belief in serious eating and culinary integrity is leavened with a genuinely welcoming sense of community and fun. The menu is seasonal and evolves daily, with much of it sourced from the owners' Cinderwood Market Garden, while regional producers and provenance are respectfully credited. Descriptions are succinct, with a balance between the reinvigorated familiar and the novel – Pitchfork Cheddar tart followed by house-made yoghurt, frozen sorrel and spelt, for example. A plate of spring greens, whipped Cumbrian goat's curd and lovage arrives as an emerald-green, mineral-intense pile of leaves with a pillowy scoop of delicate curd. However, our inspector’s dish of the year (so far!) was a whole Cornish sole immaculately cooked in a charcoal oven, judiciously and meticulously dressed with the staccato punch of coriander, capers, velvety cabbage shoots and luscious brown butter sauce. There was no faulting the pearly, delicate freshness – and no apology for presenting it whole on the bone complete with head and popping eyes – while charcoal butter lent a smoky edge to the silky, super-buttery Marfona potato mash. To conclude, pure-tasting cane-sugar ice cream was tiger-striped with stout caramel. The latter could have been mistaken for PX or Madeira: the reduction and concentration made for a malty, nutty drizzle of genius. The wine list is extensive, with a plethora of natural pours and French bottles. The tasting room at the far end has a come-hither look – you sense it’s not just a show of conspicuous consumption but the expression of a true enthusiast’s dream gig. This is not a restaurant that panders to food wusses or nervous eaters; the kitchen confidently understands the value of simplicity. Without fancy frills or superfluous additions, this is proper grown-up food. Mancs-style.
Dining Information:
Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Family friendly, Credit card required
Faulkner House, New York Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester M1 4DY
0161 236 2931
