The Bar & Lounge At The Midland

What a choice

I visited here for lunch and dinner on my recent stay. I was a bit concerned it may be a bit repetitive but that was not the case. The food is of excellent quality and i had no complaints at all the staff are very attentive.

Classic location with beautiful interiors, excellent attention to detail and beautifully presented cocktails. 

On bridesmaid duty in Manchester last month, we checked the bride and family into this beautiful hotel and Mr Coopers was a natural go-to often during that period. 

It really is the perfect place to start, or end any evening in style! 

*Recommendation: For the best G&T in Manchester, look no further!

Can I do a blogpost about a meal that I photographed but didn't eat? Yes because the remits of this website have slowly changed. Instead of being just about food and restaurants it now documents me taking the photographs in restaurants too. ).

Mr Cooper’s House & Garden is located in the luxury Midland Hotel in Manchester.  The name of the restaurant pays homage to Thomas Cooper, a popular historical figure in Manchester who came from a family of coach-makers. The family’s house and garden, where the restaurant is currently located, was famous for the fruit that it produced and The Coopers would often open the doors of their garden to the general public so that they could have access to it for picnicking and leisurely strolls.

The décor of Mr Cooper’s House & Garden has stayed true to it origins by offering a multitude of different dining settings. There is a lounge in the garden surrounded by a wall of plants and a 30ft tree, a cosy Library where drinks can be enjoyed, and a study area with leather booths where friends can enjoy intimate chats and some lovely food.

Mr Cooper’s House & Garden comes from the hands of Simon Rogan who is undeniably one of the best chefs in the UK. He tolds two Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant L’Enclume in Cartmel, as well as a one Michelin star at Fera at Claridge’s in London. With Mr Cooper’s House & Garden the food is more casual than that served at his Michelin outposts, but no less engaging. The menu centres on a spirit of flair and creativity, and particularly interesting were the starters with their many Asian-inspired touches.

We started with some caramelised scallops (£11). These were nicely cooked and were accompanied by a delectable cucumber sambal, memorable because it was nice and tangy. To temper the sambal was a lovely tahini dressing, and as garnish there were some jalapeno fritters which were glorious. Surrounded by a light and fluffy batter, they offered a sharp bite to the dish.

Fried oysters (£8.50) crumbed in a buttermilk and polenta batter were scrumptious. The coating was uniquely crunchy with a fabulous texture to it. Furthermore it kept the oyster nice and moist. Accompanying the oysters was an interesting and lively kimchee purée, some delightful pickled fennel and fragrant basil.

Crab kataifi (£7.50), sweet crab coated in a light and crispy kataifi pastry offered up an interesting texture and a contrast of flavours. Served with the crab was a deliciously sweet avocado and sweetcorn relish, red pepper sabayon and fragrant perilla leaf.

We tried the Cumbrian rib steak (£22.50) and this proved to very flavoursome. Cooked pink, it was tender and well seasoned. Also on the plate was a truffle pudding made using layers of croissant, truffle and parmesan. It was tasty and aromantic, but it was also incredibly rich and heavy, too heavy to eat in large quantities.  

A plate of Cumbrian lamb chops (£18.50) was our other main. Served with balsamic roasted beetroots, star anise and cinnamon, the chops had a good flavour, but it was also a tad chewy and slightly fatty. The accompaniments worked well with the lamb.

We loved the desserts. A tonka bean ice cream (£7) had an earthy flavour and paired well with the contrasting acidity and sweetness in the accompanying blood orange in miso butterscotch.

A caramel tart (£7) was gorgeous with its smooth, thick sweetness softened by a well-made mascarpone ice cream.  But the highlight dessert was the key lime pie (£7.50) which came with a delectable filling that was creamy, light and with just the right amount of tang.

I really enjoyed the food at Mr Coopers House & Garden, especially the starters and the desserts. Given a chance to visit the restaurant again, I would probably skip the mains and choose additional starters as these were far more enjoyable than the mains. Furthermore, the starters were particularly original and interesting. As for the service, we had a really wonderful waitress who took great care of us.  Conclusion - Mr Coopers House & Garden definitely gets the thumbs up from me.

It’s been a good year for the Midland Hotel. This iconic hotel in the heart of the Manchester city centre is now the city’s most decorated dining destination with Simon Rogan’s  Mr Cooper’s House and Garden , the sister restaurant to the flagship The French recently being awarded two AA Rosettes. Add to this the three AA Rosettes the French (read my review  here ) already holds, and you have a food lovers paradise. Simon Rogan has definitely delivered on what he was brought into do – to turn The Midland Hotel into a Manchester landmark. Mr Cooper’s House and Garden is one of my favourite restaurants in the city and I have being frequenting it since it opened last year. This 150-seat restaurant, with 50-cover destination bar, has a more informal feel than The French, and it marked an entirely new avenue for Rogan with the introduction of more varied, international style and menus. And guess what, this restaurant has a good back story too – you know how much I love a good back story. So

I had breakfast here, and it’s interesting to have such deluxe breakfast in the U.K. I love the egg bar, and the chef who cooked the omelette for me was wonderful and lovely. The overall vibe therein was marvellous.

Great place. Amazing steaks and grills. Food was beautifully presented from starters to desserts. Wasn't a fan of the starters except the scallops. The kids menu is really boring and wouldn't recommend even for the price. It's basically nuggets or fish fingers so we ordered the cod from the main menu for toddler, which we enjoyed. Would go again for grills and drinks. Drinks and cocktails were good as well.

The food and the service was excellent! the receptionist received us with a big smile, once at the table everyone was very attentive ( Dennis )many recommendations in food and drinks, the manager andrei was exceptional, amazing cocktails, the best option to eat in Manchester.

I was surprised to see this restaurant on the Confidentials app, offering £25 vouchers for a £50 spend. I opted for the Confit Chicken and Morel Mushroom Terrine to start, followed by the Butternut Wellington for my main. I had no complaints about these dishes other than the portion size…miniscule! My friend ordered differently but found the same. When we got home, I pretty much made a second dinner. Perhaps we should have bought a voucher each, rather than sharing one. Drinks were expensive. Service was formal.

Service as sharp, attentive, friendly and all round impeccable when it comes to allergies. The environment is vibrant. Cocktails are inventive and tasty. Food is hit and miss. The lamb rump was tender and served with cracked wheat, giving it a nice balance. The trout was also well cooked but unfortunately a bit too salty. Serving size is perfect.