This week, something we had all hoped would happen came to fruition. The sun finally came out.
Rain macs were thrown back under the stairs and swiftly swapped for sandals, sunglasses and skirts. Diners spilled out onto the terraces as they enjoyed meals al fresco and beer gardens were packed full of office workers soaking up the first rays of sunshine.
Over the past few days, everyone has tried to steal at least five minutes away from their desks to feel the warmth of the sun on their face. However, as enticing as the warmer weather may be, we found ourselves tucked away inside Manchester’s boutique food hall, Exhibition, to try out the latest creation from one of the Michelin Guide’s favourite Manchester restaurants.
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Casual, neighbourhood eatery Another Hand, based at Deansgate Mews, has firmly established itself as one of the city centre’s best restaurants over the last couple of years. It’s been named as one of Michelin Inspectors Favourite New Restaurants, and has been ranked as one of the UK’s best places to eat by Time Out.
Now, its founders, chefs Max Yorke and Julian Pizer are turning their hand to Jaan, a pop-up restaurant inspired by the Middle East. Taking on the unit formerly run by Rigatoni’s inside the Exhibition food hall on Peter’s Street, and late-night bar, they join current traders Osma and Baratxuri at St George’s House – the former home of Manchester’s natural history museum – with their new kitchen, Jaan.
At the heart of their new concept are its Persian-style flatbreads served up with a range of accompaniments and toppings – from smoked aubergine, macadamia and wood sorrel to smashed cucumber with seaweed and elderflower. Made using Wildfarmed flour and slowly fermented before being wood-fired there’s something quite straightforward about this new concept that feels quite refreshing.
A lot of the thinking behind the new concept is driven by the flagship restaurant’s drive to be more sustainable. Produce for the original site is sourced from across the region to keep it as local as possible with the vast majority of ingredients travelling no more than 40 miles.
In keeping with these ethical values, the restaurant’s opening inside a face-past food hall means it can also take unused produce from Another Hand to create new dishes, whilst also reducing its wastage.
As well as its eco-credentials, and established reputation for delicious small plates, its new spot also has the culinary chops too. Despite being indoors as the city experienced its first glimpse of summer, the Middle Eastern-inspired dishes brought a dose of the sunshine to proceedings.
Plump and glistening in the late evening light, our first flatbread (£5.50) arrives. The Brushed with oil and a light covering of sea salt, the almost discus-sized flatbread, slightly charred from the open grill is pitched up alongside a serving of whipped butter bean dip encircled by a thin ring of oil and topped with a healthy dose of charred onion chutney and sumac.
Flatbread torn, ripped and dunked it’s a strong start with the onion chutney and sumac adding a nice touch of acidity. The black garlic butter with hay aged cheddar and soft herbs (£8) arrives next, this time sunken into the bread, the oil and cheese ever so slightly dripping from its edges. Equally as moreish, there’s a real depth to the flavour profile of flatbreads – a simple dish executed well.
Jaan’s menu also encompasses a number of small and large plates spanning ex-diary beef tartare with horseradish, pomegranate, molasses and onion rings; fire-roasted sea trout with fresh fatoush salad; and Chermoula chicken, accompanied by broken rice, pickled tomatoes, crispy herbs.
As I scroll down the menu, I feel less bothered about missing out on the first burst of summer. Though the food here is unapologetically straightforward and humble, it manages to elevate the ingredients while remaining unfussy.
A case in point is the beautiful seashell-shaped grilled squid (£16), its curves making little enclaves for the spicy nduja, green tomatoes and smoked peppers. A little bit of rosemary adds an additional pop of colour to the vibrantly hued dish, that is both fresh and packs a delicate punch.
Served in a rich, dark pool of burnt orange broth, scorched summer squash with pickled chilli and za’atar (£14) is a well crafted accompaniment. The skin of the squash is still intact, this dish will hit the spot if you prefer a bit of bit to your vegetables.
It is the slow-cooked lamb shank with ancient grains, house pickles and lemon tahini labneh (£24) that proves to be the biggest crowd-pleaser though. As satisfyingly easy shredding of the lamb leads to the best forkful of the evening.
The grains, one of their most popular over at Another Hand work on account of the competing textures – the softness of the wild rice and soft cheese is offset with the crunch of what tastes like sugar puffs and the sharp discs of pomegranate. The house pickles and creamy labneh simply seal the deal.
Jaan Persian Bread Kitchen has now opened at Exhibition, and joins Osma and Baratxuri on the venue’s restaurant floor. The food hall is located at St George’s House, 56 Peter St, Manchester M2 3NQ.
