Winsome has been much anticipated on the Manchester food scene, not least because chef Shaun Moffat was pretty much the toast of the town during his time as executive chef at the Edinburgh Castle gastropub in nearby Ancoats. Rather than being attractive in a sweet, innocent way, as the restaurant’s name suggests, Moffat’s style – or swagger, to be more precise – is elegant but plentiful modern British cooking, featuring a scoop ofFergus Henderson, a nod toMark Hix, a dash of London’sQuality Chop Houseand a teeny touch ofToby Carvery.
Think meaty things, saucy things, big bowls of crunchy roast spuds and exquisite oversized yorkshire puddings. Pork with rhubarb ketchup and freshly baked parker house rolls to drag through warm butter or hollandaise. Asparagus with a dippy egg for starters, or mussels and trotters on toast. Bread-and-butter pudding with brandy custard. You get the gist. This is Cool Britannia wearing a napkin bib with a side portion of rhubarb jelly and custard for pudding.
ButWinsomeis far from a novelty restaurant. Yes, there are little playful touches here and there – dino egg cups, cow-shaped gravy boats and school dinner puddings – but it’s all done in such a sleek, cool and pared-back way. Moffat may be a hugely experienced chef, but this is his first proper bricks-and-mortar venture, working with Owain Williams, who, among many other restaurants, launched Liverpool’s rather brilliantBelzan, and Tom Fastiggi, ex head bartender at Manchester’s bold, glitzySchofield’s. Winsome has taken over a large, cool, airy space clamped to the side ofWhitworth Locke, one of those new-fangled co-working/hotel/gymnasium/cocktail bar/leisure/third spaces populated by bright young things on laptops. What is it exactly? An apparthotel? A cult headquarters? Never mind all that, this restaurant stands fully alone, so let’s just concentrate on Winsome.
It is from the outset an attractive and lovable room, with a large open kitchen down one side and blue-aproned staff serving trays of sbagliatos and breakfast martinis laced withDuerr’s marmalade. Tables are large and well spaced, and topped with pale tablecloths topped with pale paper, presumably to protect the linen from spills. No such luck with us. Perhaps your family can share a platter of cylindra beetroot in goat’s curd without someone leaving a CSI Manchester crime scene smear; mine was not so successful. “I do apologise,” I told the staff as we gave back the empty plate after a feast of Tewkesbury courgettes in a glut of excellent olive oil that we’d spilled rather dramatically while grabbing our fair share. There’s something about Moffat’s cooking, however fine and highfalutin it may seem to be, that lends itself to the sheepish dry-cleaning of blouses. A plate of Brixham crab came with celeriac remoulade and a whole heap of mustard cress that weirdly reminded me of growing the stuff back at primary school. Another starter of incredibly rich fried wild mushrooms and shallots on a slick of well-seasoned pease pudding was similarly deeply nostalgic.
For mains, we shared a whole john dory, cooked perfectly and served in a pool of pale green pie shop liquor, and aCreedy Carverassiette of duck featuring rare breast, rendered skin and a jug of rich duck jus. It was a Sunday, so both came with all the Sunday lunch trimmings, which here involve cartoon-esque XL yorkshire puddings, carrot puree, roast parsnips and a thick piece of trencher bread topped with stewed beef shin in ale.
This is confident, clever cooking that stays just the right side of earnest, or at least as earnest as a chef can be when he also serves up a dessert that is essentially a 1980s school sponge pudding with a scoop of milk ice-cream flecked with multicoloured sprinkles, or hundreds and thousands as they will for ever be known in my heart. In a further nod to the sainted Fergus Henderson, right at the end of the meal eccles cakes are offered with slices of St Sunday’s cheese from Cumbria.
Winsome may well be my new favourite restaurant, and it’s the new, big, generous beating heart of Manchester hospitality. It’s classy but come-all – bring your gran, bring your baby, no one need feel conspicuous. There’s something about the place that makes me want to use it as a canteen, not least out of sheer curiosity as to what Moffat will put on the menu next. Great cooking, and forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff. Bring your appetite and don’t wear pale colours. Aaah, Manchester, you have so much to answer for. Winsome will seriously impact your waistline.
Winsome74 Princess Street, Manchester M1 (no phone). Open lunch Thurs-Sun noon-3pm (8pm Sun), dinner Mon-Sat 5-11pm. From about £60 a head for three courses; Sun lunch £35 for two courses, £39 for three, all plus drinks and service