Our roving reporter Mark Anderson checked out the Festive Menu at Mary-Ellen McTague’s Pip Restaurant and he wasn’t disappointed
With an invitation to attend the launch of ‘Pips festive menu’ at Treehouse Hotel Restraunt located pretty much slap bang in the middle of Manchester, at the junction of Deansgate & Blackfriars St, it was an opportunity i didn’t intend to miss.
The acclaimed chef Mary-Ellen McTague has now produced her Festive menu at Pip, and what a better place to enjoy this refined experience across its restaurant, lounge, and bar spaces. The menu runs from Monday 17th November through till early January. Additionally exclusive set menus are also available on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, plus special brunches across Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
The Food:
- Pip’s festive menu offers something for everybody’s taste. Guests can enjoy a seasonal or à la carte menu with comforting favorites like Yorkshire Christmas Pie, slow-roast Lyme Park venison, & Mrs. Beeton’s Christmas pudding.
- Christmas Day brings a grand traditional feast complete with Champagne, oysters, and all the trimmings.
- New Year’s Eve is marked with celebratory tasting menus featuring hand-dived scallops, venison, and malt whisky parfait, while Boxing Day and New Year’s Day serve up hearty brunches – from classic full English breakfasts to festive roast sandwiches.
Festive Menu
SMALL PLATES – SELECT ONE DISH OR ENJOY ALL FAMILY STYLE
- Smoked Chalk Stream Trout, Horseradish & Beetroot Relish, Rye Bread
This was very tasty dish of Steamed trout, accompanied with a beetroot relish.
The trout was tender to the taste, with only a slight smoked flavour, and the beetroot relish was pleasantly sweet but not over powering.
- Roast Jerusalem Artichoke Salad, Castelfranco, Pickled Hazelnuts, Verjuice vg
A lovely flavorsome dish that I enjoyed very much.
SOUP
- Roast Celeriac Soup, Sussex Slipcote & Wiltshire Truffle Dumplings vg, gf
Probably the tastiest dish on the menu, Creamy, sweet beautifully cooked.
MAIN COURSE – SELECT ONE OR ENJOY FAMILY STYLE
- Slow Roast Lyme Park Venison. Kalettes, Bread Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Juniper & Lemon Thyme
- Sauce Shiitake Mushroom & Onion Stuffing Pie with Sprouts & Chestnuts, Bread Sauce, Roast Potatoes & Red Wine Gravy.
The Main course was very well presented, “My choice” but I would have preferred the venison to be cooked slightly more & I’m sure the chef would oblige. All the sides that accompanied the main I had no problems with, excellently cooked and the red wine gravy was lovely. The potions could have been bigger, but over the 4 courses there was enough food.
MINI DESSERTS
- Mrs. Beeton’s Christmas Pudding, Brandy Sauce, Spiced Quince Compote
- Sherry Trifle, Fig Compote, Mandarin & Thyme Syllabub
My desert of choice, was the sherry trifle & fig compote. Lovely and sweet & very more some.
- Coffee & Homemade Chocolates.
All menus presented an excellent choice for all tastes and the food was very plentiful.
The restraunt layout, seating, and service from the staff ensured anything we needed was available.
The staff impressed me, they had exception knowledge of all the menus & any foods associated with them.
