The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant is currently recruiting for the city’s first ever ‘five star foodie panel’ to sample and review the restaurant’s newest dishes all from the comfort of their own home.
Do you fancy yourself as the next Jay Raynor? Do you know your velouté from your vichyssoise?
As The River Restaurant is needing feedback on its exclusive new @HOME Package – which includes all the ingredients to cook five courses at home with a bottle of wine to share between two – food-loving Mancunians are now being encouraged to submit their application to join the city’s hottest new review panel.
No foodie CV is necessary, just a passion for good eats.
@HOME by The Lowry is a new dining concept which allows customers to enjoy restaurant quality food at home via a click-and-collect service, so for those not selected as a panel member you can still enjoy the luxury of five-star cooking with the @HOME Dining Package, which is priced at £60 for a five-course meal for two people and a bottle of wine.
The five lucky applicants chosen to sit on the hotel’s first ever panel will receive a personalised @HOME packages each month.
With menus curated by award-winning Executive Head Chef Dave Ashton, successful applicants will get to taste different sumptuous dishes and accompanying wines between October and December 2020, with the expectation the role will continue in to 2021, and, if that wasn’t enough, they will also be able to enjoy exclusive hotel member benefits, which includes a complimentary overnight stay at The Lowry Hotel to indulge in five star luxury.
All they’ll be expected to do for the role is finish off the dishes at home using the ingredients provided, and rate the dishes using the #LowryLifeatHome hashtag on Instagram or Twitter.
It is a friends or work colleagues birthday or special occasion soon?
There is no better way to celebrate than @ HOME by The Lowry Hotel.
Choose from afternoon tea, Sunday lunch or the dining package.
Dave Ashton – Executive Head Chef at The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant – said: “We’ve been hard at work in the kitchen, developing and testing a five-star dining experience which people can enjoy at home.
“We have successfully launched our @HOME afternoon tea and Sunday roast service, but now we need your help to tell us what you think of our new deluxe dining package and menu changes.
“Manchester’s food scene is constantly growing, and we need people like you, who love good food, to tell us what you think of our new menu and help make it even more delicious. Our dining package changes on a monthly basis, so you will sample five different dishes each month paired with a bottle of wine for you and your lucky plus one.
“We look forward to hearing your thoughts and evolving the menu for the following month based on your feedback.”
To be in with a chance of being selected for the role, you’ll need to follow The Lowry’s Instagram account – @thelowryhotel – and send an email to [email protected] with your name, Instagram or Twitter account handle, proof of age, and 150 words explaining why you think you should be selected.
You have until Sunday 8th November to get your applications in.
Members will be chosen by a panel of judges comprised of two representatives from The Lowry Hotel.
Don’t worry if you’re not chosen for the role though, because The River Restaurant’s @HOME service also includes a bubbly afternoon tea – which will set you back just £50 for two people – and includes a fully-prepared afternoon tea spread, including tea from the Manor and a bottle of Prosecco, and even a Sunday lunch option – priced at £40 for two people – which includes the freshest of locally-sourced veg, quality meats, and plenty of mouth-watering gravy.
You can find more information about the @HOME service via The Lowry Hotel website here.
Eats
Ancoats bar Sammy’s closes after ‘online smear campaign’
Daisy Jackson
A popular late-night bar in Ancoats has announced its official closure after several months of silence.
Sammy’s Bar, which was styled as a retro 70’s diner and stayed open into the early hours, has said the bar ‘is officially no longer’.
In a statement shared on the bar’s Instagram stories, founder Sammy Shonn said that there was been an ‘online smear campaign’ and has decided to sell the bar ‘for my own mental wellbeing’.
The account, and the bar itself, will now be transferred to new owners.
Sammy’s opened in 2019 and was a popular, hidden-bar-style spot for late-night cocktails and DJs.
Their full statement reads: “It’s with regret that I inform you Sammy’s is officially no longer.
“Whilst I vehemently maintain my total innocence against all of the hurtful allegations made against me and my character in a recent online smear campaign, for my own mental wellbeing, I’ve made the difficult decision to sell the bar, along with all its associated assets, including this social media account.
“Thank you to everyone for your custom, your love and your support since 2019.
“Together we created something special. I am now transferring this account to the new owners, who I am sure will post something shortly regarding their plans.”
An indulgent trip to Northcote – Lancashire’s Michelin-starred gem doing fine dining the northern way | Review
Will Kendrick
Some meals are just meals. Others stay with you, not just because the food is great, but because the whole experience feels special.
That’s exactly how I felt after spending an evening at the well-renowned Michelin Star restaurant, Northcote – tucked away in the beautiful Ribble Valley countryside.
The place itself is stunning. Northcote is a countryside manor that manages to feel grand without being stuffy, and not to mention the views are picture-perfect too. A pre-meal perch on the terrace outside with a glass of non-alcoholic elderflower spritz set me up for a perfect afternoon.
But of course, I wasn’t there just for the scenery. I was invited to dine in a private dining room with an open kitchen, where Great British Menu star and MasterChef: The Professionals judge, Lisa Goodwin-Allen, and her incredible team cooked right in front of us. Lisa recently returned to lead the kitchen after a brief time away, and so this meal felt like a celebration of her return. From the moment she stepped into the kitchen, it was clear she was exactly where she belonged.
Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Chef Patron and Director at Northcote / Credit: Jonny Lake (Supplied)
The menu was thoughtful, seasonal, and beautifully put together. Every course felt carefully considered, with bold flavours but nothing fussy or overdone.
Words from Lisa herself endorse this, as she says: “This menu reflects everything the Northcote kitchen stands for – a deep respect for produce, a commitment to innovation and a passion for pushing culinary boundaries. It’s elegant, playful and full of flavour and more than that, it’s significant, because it marks the start of a new era.”
My favourite course was the chilled Isle of Wight tomato. I’m absolutely hooked on goats cheese at the moment and it paired so well with the fresh tomatoes. The bread meant you could just rip it apart and scoop everything up so the plate was well and truly spotless afterwards.
An honourable mention has to go to the beautifully-simple way we ended the meal too. Having been watching Wimbledon all week, I was craving some strawberries and cream. The strawberries were full of flavour, the elderflower gave a gentle lift, and the clotted cream made it feel indulgent.
‘Northcote is more than just a place to eat, it’s an experience’ / Credit: The Manc Group
I was driving, so wine was off the cards… or so I thought. The sommelier had a whole non-alcoholic wine pairing option. One non-alcoholic pairing really stood out. It was a tea served in a wine glass, not just for the look, but because it shared the same flavour-enhancing compound found in wine.
During our afternoon of indulgent food and drink, Managing Director Craig Bancroft offered us an exclusive look at some of the exciting developments on the horizon at Northcote. These include a full refurbishment of the hotel’s bedrooms, a refreshed restaurant design with an expanded private dining area, and the addition of a brand-new on-site spa.
Plans are also underway to relaunch Northcote’s outside catering arm, with a focus on high-end, small-scale events such as private dinner parties and boutique corporate gatherings – all delivered with the same signature quality the brand is known for.
Northcote is more than just a place to eat. It’s somewhere that brings together setting, service, and food in a way that feels personal and memorable. Whether you’re there for a special occasion or just looking to treat yourself, it offers an experience that’s hard to forget.
With Lisa Goodwin-Allen back at the helm of the ship, Northcote feels grounded, inspired, and full of promise.
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2020 
