Every business knows that diversification equals survival. Casinos are no different, especially those in England. Gambling may be deep rooted in our psyche, but casino-style gambling is still new to us. Those of us lucky enough to have visited Las Vegas knows that they know how host a good night out.
The Manchester 235 is a casino of this ilk. While not quite on the scale of their Vegas cousins, they are making inroads into turning a casino into an all-round entertainment venue. Linen restaurant is one such venture. Nestled above the gaming floor, this eating establishment tries very hard to stand on its own feet, and succeeds admirably.
Our starter consisted of butternut squash and rosemary risotto and Thai fishcakes. Everybody knows risotto is notoriously difficult to pull off, but Linen managed it well. The rice was perfect, the squash nice and light, lifting the rice, and the rosemary adding a flowery hint to the whole dish.
Thai fishcakes are another simple dish that is all too easy to get wrong. Ours were served with a sweet chilli jam with lime. They were perfectly balanced between fishy and spicy. The fish was fresh and the chilli was sharp. The jam was brought out with the lime. It added a real freshness to it.
Main course was lobster and prawn red curry and fillet steak with a side of cucumber salad and Bombay potatoes. Some say lobster is too nice, or too delicate, to curry but I’m now going to disagree with them. This dish, served with prawns as a Thai style red curry was simply delicious.
Fillet steak is a real treat, especially when done well. Our 8oz fillet was served perfectly cooked with chunky chips, roast mushrooms and plum tomatoes. There was peppercorn sauce too. The meat was tender, juicy and cut like butter. The chips were light, dry and dark. Almost the perfect chip!
We had a bottle of Pinot Grigio rose to complement the dinner, which it did perfectly. Linen in Machester 235 is a great place to eat. It’s a little something different being inside a casino, but is more than enjoyable on its own. Great food, great atmosphere, great times.
The Bill: £52 per head
