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Dinner Detective: Kro Piccadilly
Dinner Detective17/ 2/2006
Unlike restaurant reviewers on some newspapers, the Dinner Detective eats out incognito and always pays for the meal. That way, the Dinner Detective gets the same treatment as the readers, giving an honest review of the service you might receive.
THE Danish-themed Kro chain has been silently spreading its way
across Manchester like a polite, Scandinavian version of Starbucks
for the last half decade.
While the brand started with Kro Bar opposite Manchester
University, it wormed its way up Oxford Road with the glassy Kro 2,
before opening other outlets in the Manchester Science Park, and
inside Manchester Museum.
They've even got Kro Catering, but the latest attempt to take over
the city without anyone noticing is Kro Piccadilly.
Set up in a part of town you wouldn't have dreamed of trying to eat
anything other than a kebab just a few years ago, the Piccadilly
Gardens venture is, as you might expect, all glass, brushed steel
and lines straighter than a Scandinavian cheekbone.
When I turned up for a meal there on a Saturday night, the bar was
reassuringly full - the owners no doubt feeling the benefiting of
the newly revitalised Northern Quarter.
But when I was shown through to the restaurant at the back of the
building, I was somewhat disturbed to find we were the only couple
there.
The enormous wall of glass looking out onto crowds of people
walking down Portland Street made me feel like I was in a goldfish
bowl, and took something away from what would otherwise be a
pleasant ambience.
Leafing through the menu, I found the restaurant didn't stick that
closely to the Danish theme, although there were a few token
offerings such as farmhouse ham terrine, salmon and frikadeller -
pork and veal meatballs.
This was not necessarily a bad thing as I was concerned, as Danish
cuisine isn't famed for being vegetarian-friendly, but I noticed
there were only two starters and two mains I could have had
anyway.
I opted for the chargrilled asparagus spears, with garlic aioli and
sweet crisp leaves (£4.50).
It's not that there was anything wrong with this, but I immediately
regretted the decision when I saw my dining companion's soup of the
day (£3.80) which looked like a hearty winter feast if ever there
was one.
For the main course I had the grilled aubergine, courgette and
peppers, layered with halloumi cheese and drizzled with basil oil
(£7.90) - another dish which looked like it had originated from a
much warmer part of Europe.
The meal was good for what it was, but far too small, and wouldn't
have filled me up if I hadn't gone for a side order of creamed
potatoes, scented with roast garlic and chive (£2.50).
Again, I had a case of food envy when my opposite number's chicken
schnitzel (£9.80) arrived - proper northern European fare which
seemed to be heaped up so high it was falling off the plate.
My only venture into genuine Scandinavian fodder was the Danish
apple gateau (£3.50) which completed the meal - a cream-layered
sinful offering which made up for everything else.
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