Why Australasia is a popular asset to Manchester’s restaurant scene

Abi White | 22nd October 2018

Sipping on a ‘chilli and watermelon martini’ and an ‘aperistar’ after carefully selecting them from an extensive cocktail menu, Australasia welcomed us to their Australian-inspired restaurant.

 

Taking the ‘down under’ vibe quite literally, the restaurant is situated under Spinningfields; the entrance an ornate, modern glass pyramid with stairs descending into a warmly lit basement.

On one end, there’s an impressive bar with a glowing light display behind numerous bottles of high end spirits. The other is home to the open kitchen. Sandwiched in between is the restaurant- kitted out with modern décor and quaint private booths which are perfect for those romantic dinner dates.

 

It feels almost a little too futuristic as the wine and cocktail menu is presented on an iPad, whilst the inhouse DJ plays his way through sophisticated tunes on his touchscreen decks- yet the drink and food orders are still taken traditionally by hand with pen to paper.

 

With a menu covering Japan, Australia and the Pacific Rim, it feels as though Australasia still needs to find its niche- yet the restaurant is packed out on a Wednesday evening so they’re doing something right!

 

To start we shared three small plates. A favourite of ours was the mushroom tempura. Teamed with a generous portion of truffle mayo it seems to be a sophisticated take on garlic mushrooms, but non-the less- absolutely delicious. The seared teriyaki beef melts in the mouth. It’s a rarity I eat rare meat- but the sweet soy and spring onion dipping glaze compliments the succulent meat.

For mains, we opted for the duck breast sharer. Served with a sweet orange glaze on a hot stone grill accompanied by sweet potato balls, the meat was cooked to perfection. Also served with a sharer side, there’s a choice of Asian coleslaw, rice noodle salad or rocket and pomegranate salad to accompany.

 

Of course- we leave room for desert and opt for two ‘melting’ deserts, which seem to be the ‘in thing’ at the moment after seeing them on ‘The Great British Bake Off’ a couple of weeks ago. The caramelised white chocolate and passion fruit desert served with passion fruit ice cream was a delight- combining creamy white chocolate with zingy fruit sauce.

 

And if you’re feeling like the night is still young after your meal, Australasia’s very own gorgeous ‘Sunset’ bar is only next door – boasting pink floral walls, fluffy cushions and fairy lights with a sophisticated selection of hand-crafted cocktails on offer.

Sunset by Australasia

With delightful staff and impressive dishes, it’s understandable how Australasia is such a popular asset to Manchester’s restaurant scene. Although prices are on the higher end- the quality of the food and drink matches that of the standard expected, making for a delightful and thoroughly enjoyable evening.