1847 VEGETARIAN BISTRO

"Taking its name from the year that the Vegetarian Society was established, 1847 is quickly and deservedly taking its place as Manchester's premier vegetarian restaurant. Owner Damien Davenport, who had returned to the city from London following a redundancy, has been vegetarian for twenty-three years since the age of twelve. Damien knew that there was nothing in Manchester that offered premium quality vegetarian and vegan British food in beautiful surroundings. And with Head Chef Wendy Swetnam, formerly of London's Vanilla Black (one of only two Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurants in the United Kingdom), it's no surprise that I was blown away by the food.

I enjoyed a sensational-tasting starter that was an unusual combination of flavours - White Bean and Sundried Tomato fritters. My main course of Broad Bean Barley Risotto, with Herb Oil and Vege Crisps was enjoyable but in truth, a little bland for my tastes. An innovative dish nonetheless, it wasn't what I was expecting - rice was omitted entirely, and the "risotto" was instead made from pearl barley - an adventurous twist on a classic dish. As I'm not a huge pearl barley fan, it's likely that any disappointment was a result of my own misreading the menu. Prestign and Calvet's Semillon Sauvignon was however the perfect Bordeaux wine to partner the risotto, and accentuated the subtle flavours of the dish. My dessert was a delight - vegan affogato. A friend ordered 1847's famous Hendricks Gin & Tonic Cake, and unfortunately for him, his wife and I ended up eating most of it, before he even had a chance to get a look in. This cake is an absolute triumph: a daring dessert consisting of a slice of cake topped with whole peppercorns, and accompanied by a cucumber and black pepper granite. And yes, it's vegan. A groundbreaking creation that sets an example for all contemporary vegetarian cuisine to aspire to.

With great food and excellent service, the future is bright for 1847. Damien has also just secured Eddie Shepherd, 2009 Vegetarian Chef of the Year, who has recently left celebrity chef Simon Rimmer's famous restaurant Greens. Reservations are essential if you hope to get a table at this increasingly popular restaurant."