It might seem premature to be discussing roast dinners given that we haven’t quite made the transition to autumn yet, but Manchester’s latest addition is worth being hasty about. While this Sunday pastime might conjure up an image of a country pub with a roaring fire and a nice glass of red, this new spot is eschewing tradition in a big way.
When Escape to Freight Island - the former railway depot turned outdoor urban beer garden and food hall - welcomed a new host of operators earlier this year, Manchester’s foodie community was desperate to try one in particular. Replacing Ramsbottom’s Basque-inspired eatery Baratxuri - which has been a firm favourite there since the venue launched in 2020 - Carnival, an open-fire concept from lauded chef Richard Turner, really got people talking - and for all the right reasons.
Turner has been behind the scenes at the likes of Hawksmoor and famed barbeque spot Pitt Cue, and was trained by the likes of the Roux brothers, Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White. And his latest venture, which has brought him up north, is the result of a collaboration with the team behind Liverpool’s Belzan.
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The open-fire master is also one half of rare-breed butchers Turner & George, and has even set up the UK arm of legendary event Meatopia - a weekend of meat, drink and fire. So, it would be fair to say that the man behind this carnivore’s paradise knows a thing or two about good meat.
If you’re partial to porterhouse and t-bones, and have a penchant for smoked beef short ribs then Carnival is certainly the place for you. We were recently invited down to Freight Island to give it a try, but before we get into the nitty gritty, a couple of disclaimers.
The roast comes with a price tag that many will find quite dear, especially in the current climate, but it must be said that you do get a lot for your money here. Carnival’s take on the traditional Sunday roast gives diners the choice of two courses at £25 or three courses for £29.
That’s certainly a treat meal in my books, but one that you’ll remember long after the act. As roasts go, it’s at the slightly higher end of the price scale for Manchester but certainly not the most expensive by any means.
Costs aside, a personal disclaimer from someone who fell at the first hurdle - wear baggy, comfortable clothing. This is the sort of meal you need to prep for - not an all-out food challenge but one that’s worth skipping breakfast for.
Taken up to the cosy and intimate terrace of the former depot, we start off with a drink from The Jane Eyre’s bar in the sky, which sits adjacent to Carnival. The bar, which many will know for its sterling cocktails served up in The Cutting Room Square in Ancoats, turns its hand to a refined selection of Bloody Mary’s here.
If a pick-me-up is in order you can choose from their classic blend, a beetroot riff, or the horseradish variety. All that matters is that they pack a punch and ensure that you’re ready for the feast ahead.
Things start off well with some savoury cheese churros, which ease us in gently. Dusted with parmesan - the same cheese they're infused with - they’re not usually how I would start a roast, but go down a treat. Here, we could have opted for the confit duck leg and red cabbage ketchup, but for some reason I opted for the Beenleigh Blue Cheese with Waldorf Salad.
The acidity of the chopped strips of apple worked nicely to cut through the richness of the utterly moreish blue cheese, but if you’re to have room for the main event, I would advise sharing, rather than doubling up on the famously intense fromage duo. Not anticipating how much food there would be, we also ordered a ‘snack’, which came in the form of some perfectly shaped short rib nuggets with kimchi ketchup, and you guessed it, Ogleshield cheese. Put simply, these melt in the mouth meaty bites make any other nuggets completely redundant.
Suitably full, and now questioning my life choices, the star of the show arrives - the Sunday roast in all its glory. We divide and conquer, my dining companion with the 34-day aged rump of beef, and myself with roasted porchetta stuffed with peach, sage and pancetta.
The beef, with its perfectly pink interior, is both juicy and intense - just as you expect, while the perfectly rounded moist serving of boneless pork roast is not only beautifully presented but a treat for the tastebuds. As you would expect, all the trimmings are taken up a notch too, from the orange-glazed carrots and perfectly seasoned summer greens, to the crispy and fluffy roast potatoes.
What sticks in my mind though is the sheer size of the Yorkshire puddings. Towering over the roast, they’re enormous and take a few stabs of the steak knife to defeat. Dripping in gravy, they remind me of what a good Sunday roast is all about - pure indulgence. Equally, the bubbling side of cauliflower cheese - yes cheese again - hits the spot, though an elasticated waistband would have come in handy at this point.
Finishing things off, the sticky toffee pudding is a no brainer, despite the fact I have no space left to give. Served with a hefty dollop of clotted cream and miso caramel, it's’ a nice nod to the tradition that is Sunday roast. If you're up for a dessert - lord knows how - then the grilled English strawberries with elderflower and honey mascarpone offer a rose-tinted lookback to summer.
If a sweet tipple is how you like to round off this sort of occasion, the Jane Eyre’s post-roast hazelnut martini with vodka, Frangelico, cacao and dry vermouth is the perfect way to give one last hoorah to this totally decadent Sunday roast - hands down one of the best in Manchester.
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