Nestled on the outskirts of the Northern Quarter, Evelyn’s Cafe Bar offers diners a more sedate and chilled experience than expected.
Walking up the stairs into the airy bar and dining area, I was pleasantly surprised to see an open kitchen as I do love to watch my food being prepared.With a chilled atmosphere Evelyn’s is described as a ‘neighbourhood bar’ and is managed by the same brothers who also own Mughli, so I had high expectations following our review of Mughli in Rusholme!
My dining companion for the evening was the super lovely Cate from Rococo Media. It was great to actually have adult company on a restaurant review for once with lots of gossip, work chatter and lots of delicious food!
What I ate:
Korean Fried Chicken with roasted chilli (£6.50) – I love any type of fried chicken and Korean fried chicken was a new taste sensation for me – unbelievably crispy and tender, the sauce complemented the meaty pieces perfectly. Great for sharing… or not if you wish to have it all to yourself!
Crispy Duck with sesame in a plum salad (£7.50) – Gluten Free – This was absolutely sublime and certainly one of my favourite dishes. Who am I kidding? They were all my favourite dishes but everything in the bowl worked so well and albeit the duck was crispy, it had not been over crisped so was still very delicate and easy to cut.
White Fish Ceviche with yuzu, lemongrass, shallots, and avocado (£7.50) – Gluten Free – Now I am generally not a fan of avocado and had totally forgotten this was included with the dish. I would never have thought about pairing it with white fish but it really did just work. The fish was unbelievably tender and this was a dish that had you wanting more!
Chicken Skewers with peanuts, soba noodles and citrus (£14) – Gluten Free – The sirloin did call out to me on the Main Meals menu, however I could not resist the Chicken Skewers. Again I wouldn’t necessarily have pair the skewers up with noodles before however the dish was sublime, with the peanuts adding a crunchy feel when eating the noodles. The chicken was cooked to perfection and there was a decent amount of meat on each of the two skewers definitely making me feel like I had made the right choice!
Apple Crumble with creamy custard (£5.00) – What a perfect way to end the meal, this was the right amount of carbs to end a very healthy meal and I appreciated the fact this dessert was prepared at our table, the custard pouring could have continued!
The food certainly did not disappoint and I actually found the menu quite refreshing and very reasonably priced – all the meals appeared healthy and light, yet I still left feeling satisfied. Sharing smaller plates as a starter was fantastic and gave more of an insight into the foods available –
It was great to see so many Gluten Free options available, all clearly labelled on the menu – it’s not a lifestyle I actually follow personally however I am more inclined to try gluten free meals in the future after the sumptuous meal at Evelyn’s. If you venture down to the restaurant, definitely check out the cocktail menu which offers concoctions with a difference – if you are a gin lover then the ECB Sparkling Punch (£7.50) will be right up your street!
Our server Jason was an absolute star and the dishes he recommended were absolutely spot on. The service made me feel like I had been well looked after and just added to the lovely atmosphere of the evening. Dining at Evelyn’s Cafe Bar restored my faith in the Northern Quarter – the chilled out vibe, not having to rush food and not feeling out of place all fused together, making me want to return again and very soon!
Evelyn’s is situated in the Smithfield Building on Tib Street – check out www.evelynscafebar.com for details on their menus and how to book to a table!
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