IN THE PUDDING CLUB AGAIN

Thursday 19th Oct 2006
The Pudding Club ‘Sweet Meet’ at The Market Restaurant, 30 Edge St, Manchester
The Market is one of the most highly regarded restaurants in Manchester. For most of its 26 years it’s been a hidden secret for many but now word is out and it’s won accolades locally as well as in the national press. The Pudding club ( and starter club) has long been a feature of The Market although there haven’t been so many in recent years, demand for real puddings seems to have slackened or perhaps it’s the communal atmosphere people don’t like. Certainly an air of Bon Viveur is required and we were next to ladies who picked at their portions and declined others, why bother going. For those unaware you get a starter then 5 puddings, some are dishes unsuited to a normal restaurant menu like crumbles and suet puddings. This time the Granada television cameras were there to record an item for the magazine programme Go North to be screened next June. Whether for a special event like this or for a cosy meal a deux you are guaranteed good wholesome sources presented just so in a friendly atmosphere, the décor remains pretty well the same and why change it now, I think the 70s wine bar look is very retro, even I’ll become fashionable again one day.
Amongst the dishes served after the starter of Pan Fried Salmon with ‘champ’ sauce was Sussex Pond Pudding, this the most traditional and British is of course the national dish of my native county, the lemons dissolve and burst into the butter and sugar producing a delicious sauce, served with custard which itself is a wholesome treat.


Next came a white chocolate Pavlova which Mandy rated top of the evening a view shared by several other diners.









The heavyweights were still going strong as next we were presented with dishes of Apple, Oat and Hazelnut crumble, the custard was flowing freely although some diners were lagging.

I managed in expansive mood to send a glass of red wine flying; thankfully it was only myself with bright yellow jumper that got splattered. The crumble was different from the usual rhubarb or apple and certainly crunchy.








The Gooseberry, Elderflower and sparkling wine jelly was a refreshingly tart intervention which gave our digestion time to absorb some of the heavier puddings, served with cream it hit the right mark for most people and fortified them for the Sugar plum toast which rounded off the evening. We’d had this before , not my favourite but I’m sure others find it super, anyway I bet it was new to lots of diners, this type of do is great for extending your repertoire.



The restaurant is in what has supposedly become Manchester Northern Quarter, a marketing ploy by the council which seems to be paying off if finding somewhere to park is any guide. Once a grotty area, the last 30 years dominated by Asian textiles wholesales it now has offices, housing, cafes and of course restaurants. The use of the term Pudding Club has been claimed by a hotel in Gloucestershire hence the use of Sweet Meets which just doesn’t sound right, anyway as they are south of Knutsford services what would they know about British puddings.

To finish a view from my office overlooking Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere port