A quick meal in Manchester the other night brought a visit to Kro in Piccadilly Gardens. I'd never been to any of the Kro bars before, but always thought they might be worth a try. The Piccadilly branch is a big, fairly generic looking space with a big, fairly generic menu extending from breakfast to sandwiches, coffee, cakes, burgers, pasta and so on. The twist are sections devoted to Danish meals and 'Danwiches'. That's short for Danish open sandwiches. See what they did there?
I chose the Gravadlax danwich, described as Scandinavian dill cured salmon with a sweet mustard and dill dressing, an asparagus spear, capers and red onion rings served on brown bloomer. The gravadlax was great, cut thickly with quite a mild, sweet cure. I could have quite happily eaten a plateful of this with just the bread and capers, because the other stuff just got in the way really. Asparagus in November is a waste of time, the raw onion overpowered everything else, and the salad was more frisée than anything else.
What is the point of frisée? I like salad leaves I really do. Rocket, watercress, cos, gem or even iceberg lettuce in certain situations. But frisée. It tastes off virtually nothing, other than a slight back note of bitterness, has an annoying stringy texture and is impossible to chew properly. It's rubbish and pointless. Less of it please. Actually make that none of it.
The chips were shit too. Straight from the freezer and not fried for long enough. Flaccid and lumpen.
The sandwich was £5.95, the chips were an extra £1.20 and a latte another £1.90. Reasonable pricing as there was plenty of good quality fish on the sandwich. I wouldn't rush back, but I'd eat at Kro again. I really enjoyed the gravadlax so wouldn't mind giving the herring plate or mixed fish platter a try. More of the good stuff and less of the bad (yes you, the chips and the frisée).
6/10
One Piccadilly Gardens
Unit A and B
Manchester
M1 1RG
http://www.kro.co.uk/kro-piccadilly
I chose the Gravadlax danwich, described as Scandinavian dill cured salmon with a sweet mustard and dill dressing, an asparagus spear, capers and red onion rings served on brown bloomer. The gravadlax was great, cut thickly with quite a mild, sweet cure. I could have quite happily eaten a plateful of this with just the bread and capers, because the other stuff just got in the way really. Asparagus in November is a waste of time, the raw onion overpowered everything else, and the salad was more frisée than anything else.
What is the point of frisée? I like salad leaves I really do. Rocket, watercress, cos, gem or even iceberg lettuce in certain situations. But frisée. It tastes off virtually nothing, other than a slight back note of bitterness, has an annoying stringy texture and is impossible to chew properly. It's rubbish and pointless. Less of it please. Actually make that none of it.
The chips were shit too. Straight from the freezer and not fried for long enough. Flaccid and lumpen.
The sandwich was £5.95, the chips were an extra £1.20 and a latte another £1.90. Reasonable pricing as there was plenty of good quality fish on the sandwich. I wouldn't rush back, but I'd eat at Kro again. I really enjoyed the gravadlax so wouldn't mind giving the herring plate or mixed fish platter a try. More of the good stuff and less of the bad (yes you, the chips and the frisée).
6/10
One Piccadilly Gardens
Unit A and B
Manchester
M1 1RG
http://www.kro.co.uk/kro-piccadilly
I really like frisee, that bitter note is really quite sexy when aux lardon. Classic french salad, well worth recreating!
ReplyDeleteKro's food was acceptable in the early 00s, when bar/restaurant food in Manchester was pretty crap, it is 2011 and there are plenty of options in Manchester. My main issue with Kro (and I have eaten in several of their branches) is that they make basic and obvious errors in food that is simple and easy to make.
ReplyDeletePavel - fair point that is a dish that legitimately uses frisee. Still don't like it though, think it's the texture I find disagreeable.
ReplyDeleteAnon - I didn't really know Manchester in the early 00s, so I've not really got a point of reference as to how things have improved. One thing I am certain of though: I'd still have thought those chips were shit in the early 00s!