The Alchemist MediaCityUK — Restaurant in Salford

Overall, I would describe The Alchemist as more of a bar than eatery- and it does fantastically in that regard, serving up buckets of atmosphere paired with tasteful drink and delicious bar food. Sadly, it doesn't push any boundaries with flavour on its mains- focussing entirely on presentation, instead. You can't have good food without both however- and for that reason, I've only given three stars (I came for the main- not some chips and a drink.)

The atmosphere truly can't be understated though. The subdued dimly-lit interior of the seating area, meticulously cleaned, extending and darkening to an almost-ethereal set of lavatories that were spotless, really gives some great continuity. The seats are comfortable, and the tables shine with a brushed copper aesthetic- definitely pushing the design of the restaurant into a higher level. The choice of music is reasonable, too- if only a bit modern for the decor- and perfectly audible yet not as loud as to drown out the casual banter that guests make.

With regard to the actual food, I ordered Edamame to start, Chicken Katsu for main, and some Salt/Pepper chips for a stomach-filling side. The Edamame was delicious and unorthodox- with a unique aromatic infusion that matched the one found with the salt/pepper chips- honestly quite nice. Typical bar food is something they clearly excel with, and for this I've given 3/5 rather than the bare minimum.

I came for the main however- and this was disappointing to say the least. Before I mention anything else, I will note that the rice included was a long-grained rice, rather than short, and was clearly overcooked to the point of being a mush- they'd certainly not washed it either, as it felt quite glutinous. To anyone who's had Chicken Katsu before- that tells you all you need to know. The chicken itself was of reasonable quality- the breading however, was regular crumbs- not the "Panko" as advertised in the menu- it was however piping hot and clearly freshly made, so kudos for that. The sauce was average- a sauce one can find in a tub at most stores- it certainly didn't feel in-house which is a shame given how easy it is to make a decent well-keeping Katsu sauce. The presentation was immaculate- they missed the flavour, though.

My advice to the restaurant in this case is that if you're serving up a dish, make it accurate. People don't sit down for a chicken katsu to have mushy basmati with some chicken breast and a light-orange sauce. Chicken katsu is a delight- chicken thigh pounded down and double-layered in panko and egg, deep-fried until golden and glistening with oil, dumped atop freshly-steamed short-grain rice and drizzled in a light-orange elixir made of generic yet well-mixed spices... it's a family dish, one that is easy to do, yet one that has clearly been put on the menu here for the sake of following the usual fad of having Japanese food on a menu to seem "modern." I've had cheap chicken katsus up in random farm-ish izakayas in Asahikawa, to luxurious ones paired with the heads of the very chickens that went into the dish- this one compares to none of them, and it made me sad to have to eat it.

Though I didn't eat it, my compatriots had "Chicken in a Basket"- a dish as awkward as it sounds. Breaded deep-fried chicken atop some fries, with a red-cabbage slaw alongside it, served inside a metal-bottomed chicken-shaped basket- awkward to eat from. I didn't try any but the chicken itself resembled that of the Katsu, compounding my disappointment in that I'd paid for "Panko."

While not much of a drinks aficionado, I would say that they do their drinks well- the Piña colada I had was quite nice, and presented fantastically. The price was too high, though- especially given that it was served in a regular glass, no more than ~250 mL... £10 for 250 mL of Piña colada is pushing luxury, and mixing "well" with "luxury" isn't accurate.

Anyhow, an overpriced experience in good drinks, good bar food, but subpar...

Where do I even start?! on my last day in Manchester, my aunt sporadically took us to The Alchemist. We decided to get some cocktails and nibbles. Where was this place all along my whole trip? I wish we would have found them sooner because I would have gone ham on the menu and drinks lol.

First and foremost the ambience is amazing here and the decor is absolutely beautiful. This place would be great for cocktails with the girls or a date night. The restaurant is located in Media City located off the water in Manchester so that already creates a whole ambience and vibe.

The staff was super friendly, and we decided to sit at the bar. The bartender was also very helpful and patient with us. Along with that, she was knowledgeable about the drinks and definitely put on a show when making them. This made for an overall great experience!

There's such a wide variety of cocktails to choose from, as I literally wanted everything on the menu lol. I decided to go for the hipflask margarita as I love me some tequila and margaritas, and this drink did not disappoint! It wasn't what I was expecting as a margarita, like I'd get in the states, but it was delicious. On top of that it comes in a super cool hipflask that you get to take home with you, and if you come back I believe the bartender said you could get £5.50 off of it each time you bring it back. I'm not quite sure what my aunt got as she told the bartender to just make her a strong drink but it was super cool and came with a cool bubbly effect. There was also a syringe shooter that came with this drink. I tried that one as well and it was another great cocktail. The other cocktail we ordered was the raspberry ripple and again that was great.

And I'll be honest I was hesitant about the buttermilk chicken, but I was pleasantly surprised, and that chicken was so good along with the salt and pepper fries. I needed another order that for myself lol.

If you're ever in Manchester, you should check them out! I love their whole concept behind their drinks, and it's a whole vibe. I know they will definitely be first on my list to hit up when I go back as I'd love to try some more of...

Just incredible. This is still my favourite place on the Quays.

As relative locals, the Alchemist, Media City, has always been our ‘Go To’ when we fancy a little indulgence, or just a lovely drink in the most perfect of surroundings.

The location, ambience, food and drink, as well as the fantastic service makes this a firm favourite.

So, let me tell you about our most recent experience.

My husbands 55th birthday - a milestone for us personally - and having had a few weeks on a serious health kick, we hadn’t planned to go out until late in the afternoon. We rang and spoke to Baz, and despite being fully booked in the restaurant, they offered a table in the bar. Connor was fab. He made sure we were comfortable, and made some fantastic suggestions to make our experience a little more special. At the point a table became available, offered to move us with no issues just so we could enjoy our nibbles a little better. Matt, thank you for always taking the time to come and speak to us. You’ve always managed to make our experiences that much more special just by paying attention and offering a superior level of customer service. We return time and time again because of how well you’ve treated us, from our wedding night, where we dropped in unannounced, still in my dress, from our venue across the Piazza, to birthdays and little celebrations.

Thank you team Media City. Once again we walk away, suitably fed (a little hiccupy) and always with a great taste in our mouths and nothing but positive words to say about our experience.

Baz, Matt, Connor. Thank you xxx

Mariam...