A bank holiday weekend is as good an excuse as any to indulge in my book. Plus, legend has it that calories don’t count on days off work so when I was very kindly invited to check out brand new Spinningfields bar, Impossible Manchester I obviously cleared my diary pronto. I’m actually a University of Manchester alumni so it’s always nice to head back to the city and experience for something other than late night shots at Joshua Brooks and cheap cocktails at Font.
Still wide-eyed and mouths agape at the stunning surroundings after arriving at Impossible, we kicked off proceedings with a couple of cocktails from the lengthy list of unusual concoctions. The poisons we picked out after much deliberation were the Chocolate Chili Cheesecake (Russian Standard, Mozart liqueur, mascarpone, vanilla and chili) and the Rhubarb & Raspberry Spritz (Aperol, raspberry, rhubarb jam, lemon, orange bitter, Prosecco and soda). It doesn’t take a genius to work out mine was the dessert cocktail by now, right?
The food menu is pretty extensive too, from a selection of steaks and hearty main meals through to little nibble-y bits and small plates. (I mean this place is millennial as fuck, there are going to be small plates!) The malleable menu style perfectly embodies the multi-faceted, patchwork brand itself and allows for the kind of flexibility that we modern folk thrive off. From good old Eggs Benedict & Chips to Crocodile burger and a Kangaroo chili taco, Impossible Manchester is both ends of the spectrum.
You can sit against a log-bedecked wall at a pimped out picnic bench and dine like yo’ momma taught ya with a knife and fork, or prop yourself up on a fancy stool at a botanical-boutique bar and chow down on delicious finger food tapas style. We had a lovely table in the corner set for us but chose to eat from the Taco Shack menu and the small plate section. I do love me some small plates and after bingeing on one or two big ass burgers in the same week and with a bank holiday of good food at 59 at The Hollies ahead of us, we thought the lighter option might be for the best.
We went for the Phat Cow taco (chilli beef, crushed avocado, sour cream and chives), the Moroccan taco (pulled lamb tagine, apricots, tomato, almond, cinnamon and tzatziki), crispy duck spring rolls with plum & schezwan dipping sauce, Frazzle-coated bacon-topped fries and some of the chorizo & sundried tomato croquettes. The stars of the show were definitely the croquettes and the fries – not even outshone by the beautiful Iced Cherry Parfait, but a close call against the divine Chocolate Pave which came complete with a moreish peanut butter powder and the most indulgent salted caramel ice cream to date.
With a parked car waiting patiently on the other side of town, we (unfortunately) kept the cocktail consumption to a modest minimum on the promise of a post-dinner trip up to The Gin Nest. Two floors up from the basement late night venue, The ‘Ginpossible’ Gin Nest is exactly what it says on the tin – an intimate loft-like bar which could house around 70 people at capacity. Kitted out like a cosy hunting lodge-come-gentleman’s club, The Gin Nest is definitely my new favourite watering hole. With 64 gins on the menu and 72 available at the bar, you could easily while away a fair few hours worth of sipping right here.
I went for a berry-based Boodles Mulberry gin, garnished with raspberry and paired with a gorgeous Hibiscus tonic that was recommended by The Manc Mixologist himself. My other half went for a Monkey 47 gin with 1724 tonic water (my usual tonic of choice) which came complete with a sprig of fresh mint and a wedge of grapefruit. I mean, if I could move in permanently I would.
Our dickie bow-clad waiter for the evening also slipped into conversation that Impossible Manchester’s Gin Nest is home to one of five cyrogenic freezers in the country and kindly offered to knock up Lady Rhoden’s Fella Repella. The ‘fella repella’ is made up of four potent gin & tonic ‘sorbets’ with their bespoke garnishes. A unique way to consume the tipple of the minute and the perfect palette cleanser with a bit of kick back. My favourite was the Brockman’s gin infused with raspberries and served with blueberries as this is my go-to distill for it’s fun fruity flavour – a refreshing alternative to the drier classics.
I genuinely cannot recommend Impossible enough and having been open for only 6 short weeks, I’m super excited to see how it develops over the coming months. Thanks again for having us guys!
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