richardfrosty – Richard Frost – Manchester

At what point does a bar-restaurant really become a restaurant-bar?

It’s a question that immediately springs to mind at Chorlton’s newest bar-restaurant Brewski when I make a beeline for some empty seats with my pint only to be told that this area’s reserved for restaurant customers only. Which is strange considering it’s around twice the size of the bar area.

Despite the name, Brewski’s a bar where the restaurant very much takes centre stage.

What’s your beer?

But as I’m just here for drinks, keen to try what this swish new North American craft beer bar has to offer, let’s stick to that for now.

We don’t get off to a great start, admittedly, when I have to wait a good five minutes for the barman to finish off a big round of cocktails for one of the restaurant parties (cocktails and gin flights are a big part of the drinks selection here…). Just bad timing I guess.

Things momentarily pick up when I ask if they’ve got any good stout and am enthusiastically recommended Millionaire by the Wild Beer Co, a sweet chocolate and salted caramel milk stout, only to discover that they’ve run out.

Unfortunately there are no other stouts going (the closest they’ve got is a bottle of porter in the fridge). There’s also no cask beer at Brewski. So I’m left to choose between their many different North American pale ales and India Pale Ales on draught.

They’re all pleasant enough (I alternate between Sleeman Breweries and Stevens Point Brewery), but it’d be nice to have a wider range to choose from especially given they’ve chosen to launch in the middle of a cold snap in February that’s crying out for a big wintry stout.

Still they get plus points for giving tasters without prompting and for offering beer paddles to let you try a selection of beers in more manageable quantities.

Hunting for tables

I’m pleased to see that the bar area at Brewski has a good atmosphere. It’s been fitted out to a high standard with a sort of North American hunting lodge-type vibe (not unlike Canadian bar Elk on Beech Road).

The seating maybe feels a bit close together if you don’t know everyone on your table of four, but overall they’ve done well with the space available. It’s inviting without being overly fussy and they’ve not got carried away with the decorations, which is a trap that so many themed bars fall into.

Chips ‘n’ gravy Canadian-style

The position of the bar area between the kitchen and the restaurant area also does a neat job of showing off the food offering, and I immediately regret having eaten beforehand after seeing some stunning pizzas come past. Personally I think £20 for a 20-inch pizza is too much, but I’d happily stretch to £4 for a slice – I just wish more places offered pizza by the slice.

The other big food options are all-American brunches and something called poutine, Canada’s national dish apparently, which is basically just chips, gravy and cheese curds with various add-ons. Not my thing at all I’m afraid but hey each to their own.

Brewski for two please

So that’s Brewski then. It only opened a week ago on a prime Wilbraham Road site opposite Morrisons (replacing the Jam Inn formerly The Shak formerly The Gallery formerly Abode…you get the picture) and it’s been packed every day since so they must be doing something right.

I’m sure I’ll give it another go soon enough – although it’ll probably be to try the food rather than just for beers. Anyone for pizza?

Drink rating: 6/10
Service rating: 6/10
Atmosphere rating: 7/10
Overall rating: 6/10