A ‘DOUGH’ THAT IS SURE TO KEEP ON RISING
Walking through the dark deserted streets, I wasn’t sure what to expect – how could one of the city’s upcoming trendy restaurants be hidden between the kebab shops and takeaways in this seemingly abandoned neighbourhood? However, when my eyes feasted upon the decadent Dickens-esque building I knew I had stumbled upon something truly exclusive.
Set in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Dough compounds the area’s trendy reputation amongst young professionals that could catapult it into the bustling streets of New York’s SoHo with ease.
And this stylish quality is apparent immediately – for customers innocently passing this vintage 20th Century building become immediately charmed by Dough’s flame-red doors.
I was immediately charmed by Dough’s flame-red doors.
With your rose-tinted shades now firmly on, the open-plan restaurant expands into every design enthusiast’s dream. Crisp white paint on sharp-edged walls, floor-to-ceiling windows that seems to expand the square tables onto the cold empty streets, and soft red stage lighting that warms the clean-cut monochrome arena and brings the open kitchen rightfully to centre stage.
Being politely walked to our seats, the chessboard floor simultaneously transported us somewhere between Alice-in-Wonderland and an authentic eatery in the heart of Napoli.
The combined product of design gurus Astill Associates and DEDass who branded the Dough kitchen was evidently intended to give customers a totally unique creative atmosphere whilst exuding Italian authenticity.
The open ovens and over-sized Gaggia coffee machines screamed Italy with every steam whistle.
But Astill’s unique design of the restaurant was as much on the menu as the food. The creative detail was unmatched, from the central breakfast bar which catered for the single 20-something-year-old clientele, the modern art canvases on the walls, its low ceilings and alcoves alluding to its ‘underground’ location to the abundance of plants delicately laced with red fairy lights, which gave this art-deco room a contrasting and comforting earthy vibe. No stone here was left untouched.
And of course, the same principle went for the food. Its menu reads like a recent census of cultural variety, which initially seemed strange for a pizzeria. However, I, and as the waiter confessed, many others were intrigued with the unusual choices on offer making the like of ‘Morrocan Lamb’ pizza amongst the most popular.
Having only opened in November 2008, Dough is already a firm favourite amongst Manchester’s creative crowd but its inexpensive menu succeeds in inviting those who appreciate style and quality food without the hefty price tag. This credit crunch menu started with a bowl of marinated olives from £1.95.
Eager to tuck in to the fresh ingredients seen in the open-kitchen we chose ‘Garlic Prawns’ and ‘Cured Meats in Red Wine’.
Arriving in their mock cast-iron bowls, I began to see that artistry extended beyond the ‘60s monochrome décor. The first taste of my South-East Asian-style prawns burst through my mouth with the explosion of citrus cutting through the heat and spice in the chills, peppers and fresh coriander, transporting me straight onto Thailand’s breathtaking beaches. The cured meats offered exactly the opposite experience but no less satisfying: the succulent heat of the thick chorizo and salamis steamed with spice and depth of the wholesome paprika stewing in its rich natural juices. For less than £5 each, this was a delicious start to our evening.
Soon after the rich scents of our meals greeted us – ‘Asian Chicken’ pizza (£7.25) and ‘Piccante’ (£6.45) served on Dough’s speciality whole-wheat bases. The restaurant’s appreciation for today’s special dieter is also shown through the gluten free, dairy free and whole-wheat choice of pizzas, thus bringing pizza back to people who otherwise could not eat it. This menu has launched Dough into the future, attracting customers away from the nearby popular Pizza Express and Croma.
Served on crispy dough bases and polished with their speciality pasata made from plum, cherry and sun blushed tomatoes, the medium sized pizzas were sprinkled with an abundance of ingredients.
The ‘Asian Chicken’s’ combination of chicken, chilli, limes, cashew nuts, peppers, red onions, mozzarella, coriander and crème fraiche sounded scrumptious if not slightly ambitious. The reality meant that whist individually the flavours were fresh and tasty, the combination was rich and sharp yet strangely sweet. Together with the pomodoro base, this Asian-Italian fusion failed to strike and didn’t create the firework of satisfaction that the ‘Piccante’ succeeded in.
Biting through the succulent chunks of chorizo, rich red flavours oozed out of this more traditional Mediterranean meal. Complimenting the peppery tomato sauce, the spicy meat gives this pizza a fiery kick that creates a Spanish bull-ride on your palate. The wholewheat base only added to this traditional pizza, deepening its already intense flavour making it feel as though you were eating it straight out of Nonna’s kitchen.
This juxtaposition with Dough’s unique radical alternatives illustrates its conflict between contemporary and traditional. However, here it seemed that like its clean-cut décor, simplicity was the key.
This was certainly shown with the delectable helping of Tiramisu and Blueberry Cheesecake (both £4.25). Though the presentation was a feature itself with chocolate dust sprinkled delicately all over the desert, the taste of the Tiramisu was familiarly soft and light with layers of sweet cappuccino cream. Likewise, the cheesecake was just as it should be, with a crunchy biscuit base, bittersweet fresh blueberries and sharp cream-cheese, as though it had been made in a swanky cocktail bar in New York City.
And as we left Dough’s trendy interior onto the cold streets outside, this is exactly how it felt – as though this inconspicuous hideaway amongst the Northern Quarter’s concealed bars could have been a favourite of Woody Allen or Cher in her heyday; one that you know will soon fall to the prey to the bustling city’s crowd.
An authentic Italian trattoria it is not, but Dough succeeds in creating a chic, eclectic design and a fusion of flavours in this multi-cultural society that is now Britain.
And it does so with incredible grace and impeccable style.
Words: Natasha Al-Atassi
