It’s a cold and blustery night as Storm Arwen brings gale force winds to the city, but we take cover at one of Ancoat’s hottest new venues, The Firehouse.
It’s instantly clear that this is the place to be on a Friday night - with its buzzing atmosphere, and large groups who shout and laugh, already a few drinks in after clocking off from work.
But this is the calm before the storm really, as once its ‘Runway’ event kicks off at around 10pm, the weekend truly ignites as the venue erupts with cheers and dance.
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Sitting down at our table outside to eat - which I had booked weeks in advance to secure - I notice since my last visit in August there’s now a canopy above, shielding our heads from the rain and prettily decorated with fairy lights and greenery.
While it’s still a bit nippy, as everyone remains in their coats, there are electric heaters dotted about and the super friendly staff are happy to hand out blankets if need be.
To start, I order a daiquiri for £9, a price point expected now for a cocktail in Manchester, and my boyfriend orders a Pilsner for £5.
Firehouse, which is located in the Garage Depot building next door to its similarly popular sister restaurant Ramona, opened in July and is inspired by the owners’ summers spent in California and Ibiza - with wild spirits and a slow fire kitchen.
The menu is concise, split into a main of either charred chicken or chargrilled oyster mushroom kabobs, sauces, four pitta options, five vegetable dishes, and two puddings.
It’s a sociable menu, as you’re advised to order a few dishes per person, making it an ideal situation for sharing and trying out different options.
As a vegetarian, I order the mushrooms, my boyfriend gets the peri chicken breast, and then we order a few sides to share.
The food comes out pretty quickly, and all at once, which is good for trying a bit of everything at the same time.
The delicious mushroom kabob (£9) is right up my street with a strong soy taste, complemented with a mojo verde, and is cooked with a crispy texture on the outside.
It makes me feel that I’m not missing out on the chicken (£12.50), which appears to be the main attraction with its bold text on the menu, which is succulent and flavoursome.
Now to the fun part in trying out the sides, with the roasted winter squash (£6) first up, which again is cooked to perfection and comes with toasted hazelnuts, honey, and for a fresh contrast, pomegranate and whipped labneh.
The fluffy and warm firehouse pitta is a staple, and we opt to pair it with a classic harissa hummus (£5), but the best is yet to come.
I could have eaten plates and plates of their crushed roast fingerling potatoes (£6), that come drenched in fresh parmesan, chives, and just the right amount of truffle mayonnaise.
Our biggest regret is not ordering more.
By this point, our friend arrives, and we order a round of their signature tequila shots (£4.50 each), paired with their verdita palette cleanser of pineapple, jalapeno, coriander, mint, salt, and citrus - however two of us agree that we prefer the taste of the tequila over the sharp cleanser.
With room for a little more, we share the baked chocolate pudding (£6), served hot with ice cream, candied peanuts, and a jug of decadent salted caramel, so you can pour as much or as little as you want.
The food packs a punch, with strong flavours and a good variety to keep you coming back wanting to try more.
By the time the bill comes, we realise it’s easy for the separate dishes to rack up though, as it comes to £72 - or £44.50 if you don’t count the drinks.
We have indulged though, and I think the price is reasonable when you can taste the quality of ingredients partnered with creative flavouring.
We move to the inside bar next to settle in for the Runway, which takes place on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, and is definitely worth staying late for.
Staff clear the long seating area in the centre of the airy building and once the clock strikes 10pm, or thereabouts, the curtains to the kitchen are drawn and the live music steps up a gear.
Two vogue dancers sassily come out to the stage and strut their stuff along the catwalk to crowd-pleasing hits like I Like The Way You Move and Satisfaction.
At this point in the night, the party has really started as guests are off their seats and are screaming at the dancers with excitement, whilst the huge spinning disco ball above puts you into an awing trance.
The Firehouse is another hugely successful addition to the burgeoning neighbourhood on the edge of Ancoats and the Northern Quarter and is one that encapsulates the ‘Friday feeling’; a sure-fire way of setting your weekend alight.
