This was not my first visit to Ply. This was my second. Or third. Oh wait, fourth if you include the launch of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival.
But unlike previous visits, where it was all about meetings and projects and deadlines, this was all about wine, and cocktails, and pizza. The fun stuff.
The space itself is open, bright, clean and light – lots of yellow and grey and, where Common have embraced the Scandi style with beige, this has a little colour with it’s texture. It feels bright even when outside the skies are grey and the air is dank. Hello British summer.
As well as the bar, comfy sofas, and hardwood dining areas, there’s also a sweet little library area, adding to the spaces flexibility. It easily transitions from working space, to dining, to dancing.
My first date and I (for this was a game of two halves) perched at the bar with a delicious bottle of white wine, the label of which unintentionally matched my hair. Chilled to perfection on this warm evening, we chatted as the bar filled, and our perches came under threat from queuing drinkers.
She departed and my second date arrived. Just in time to help me finish off the bottle and vacate the bar. A further slew of reservations meant space in the bar vicinity was at a premium and we were soon more comfortably seated elsewhere.
And in light of the amount of wine I’d drunk the swift application of fat crisp green olives and toasted almonds was also prescribed. These are a little bit addictive, and had we not moved onto food, I’d have insisted on another bowlful.
But there was yet more to come.
Having ordered pizzas, we discovered that the pizza chef this evening was a delightful Canadian chap, now affianced to a close friend, this called for a chat and some more drinks. Obviously.
I for once stepped away from the gin (though the Measure for Measure cocktail is well worth a sample, as is the Georgetown Tea) and opted for Tequila, with the Acapulco. Tapatio Tequila, watermelon and pink grapefruit go together in a nice lightly smoky fruity hit, whilst my date was enamoured with the idea of Up in Smoke – bourbon, rye, bacon and chocolate.
I think mine was a little more successful than his, whilst the rye and bourbon were there, the bacon didn’t come through enough for him to detect it, though the chocolate added a depth that made him a happy boy.
Our pizzas arrived, fresh from the disco ball pizza oven, and though we had both briefly considered the vegetarian options – the Margherita and the Portobello, both of us opted for pork.
Onion Bianca for myself – white and red onion, smoked mozarella and lightly crisped pancetta made a sweet, toasted mouthful for me, finished with the salty smoke of the cheese and ham.
My date had gone for something altogether more spicy – ‘Nduja – not only featuring the smoky spicy spreadable sausage itself, but with tomato, mozzarella and red peppers, topped with spiky rocket.
This led to a brief debate about the correct pronunciation of ndjua and it’s proper Mancunian pronunciation as well – with the relevant ‘yoh’ sound at the end. I’m not sure either of us should attempt it again and instead will continue to just point to it on the menu, or refer to it as ‘that spicy sausage one’.
It’s distinctly safer.
The discussion led to more drinks as we rested a little ahead of dessert. The Side Car Named Desire called to me, with cognac, chilli, coriander and apple, hitting my taste buds in a spicy, heavy hit. My date had continued his rye based theme with a Rye Hard – Rittenhouse Rye, Amaro and mamalade in a negroni style cocktail.
After all that pizza dessert was a sharer.
Cherry gelato had called to me, and though we had pondered a peanut butter option, cherries are a personal weakness and, after I’d argued how well they’d go with my dates drink, he let me have my way.
Oddly, and we couldn’t decide if it was due to our cocktails, or our own imaginations. But we swore we could both taste peanut butter.
I blame the rye.
Replete, and maybe a little wobbly, we left happily to let the party goers continue into the night. Ply is a great spot and it’s transition through the day is one of it’s strengths – pop in for a working lunch, afternoon meeting, or to dine, drink and later one dance til 2am.
I like a little flexibility.
All food and some of the drinks (some of those photographed were from previous visits) were paid for by ourselves. Some of the cocktails were made available by Ply for another review.
With thanks to all for the above.